Round lime

What it is

Round lime is Citrus australis, also called Dooja or Gympie lime. Its knobbly fruit is usually about 3.5–4 cm (1.4–1.6 in) across, green to greenish-yellow, with a rind up to 7 mm (¼ in) thick. Finger lime, Citrus australasica, is a different fruit.

A shallow cut around the middle lets the two halves twist apart. A teaspoon lifts the juice sacs away from the rind; gentle pressure separates them. They bring a firm texture as well as the sharp taste.

Where it comes from

This is one of Australia’s native citrus fruits. In southeast Queensland it grows on the edges of lowland subtropical rainforest, from Brisbane northwards. Far from home, it also grows in the citrus collection at Riverside in California.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Australia, ripe round limes are eaten raw, made into jam or marmalade, or added to cold drinks for flavour. The fruit also suits cordials and sauces, and its thick peel could be grated into spice pastes or candied.

Currong’s rainforest-lime and mango chutney pairs the sour fruit with mango, sugar, onion, ginger, vinegar, sultanas and spices. It becomes a topping for shrimp tacos, an accompaniment to roasts, or a relish on a cheese platter.

How it's grown

A round-lime tree can reach 12–15 m (40–49 ft), with stiff thorns along its branches and fragrant white or pinkish flowers about 1 cm (⅜ in) across. It needs soil that drains well. Growers raise plants from fresh seed or cuttings, or bud them onto the rootstock of another citrus.

When and where you'll find it

In Australia the fruit is usually ripe from November to December. In California, in the citrus collection at Riverside, it usually ripens from July to October. One Australian native-food maker, Currong, also puts it in a jar: a rainforest-lime and mango chutney used with seafood, meat or cheese.