Though this is not great for your teeth (the
acid will eventually eat away at enamel), they are stocked up with vitamin C, which is fantastic
for your body functioning.
This high acidity in lime makes it fantastic for tenderizing meats and tough vegetables.
You can even cook food in the acid without using heat like with ceviche. Lime juice is so strong
that it breaks down the components of meat, fish or vegetables slowly acting very similarly to
heat as a result. So, if you have a cheap cut of meat, if you marinate it in citrus juices (especially
lime) and cook it at a low temperature for a long time, it will magically transform into soft
supple pieces. This acidic component also acts as a preservative, so if you add it to guacamole
(see Avocado), the usually browning process will be prevented. This makes it especially great
when pickling! This same reaction happens in dye baths and added acid may change the color
of a vat.
Limes grow year-round in warmer climates, so they show up a lot in south east Asian
and central American cuisine. It is in these directions that the recipes that follow range in. They
are a wonderful reminder of hot and humid days that suck all the energy out of you. The kinds
of days when you’d like to be drinking a mojito next to a shoreline somewhere. This particular
zest really suits creamy flavors and textures like ice cream, white chocolate or coconut milk (like
in thai red curry). Lime can add that little extra umph that goes missing in quieter flavors. I
especially love the extra zing that it can add to a fish or chicken.
A friend of mine from Pakistan taught me her way of juicing a lime and I am happy to
share the method. This is the perfect way to really get every beautiful droplet out of the fruit:
Cut the lime in half and squeeze. Then flip the lime half inside out so that the shell is concave,
and the fruit is on the outside. Pinch around the shell until everything is rushed out. Another
way to ensure the least amount of wasted juice is my husband’s favorite: squeeze the lime half
or slice. Then place in between your front teeth just surrounded be your lips and suck the very
essence of the freshest joy into your soul.