What is a Palestine Sweet Lime?

food cooking

The Palestine sweet lime is a lime varietal which is extremely low in acid. The name “sweet lime” is actually a bit of a misnomer, because the Palestine sweet lime doesn't really have any flavor at all, let alone sweetness. This extremely mild lime is used in some Middle Eastern and Asian cooking, and some people like to use it to make delicately flavored beverages.

You may also hear the Palestine sweet lime referred to as the Indian sweet lime. When ripe, this lime has yellow skin and flesh, and it may be ovoid to spherical, with lightly ribbed skin. The skin of the Palestine sweet lime contains a number of aromatic oils, and the flesh has few seeds. Some people describe the flavor of this lime as “bland” or “insipid,” which is perhaps a bit cruel; “subtle” might be a better way to describe it.

These limes may be squeezed for juice, or grated for zest in various recipes. The zest can be added to baked goods or included in various curries and other dishes, and the juice can be used in a variety of ways. Some cooks also candy the skin for use in various recipes. Because the Palestine sweet lime lacks acidity, the juice cannot be used as a preservative in the same way that other lemon and lime juices can be, which is something to keep in mind.

This lime cultivar also happens to be extremely hardy. As a result, many citrus growers use the Palestine sweet lime as rootstock, grafting more delicate citrus varieties onto an established Palestine sweet lime trunk. This practice allows citrus growers to grow more fragile citrus varieties in cooler places, harnessing the hardiness of the Palestine sweet lime's roots and trunk.

Like other citrus trees, the Palestine sweet lime can also make a pleasing ornamental. The trees produce aromatic white flowers which can make a garden or a courtyard very pleasant, and the dark green leaves can be an attractive sight. People who wish to grow the Palestine sweet lime as an ornamental can prune the tree to shape it, and the limes produced can be discarded, or used in cooking, depending on personal choice.

Related wiseGEEK articles

Category

wiseGEEK features

Subscribe to wiseGEEK


FREE: Subscribe to wiseGEEK

 
    learn more

our strict privacy policy ensures that your email address will be safe



Written by S.E. Smith


copyright © 2003 - 2009
conjecture corporation