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[~KAYRA~]

ALL ABOUT LIME 'N' LEMON

Lemon

Lemon
Citrus x lemon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Rosidae
Species: C. × lemon
Binomial name
Citrus × lemon
(L.) Burm.f.

The lemon (Citrus × lemon) is a hybrid in cultivated wild plants. It is the common name for the reproductive tissue surrounding the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and non culinary uses throughout the world.The fruit is used primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind (zest) are also used, primarily in cooking and baking. Lemon juice is about 5% acid, which gives lemons a tart taste, and a pH of 2 to 3. This makes lemon juice an inexpensive, readily available acid for use in educational science experiments.

History

The mention of the lemon in literature dates back to a tenth century Arabic treatise on farming, although it was probably first grown in Assam, India. The lemon was used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens and used in enemas in ancient Babylon. Lemonade may have originated in medieval Egypt. The name lemon was borrowed from Arabic limun through Italian & Old French, lemons also are very bright yellow and are very sour to eat thats also why some people say you are as sour as a lemon.

In 1747, James Lind's experiments on seamen suffering from scurvy involved adding Vitamin C to their diets through lemon juice.


Culinary uses

Lemons are used to make lemonade, and as a garnish for drinks. Iced tea, soft drinks and water are often served with a wedge or slice of lemon in the glass or on the rim.

The average lemon contains approximately 3 tablespoons of juice. Allowing lemons to come to room temperature before squeezing (or heating briefly in a microwave) makes the juice easier to extract. Lemons left unrefrigerated for long periods of time are susceptible to mold.

Fish are marinated in lemon juice to neutralize the odor. The acid neutralizes the amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts.

Lemon juice, alone or in combination with other ingredients, is used to marinate meat before cooking: the acid provided by the juice partially hydrolyzes the tough collagen fibers in the meat (tenderizing the meat), though the juice does not have any antibiotic effects.

Lemons, alone or with oranges, are used to make marmalade. The grated rind of the lemon, called lemon zest, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice and other dishes. Spicy pickled lemons are a Moroccan Jewish delicacy. A liqueur called limoncello is made from lemons.

When lemon juice is sprinkled on certain foods that tend to oxidize and turn brown after being sliced, such as apples, bananas and avocados, it acts as a short-term preservative.

Health benefits
lemon, raw, without peel
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 30 kcal 120 kJ
Carbohydrates 9 g
- Sugars 2.5 g
- Dietary fiber 2.8 g
Fat 0.3 g
Protein 1.1 g
Water 89 g
Vitamin C 53 mg 88%
Citric acid 5 g
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.

Some sources state that lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. These may be able to deter cell growth in cancers. Limonins found in lemons could also be anti-carcinogens.

Because of its high Vitamin C content, lemon has been touted in alternative medicine as a tonic for the digestive system, immune system, and skin.There is a belief in Ayurvedic medicine that a cup of hot water with lemon juice in it tonifies and purifies the liver. In a Japanese study into the effects of aromatherapy, lemon essential oil in vapour form has been found to reduce stress in mice.

Non-culinary uses

* Lemon battery - A popular science experiment in schools involves attaching an electrode to the lemon and using it as a battery to power a light. The electricity generated in this way can also power a small motor. These experiments also work with other fruits and vegetables.
* Lemon hair lightener - Lemon juice applied to the hair is a natural hair lightener.
* Insecticide - The D-lemonene in lemon oil is used as a non-toxic insecticide treatment. See orange oil.
* Acne Treatment - Applying lemon juice to facial blemishes is a popular form of treating acne.
* Skin bleach - Lemon juice is also believed by many to lighten the skin when applied topically, as it has been suggested that the acids it contains inhibits melanin production. The effectiveness, however, is largely a subject of debate.
* Lemon is used in facial masks for refreshing the skin.

Lemon alternatives

Several other plants have a similar taste to lemons. In recent times, the Australian bush food lemon myrtle has become a popular alternative to lemons. The crushed and dried leaves and edible essential oils have a strong, sweet lemon taste but contain no citric acid. Lemon myrtle is popular in foods that curdle with lemon juice, such as cheesecake and ice cream. Limes are often used instead of lemons.

Many other plants are noted to have a lemon-like taste or scent. Among them are Cymbopogon (lemon grass), lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon verbena, scented geraniums, certain cultivars of basil, and certain cultivars of mint.

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[~KAYRA~]

Capsicum Lime Rice

Ingredients

Capsicum (Green Bell pepper) - 3
Carrots - 1
Boiled Potatoes -2
Peas - 1/2 a cup
Slit Green Chillies - according to taste
Chopped ginger
Karipatta and Coriander Leaves
Grated fresh coconut - 3 or 4 Tbsps
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
Oil
Turmeric Powder, Mustard seeds, Chana Dal and urad Dal - for seasoning.

