Pick & Squeeze Kalamansi Juice Concentrate, 320ml

Pick & Squeeze Kalamansi Concentrate captures one of the Philippines' most essential ingredients in a ready-to-use bottle. Kalamansi (also spelled calamansi) is a small citrus fruit, a natural cross between a mandarin and a kumquat, with a sharp, tart juice and a fragrant, floral peel - often described as somewhere between a lime and a mandarin. It's one of the most widely used ingredients in Filipino cooking, but the fresh fruit is almost impossible to find in the UK, which makes a good concentrate genuinely useful.

Its main use is as a cordial: dilute with water to taste for a refreshing citrus drink, hot or cold. But kalamansi is a workhorse ingredient in the Philippines well beyond drinks - it's the base of toyomansi, the classic dipping sauce made with soy sauce, and it turns up in marinades, dressings and desserts wherever a bright, tart citrus note is wanted.

Why we love it:

• A genuine taste of Filipino cooking - kalamansi is a staple ingredient there, but rarely found fresh in the UK
• Made by Pick & Squeeze, a well-established Philippine brand
  
• A sharp, fragrant citrus flavour - like a cross between a mandarin and a lime, with more floral depth than either on its own
  
• Genuinely versatile: a drink, a dipping sauce, a marinade and a dessert ingredient, all from the same bottle
  
• A convenient way to use kalamansi without needing to track down the fresh fruit

How to use:

• Dilute with water to taste as a cordial-style drink - start with roughly one part concentrate to four parts water and adjust from there
  
• Mix with soy sauce, a little chilli and garlic for a classic Filipino dipping sauce (toyomansi) for grilled meat, dumplings or spring rolls
  
• Use in place of lime or lemon in a marinade for chicken, pork or fish
  
• Stir into a dressing, glaze or dessert - a curd, sorbet or bar - wherever a bright citrus lift is wanted

More information:

• Pick & Squeeze, a Philippine brand specialising in kalamansi concentrate
  
• 320ml bottle
  
• Vegetarian, not suitable for vegans (contains honey)
  
• Store in a cool, dry place before opening; once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a few weeks
  
• Allergens: NONE
  
• Ingredients: Sugar, water, kalamansi juice, honey