Calamansi: The Little Citrus

Calamansi is a small, round citrus fruit that grows abundantly in the Philippines. Though it is only about the size of a marble, it is used in countless ways. In the kitchen, its sour juice is squeezed over pancit, mixed with soy sauce as a dipping sauce, and used to marinate meat and fish. Many Filipinos also drink calamansi juice, either cold with sugar or warm with honey when they have a cough or sore throat. The fruit is rich in vitamin C, which helps the body fight infections. Beyond food, calamansi juice has been used to remove stains from clothes and to clean kitchen surfaces. Farmers in provinces such as Oriental Mindoro grow calamansi as a cash crop. Because it can be grown in pots, many families in the city also keep a calamansi plant in their yards or on their balconies.