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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Freeze Those Lemons and Limes

In the Philippines we use a lot of calamansi to flavor our dishes. Calamansi is an everyday all around fruit that is commonly used in cooking and just about anything. We use it to make sauces or condiments; to add citrus flavor to marinades; to drizzle on raw food like oysters; or just make a cool and refreshing juice to quench the thirst. The fruit of calamansi or calamodin resembles a small, round lime, usually bigger than the size of a thumbnail, 25-35 mm in diameter, sometimes 45 mm. It has very thin green or orange colored peel and sour taste but inviting odor. Like other citrus fruits, calamansi is also high in vitamin C.

Now that I'm based in US, I always crave for calamansi especially to make condiment for my Pancit Bihon. Calamansi mixed with soy sauce and drizzled on a freshly cooked Pancit Bihon really makes my mouth waters, yummy. I can only buy frozen pure calamansi in an Oriental store in Cranston, RI and it costs almost $3 a pack of 12 small packets and a pack doesn't last long. If I can't drive to Cranston I just find alternate ways to still enjoy and add flavor to food by using lemon or limes. Lemon and limes can be pricey at times so I buy them in bulk and then squeeze and freeze them. I freeze them in ice trays so that when I need them I just conveniently pop them out with each cube approximately measures a tablespoon.

KITCHEN TIP #1 :
I buy lemons and limes in bulk and
then squeeze and freeze them in ice trays
for later use




7 comments:

  1. That's a great tip Mira. I do have limes in my fridge. It's not the same as Calamansi though.

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  2. ako din mahilig sa "citron" (kalamansi) ito ang gamit ko sa pagluto everytime the recipe needs vinegar:)

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  3. Agring - I agree with with you, calamansi is still better than limes. But since I seldom see the frozen calamansi I make do with limes.

    Amy - me too, I'd rather put calamansi or lemon/limes instead of vinegar.

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  4. This is the best tips.

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  5. Hi ate Mira... here in my suburb kaming mg pinay,, its a must to have a Calamansi tree../ shrub... Its called Calamondin here.. and we can easily buy that tree to planted from a local garden centre here... kaya nman kanina we had a lunch ,, nilagnag baka may sawsawan na kalamansi at soy sauce,, humm sarap.. then I usually freeze the kalamnsi to keep it just in case I need it...

    Salamat sa palagi mongpagbisita sa aking dampa.. ha haha ,,see u raound

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  6. Carlotz - tks you find it useful.

    Joy - I wish I can plant calamansi shrub too sa backyard namin so I can get them anytime I want just like you. Wow, we also had nilagang baka last week, ang sawsawan ko naman kalamansi with patis, yummy. I will with toyo next time.

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  7. maganda itong tip mo sa lemon-limes....

    hindi ko ito naisip....

    thanks ha....

    nakagutom dito uy........

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