Method:

1. Heat oil - add mustard seeds. After it splutters add Chana Dal and Urad dal, let them brown.
2. Add slit green chillies, ginger and karipatta leaves.
3. Add chopped capsicum, carrots and peas and let them get cooked.
4. Add boiled and mashed potatoes, turmeric powder and salt.
5. After the veggies are mixed well, add grated coconut and coriander leaves.
6. Add lime juice and mix with cooked rice and enjoy!!!

You can also add cashew nuts while seasoning and/or chopped methi leaves with the other veggies for special taste.


Posting a reply and Adding repz doesn't Cost You anything otherthan 20 secs. But it can bring smile on the face of poster .

[~KAYRA~]

Lemon: Benefits, Uses
LEMON

Lemon is widely grown all over the world. Lemon grows in abundance in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mexico and West Indies. Unripe lemons are green in color. When they are matured, the color is changed into yellow. Lemon is a must in the kitchen. It is a universally favourite fruit.

Benefits, Qualities and Uses of Lemon

The Ayurveda has regarded lemon as a valuable fruit and admired its properties. Lemon is sour, warm, promoter of gastric fire, light, good for vision, pungent and astringent. It checks the excessive flow of bile and cleanses the mouth. It dislodges phlegm (cough) and expels wind from the digestive tract. It helps in digestion and removes constipation. It prevents vomiting, throat trouble, acidity and rheumatism. It destroys intestinal worms.

Though lemon is acidic to the taste, it leaves off alkaline residues in the body. This is why it is useful in all symptoms of acidosis.

Lemon-juice is a powerful antibacterial. It has been proved by experiments that the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases are destroyed in lemon-juice.

It also contains some vitamin A. Natural vitamin C is much more effective than the synthetic one. Vitamin C of lemon-juice is very effective because it is combined with bioflavonoids (vitamin P). In addition to vitamin C, lemon also contains niacin and thiamin in small amounts.

One should not take concentrated lemon-juice. It should be diluted with water before taking it. Pure lemon*juice contains acid which is injurious to the enamel of teeth.

The body is well cleansed if lemon-juice mixed with cold water and honey is taken on an empty stomach early in the morning. Warm water may be used occasionally to get relieved of constipation.

Lemon-juice prevents or restrains influenza, malaria and cold.

Lemon-juice gives good relief in fever. Lemon-juice mixed with water is useful in quenching the thirst of the patients suffering from diabetes. It gives immediate relief in abdominal disorders. Lemon acts as a sedative for the nerves and the heart and allays troublesome palpitation.

Lemon is especially appreciated for its vitamin C value. When Vasco da Gama made his voyage round the 'Cape of Good Hope' nearly two-thirds of his crew died of scurvy. But at present the recurrence of such a disaster is no longer possible owing to the widespread use of lemon. Innumerable boatmen moving in sea have saved their lives with the use of lemon.

Vitamin P in lemon strengthens the blood vessels and prevents internal haemorrhage. It is, therefore, extremely useful in high blood pressure, in which cerebro-vascular accidents commonly occur.

The most valuable ingredient of lemon, next to vitamin C, is citric acid, of which it contains 7.2 per cent. Lemon contains more potassium than apple or grapes, which is beneficial to the heart.

Lemon is very much useful in maintaining the health of the teeth and the bones. The vitamin C content of lemon helps considerably in calcium metabolism.

Lemon has been used for many years in gout and rheumatism. Lemon-juice is a diuretic. It, therefore, gives relief in kidney and bladder disorders. It has been used in destroying intestinal worms. It prevents vomiting and helps to cure hepatitis and other innumerable diseases.

Lemon has been proved to be a blessing for mountaineers. In the cases of insufficient oxygen and difficulty in breathing lemon comes to their rescue. Edmund Hillary, the first man to put his foot on the top of Mt. Everest, has admitted that his victory over Mt. Everest was greatly due to lemon.

[~KAYRA~]

Lemon Uses

A lemon half and some salt will put a shine on copper pots and clean the lime scale off a sink or faucet.

* Trivia tidbit: The largest lemon ever grown weighed eight pounds, eight ounces, according to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records.

* Purchase lemons with the smoothest skin and the smallest points on each end. These will yield more juice and a better flavor.

* If only a few drops of lemon juice are needed, prick one end with a fork and squeeze the desired amount. Cover the holes with a bandage, and return the lemon to the refrigerator to preserve the flavor.

* Freeze lemon rinds and grate them when a recipe calls for zest.

* Keep mushrooms white and firm when sautéing them by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to each quarter-pound of melted butter.

* Flavor tea by using sugar cubes that have been dipped in lemon juice.

* Use leftover lemonade mixed with a little white wine to poach apple slices.

* Use a half lemon to clean the lime scale off a sink or faucet. Rub the cut end over the lime spot.

* Use lemon to freshen the air by making a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water and putting it in a spray bottle.

* Lemon juice in the bottle has an expiration date posted. Do not use after the date has expired because the lemon juice may brown and the taste will deteriorate.

* To make a decorative lemon star, cut out five, evenly-sized wedges from a lemon, spaced evenly around the lemon. Slice the lemon into star slices.