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A citrus now in season is a favorite in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia. Available throughout Chinatown and in some farmer's markets, a little greenish-yellow, tangerine-like fruit called kalamansi has been popping up by the bagful.The basics: Kalamansi, also called musk lime, is a type of sour citrus that is related to lemons, limes and kumquats. Kalamansi and the closely related calamondin fruit are native to the Philippines, where they are most often used as a condiment to give noodles an extra zing.
Kalamansi is just 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter. It starts off green, then turns orange-yellow when fully ripe. Its skin is thin and easy to peel. The fruit itself looks similar to a tangerine or mandarin orange when peeled, but has a very sour, acidic taste. The fruit may be picked either green or ripe, but the juice remains sour either way.
Like all citrus, kalamansi is a good source of vitamin C.
Selecting: Kalamansi is generally sold in bags that have a mixture of green and yellow fruit. Watch out for blemishes and fruit that is overly soft.
Storing: Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or so.
Use: Kalamansi is too sour to eat out of hand, but with some added sugar, the juice makes a refreshing drink. Cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Add water and sugar to taste and mix well. Kalamansi can also be cut in half and served alongside fried- or soup-noodle dishes to provide an added citrus flavor. The juice is also squeezed over Indonesian and Southeast Asian curry dishes. Or, use as you would limes or lemons. Aloha Maid has also come out with a kalamansi fruit drink.
Where to buy: Bags of kalamansi are all over Chinatown now, priced at 75 cents to $1 for a 1-pound bag.
Food Stuffs: Morsels
Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com
