Lemon is one of nature’s best gifts to humans, and is used throughout the world for varied applications, including culinary and non-culinary. It can be grown in your kitchen-garden, and the plant requires little care to flourish. The best thing about lemon is its juice; it’s rich in citric acid and vitamin C. The right way to use lemon juice is to use it whenever it is required since it’s organic and versatile.
Culinary uses of lemon
Lemon juice is used in many cocktails, mock tails, marinates, salads and the universally appealing lemonade. The right way to use lemon juice is to squeeze it fresh, since it tastes best when fresh and retains its nutritional value too. For lemonades, reconstituted lemon juice available in the market may also be used. However the right way to use lemon juice here is to squeeze it fresh from lemons kept at room temperature, and add chilled water, salt and sugar to it. Additional garnish such as mint leaves and spices may also be added, as per your preferences. Lemonade is best drunk during a hot day, before and during an exam, or after a meal.
Lemon juice is often used for mixing cocktails. It goes especially well with whiskey and vodka. The right way to use lemon juice here is to squeeze it over ice in a glass or shaker and pour the rest of your ingredients and shake or stir. Straight lemon juice is also essential when downing shots of tequila.
An excellent drink after a heavy meal is a sweet or salty fresh lime soda. It’s same as lemonade, except the sugar is optional and soda replaces water. The concentration of the juice can be more than in the water-based lemonade. Lemon juice is a good digestive. However having a lemonade or lemon soda on an empty stomach can cause problems such as indigestion or diarrhea, and should be avoided.
Marinating fish with lemon juice removes the odor associated with fish. Here the right way to use lemon juice is to squeeze it fresh and evenly over the raw fish, and then add the rest of the marinate. Lemon juice can also be used to marinate chicken, since it makes the chicken easier to chew.
Lemon juice can be squeezed over most elements of a vegetable salad. Lemon may also be kept as cut wedges along with the other salad elements, to be used as desired.
A bit of lemon juice poured in to rice before steaming inhibits the rice grains from sticking together. A bit lemon juice squeezed over freshly chopped fruits acts as a temporary preservative. A high concentration of lemon juice is useful as pickling agent and lemons themselves are pickled to make a delicacy.
Non-culinary uses
Lemon being rich in citric acid has excellent cleaning properties for cooking utensils, dishes and hands. It can also be used to lighten hair and counter dandruff. The right way to use lemon juice for hair is to apply it undiluted onto the hair and scalp and massage about 15 minutes before a head bath. Lukewarm water with a sliced lemon dipped in it is good for cleaning hands, especially oily or greasy hands, and also works for cleaning up the skin on the face by removing dead skin cells and opening pores.
The right way to use lemon juice for cleaning copper utensils is to have a lemon half dipped in salt or baking soda and rubbing it vigorously over the surface. Leftover lemon rinds when kept in a pressure cooker while cooking clean out the inner surface. Lemon juice also has deodorant properties.
Lemon juice can be used to clean any surface because it doesn’t hurt skin or the surface. It removes greasy, dried up and coagulated stains from around the stove, cooking surface, kitchen tiles, utensils, dishes, spoons and sinks and basins. The right way to use lemon juice here is to use it with an abrasive such as salt or a rough cleaner and then wash clean with water. A lemon peel tossed in the garbage keeps the odor away. Lukewarm water with a lemon dipped in it can also be used to clean your fridge.