Calamondin or little tart oranges is an important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines and surrounding areas in southern China, Taiwan, Borneo and Sulawesi.
Calamondin oranges are used for various medicinal purposes in Indonesia and Malaysia. The juice is rubbed on insect bites and stings to relieve itching and irritation. In the Philippines, the juice is used to bleach stains from the fabric. Calamondin juice is taken for coughs and as an anti-inflammatory remedy.
These oranges grow up to be a bush but they can easily be grown in a pot in your yard or indoors. If you live in an area where winters are harsh, grow this ornamental plant indoors but put it near the window with plenty of sun. Take this plant outside during summer. In fact this plant is considered a good luck sign to grow in your home or garden.
These oranges have a sweet skin but very tart flesh. They can be made easily into spicy pickle or marmalade. Some people use them raw in salads. Although I wonder how can it be eaten raw with that tangy bite under your teeth. These oranges are a good source of vitamins, calcium, magnesium and sodium.
This plant was laden with fruits in my front yard. So I picked some fruits and made spicy pickle and marmalade. Both the items came out to my satisfaction. So here are the recipes I would want to share with you all.
MARMALADE
Ingredients:
Oranges 45, sugar 3 1/2 cups, water 2 cups, lemon juice 1 tsp, zest of lemon 1/4 tsp
Method:
Wash the fruit, wipe them down and cut into two parts. Take out the seeds. Put the flesh part in a bowl and cut the skin into small pieces.
Mix lemon juice and zest with the flesh and pulp of oranges. Lemon juice works like pectin for the marmalade. I try to avoid chemicals for the home made jams.
Put them in a pot with two cups of water for boiling. After the first boil add sugar to the pot. Reduce the flame to medium. After 15 to 16 minutes it will start to thicken.
Turn off the flame. It will solidify more after cooling off.
Once it reaches room temperature, you can put it in a sterilised bottle. Don’t close the lid till it completely cools off. You can refrigerate the marmalade and enjoy with your favourite bread.
SPICY PICKLE
Ingredients:
30 oranges, 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup mustard oil, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp dark brown mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp asafoetida(hing), 3/4 cup brown sugar or grated jaggery.
Method:
Wash, clean and wipe oranges with a dry cloth.
Make a plus sign on the top but do not slice all the way down.
Put these in a glass bowl and sprinkle turmeric, chilli powder and salt on these.
Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds stop spluttering, turn off the flame. Pour this hot oil on the spiced up oranges.
You can sprinkle brown sugar now and mix well with a spatula.
Cover it. When it comes on room temperature, transfer the pickle to a sterilised bottle.
Keep the bottle in the sun for 4 to 5 days so the sugar melts well.
Enjoy with your rice or parantha or any kind of bread.
