The market · Acids and agents

Citric acid

The main acid of lemons and limes, as a white powder: sourness with no water, no flavour and no cloudiness — for adjusting juices and making 'citrus' for clear drinks.

sharp · lemony · clean

What to do with it

Ibu Sari's Beef rendangCitric acid would cut through its richnessAna Etxarri's Pil pilCitric acid would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's SuyaCitric acid would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's Rendang, the Lagos wayCitric acid would cut through its richness

If you can't find it

Baking aisles, homebrew shops and online.

  1. 1Lemon juice
    About 17 times the weight — lemon juice is around 6% acid
    You lose clarity: it adds water and lemon flavour.

Goes with

malic acidorange juicesugarwater

Knowing it

Where to buy
Food grade, from home-brewing, preserving or baking suppliers. A 500g bag lasts ages.
Worth knowing
Lemon and lime juice are both about 5–6% acid: lemon's nearly all citric, lime's roughly two parts citric to one malic. To bring orange juice up to lime strength, add about 32g citric and 20g malic per litre. A 6% citric solution in water is a 'lemon' that never goes off, for clarified and carbonated drinks.

Kitchens that keep it in

New York, Mexico City, London, BarcelonaThe cocktail barSpirit, acid and sugar balanced to the gram — and lately a lab's worth of technique: clarifying, fat-washing, infusing, carbonating, until a drink can taste of a whole dish.9 classics · 4 cooked here

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