Finger limes

Finger limes are native to Australia. The small pods are packed with tiny seeds bursting with citrussy limey tang. 

To extract the seeds (often referred to as pearls), slit a finger lime down the length and slide the back of a knife along the finger lime to push out the seeds. Alternatively, cut a finger lime in half around the waist and squeeze the ends to force the seeds out.

Use anywhere you might want a burst of citrus. Garnish guacamole, pan-fried fish, oysters, smoked salmon or creamy desserts with the small ‘pearls’. Or roll the pearls in sushi, stir into vinaigrette, sprinkle into salads … their use is endless.

The trees are available at garden centres if you want to grow your own. They will take three- four years before they fruit. The trees don’t like frost, and grow best in sunny warm areas. They grow well enough in large pots in a warm spot on a deck, but they are covered in thorns, so are not so suitable if you have children or pets.