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Citron, Citron

It is a prominent member in the genus Citrus , belonging to the Rutaceae or Rue family, sub-family Aurantioideae . The designation Medica is apparently derived from the similar ancient names Media , Median Apple etc. which were influenced by Theophrastus, who believed the citron was native to Media, Persia or Assyria.

While the most popular fruits are peeled in order to consume its pulpy and juicy segments, the citron's pulp is very dry containing only little insipid juice. Moreover, the main content of a citron is the thick white rind, which is very adherent to the segments, and cannot be separated from them easily.

The essential oil of the flavedo was also regarded as an antibiotic Natural healing Website . Citron juice with wine was considered an effective antidote to poison.

Therefore the citron was always considered as a Jewish symbol, and is found on various Hebrew antiques and archeological findings. See Wikipedia article on Etrog.

In South Indian cuisine, especially tamil cuisine, citron is widely used in pickles and preserves. In Tamil, the unripe fruit is referred to as 'narthangai', which is usually salted and dried to make a preserve. The tender leaves of the plant are often used in conjunction with chili powder and other spices to make a powder, called 'narthellai podi', literally translating to 'powder of citron leaves'. Both narthangai and narthellai podi are usually consumed with thayir sadam.

However, the citron's fruit shape is highly variable, due to the big quantity of albedo which forms independently according to the fruits' position on the tree, twig orientation, and many other factors. This could also be the reason of its being protuberant, forming a "v" shape after the end of the segments till the stylar end. The rind is leathery, furrowed, and adherent. The inner portion thick, white and fleshy the outer uniformly thin, and very fragrant. The pulp is usually acidic, but also sweet and even pulpless varieties are found.

Some citron varieties are also distinct with their persistent style, which is highly appreciated by the Jewish community.

Some of them are ribbed and faintly warted in outer surface, adding life and attraction to its beauty. There is also a fingered citron variety called Buddha's Hand.

There is molecular evidence that all other cultivated citrus species only arose by hybridization among the ancestral types, which are the citron , pummelo, mandarin and papedas.

Besides, there are enough reasons to conclude that it was in the Far East, for example India or Yemen, that the citron is likely to have originated.

Source: Wikipedia > Citron