The Fruit Chronicles: Buddha’s Hand

Oh, sorry I didn’t see you there. It’s me, Cameron, back with another fruit review. Have you ever wondered what Manmath Gupta, an Indian revolutionary, would look like if he were a fruit? Well, wonder no more. Today I have the pleasure to review the Buddha’s Hand fruit, and it is a unique, wild-looking plant. Also known as the citron, the Buddha’s Hand is one of the oldest citrus fruits in the world.

Unlike most citrus fruits, the Buddha’s Hand is all rind and pith. There is little to no juice in the entire thing. You may see this as a negative, but I assure you that the taste is quite eccentric. Despite its lemon-like appearance, the Buddha’s Hand fruit is nothing like its citrus twin. It has a somewhat sweet taste and the toughness of a peanut. Overall, I enjoyed the taste, but if I were to choose between this citron or an orange, I’d probably go with the orange.

I think the uniqueness of the Buddha’s Hand is also its downfall. With a tough shell, it is honestly better to zest the thing rather than eat it outright. The fact that it is also somewhat sweet gives it some shock value when first biting into it, but it is not something that I would applaud it for either. Since there is not any juice, you could not make this fruit into a drink either, so that devalues it quite a bit.

In conclusion, I’d say that every person should find a chance to try this fruit, but as far as eating them on a daily basis, that is a different story. Someone with a unique palate would surely enjoy the taste, but for more common fruit consumers, I would not recommend. I give the Buddha’s hand fruit a seven out of ten apples.