Fingerlime
Fondly known as “citrus caviar”, Australian native finger limes have beady, glassy pulp similar to fish roe. However, coming from the Rutaceae (citrus fruit) family, the tiny balls of flesh burst with a sour and tart tang.
Endemic to south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales, the finger lime tree has fruit in a range of vibrant colours, from green through to red. The fruit is rich in folate, potassium and vitamin E, as well as the more usual citrus benefits such as vitamin C. While the flavour can be compared to a lime, the fruit has tiny ‘caviar pearls’ of flesh prized by chefs worldwide. It is used in a variety of ways, from topping ceviche and oysters, to salads and cocktails. Our personal favourite is finger lime over kangaroo carpaccio.
Finger limes originate from, and thrive in, Australia’s east coast rainforests - Barunggam, Wakka Wakka, Bundjalung and Gumbainggir lands.
Warndu sources our Finger Lime from Northern NSW. Our Finger Lime powder is an incredible antioxidant, freeze dried at the source for a fresh and easy to use product.
◎ Common Name: Finger Lime (Fingerlime), Citrus Caviar
◎ Scientific or Latin Name: Citrus australasica
◎ Comparison: Lime
◎ Seasonality: All year dried, All year frozen
◎ Region: Rainforest
◎ Taste Profile: Aroma of fresh citrus with some cooked notes. Taste is citrus, tart with some astringency and bitterness. The red Finger lime's aroma also has slight fermented notes.
◎ Types: We offer Finger Lime in two varieties, powdered and chips.
Powdered: Perfect for baking and cooking but best used uncooked to maintain its superfood benefits. Best in a smoothie, juice or sprinkled on cereals and yoghurt. The powder comes in a resealable 50g bag.
Chips: Perfect as garnish for cocktails adding to cooking and are an essential ingredient for bush food brittle. Anywhere you would use preserved lemons and of course your favourite Applewood Gin and Tonic.
Benefits
- Bursting with zesty flavour, finger limes are rich in folate, potassium and Vitamin E.
- Each finger lime contains three times the Vitamin C found in a mandarin.
- The level of Vitamin E is exceptionally high in the pink finger lime. Vitamin E is one of the most important antioxidants in human cell protection and disease prevention.
Traditional Aboriginal Food and Uses
Indigenous people have not only cooked with native finger limes for thousands of years, but have drawn on their generous antioxidants - being high in folate, potassium, Vitamin E and Vitamin C - making them great in meals, but good bush medicine too.
The traditional name for Fingerlime is Gulalung, from Bundjalung country in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales.
Western & Modern
Perfect for baking and cooking but best used uncooked to maintain its superfood benefits. Finger Limes contain Vitamin E, C and K as well as folate and potassium. Best in a smoothie, juice or sprinkled on cereals and yoghurt.
Medicinal
One of the most abundant nutrients found in finger lime is vitamin C. Everybody is well-aware that this nutrient helps make the immune system strong, therefore making the body less prone to attacking bacteria and viruses. Also present in finger lime is Vitamin A, Vitamin E, iron, and potassium. This combination of superfood power helps with the following:
- Increased Immunity to Infections
- Delayed Aging of the Skin
- Healthy Teeth and Gums
- Boosted Eye Health and Vision
- Defense against Age-Related Diseases
- Lowered Blood Pressure
- Reduced Risk of Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Nutritional Information
| NUTRIENT | QUANTITY PER 100g |
|
Energy |
336kj |
|
Protein |
2.5g |
|
Fat - Total |
4.9g |
|
- Saturated |
0.0g |
|
Carbohydrates - Total |
12.4g |
|
- Sugars |
3.9g |
|
Sodium |
9mg |
Recipes
Finger Lime is featured in these recipes in Warndu Mai:
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Warndu Products featuring Finger Lime
Note: The term 'Bush Tucker' and 'Bush Food' are not Warndu's preferred terms for Australian Native Ingredients or Australian Botanicals.
Images: © Luisa Brimble