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Buddha's Hand Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Buddha's Hand
About Buddha's Hand
Buddha's Hand is a seasonal fruit with a strikingly unusual look described as a lemon with fingers. It is thought to have originated in India, with Buddhist monks bringing it to China. Buddha's Hand is often served in China around the new year because it symbolizes wealth, longevity, and happiness.
In some areas, this unique fruit is called the fingered citron because of the citrus flavor and the fingerlike appearance. It has a sweet and floral aroma and a mild zest on the outside, and inside, it is all rind and pith, with very little and sometimes no flesh. Buddha's Hand also has no seeds. The thick rind is edible and often grated and added to sweeten things such as candy and cocktails.
Buddha's Hand has a short season that starts in October and peaks in the winter months. When it first starts growing, the hand is closed, but as it matures, the hands and fingers spiral out, almost like an octopus.
You can use Buddha's Hand in many different ways:
- Substitute it for lemon zest. Zest the ring of the Buddha's Hand in almost anything that calls for lemon zest.
- Mix it into salad dressing. Create a dressing from olive oil, salt, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, minced thyme, and some Buddha's Hand zest. Let sit overnight and then use on an arugula and prosciutto salad.
- Toss it with pasta. Add grated Buddha's Hand to pasta tossed with olive oil and garlic.
- Put the rind in a cocktail with vodka or gin. Or make your own infused alcohol by adding sliced Buddha's Hand to your favorite spirit and sealing it in a jar. Shake it up, and then let it sit for a week. Use a strainer to separate the fruit from the alcohol, add a splash of club soda, and muddle in some fresh basil.
- Candy it. Dice up some Buddha's Hand and simmer with water and sugar or honey until it reaches 230 degrees. Remove from the heat and let cool before draining the liquid.
- Make simple syrup. Take the liquid leftover from making candied Buddha's Hand and save it. Use the simple syrup to sweeten cocktails.
How to pick out Buddha's Hand
Look for fruits without blemishes, and choose fruit with bright and fresh-looking skin. Check for soft spots and avoid a Buddha's Hand that has a weathered appearance. If the fingers appear limp, it can be a sign that it's been sitting on the shelf for too long. Buddha's Hand comes in an open finger variety and a closed finger, but most of the time, you'll find the open finger variety in the U.S. Make sure to choose one that has separated fingers that are curling away from each other.
Once you get it home, it can sit on the counter for up to two weeks, but it will last for up to four weeks if you put it in the fridge. As soon as you place it on the counter, you'll notice the scent. It will fill the space with a scent that combines the aromas of lemon, lavender, and tangerine, but along with the scent, the look of this fruit also makes a great conversation starter if you keep it out of the refrigerator.
How to prepare Buddha's Hand
Make sure you refrain from washing Buddha's Hand until you are ready to use it. To use, break off a finger from the hand and grate or peel the bright exterior. Once you hit the white pith, stop zesting.
You can cut either the whole fruit with the rind to make candy or use the pith after testing, and the pith also makes a delicious marmalade.
Buddha's Hand Near Me
Buy your favorite Buddha's Hand online with Instacart. Order Buddha's Hand from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Buddha's Hand
Although Buddha's Hand is delicious to eat and use in cocktails, it also has some other unique uses. Add it to potpourri mix for a nice fresh citrusy scent, or add it to a Halloween display. The curled fingers look a lot like skeleton hands, and the fresh scent will make your display smell good.
Use zest from Buddha's Hand to make scented sugar or to flavor salt. Package it up and give as a gift, or use it at home to rim margarita glasses.
Buddha's Hand has several health benefits. It is high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and calcium. It doesn't have any fat or sugar and no carbohydrates. Since Buddha's Hand is rich in organic compounds such as limonin and coumarin, it is sometimes used to treat inflammation and pain due to sprains, cuts, and bruises. It also contains a compound that works as an expectorant to help clear cough and phlegm.
Find Buddha's Hand using the Instacart app and have it delivered in as little as 2 hours! Give this unique fruit a try, whether you make it into candy or add it to your salad.