Cooking With Pomegranates
The pomegranate is one of the oldest known fruit with high nutritional content. Pomegranates are well known for their health benefits, they can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Regular use of pomegranates lowers the levels of the stress hormone in saliva and it’s also good for heart. Pomegranate tastes sweet and tart and is a delicious fruit; one can eat it fresh or in a variety of salads, dishes, juices, shakes and soups.
A tip to buy great pomegranates, choose the ones that are heavy for their size and are dark red in color. Most important point, for cooking with pomegranates, never use utensils made of aluminum or carbon steel as they can turn the juice bitter.
Removing the seeds (called arils) requires patience but well worth the effort. People do it in different ways but the best way is to cut them in half. Turn them over, tap on them with a spoon and then pull back the skin of the fruit while pressing in on the center. Take care as the juice can stain your clothes, so do wear an apron while removing the seeds. Once you get the seeds, you enjoy this wonderful fruit…you can eat it fresh (uncooked) or you can make the puree or just strain it for the juice.
These seeds add an interesting addition to any dish. Sprinkle them in salads, in fruit salads, over ice cream, yogurt, sorbet or rice dishes. Pomegranates are also used as a marinade for meats. Sprinkle these seeds on your desserts; this will give them a fantastic flavor, texture and color.
Pomegranate juice is tangy, sweet, rich and flavorful…it forms a great base for sauces, savory dishes and beverages. You can also make excellent jelly or molasses using pomegranate juice. Pomegranate jelly is really loved especially by kids, spread it on any of the breakfast foods, it not only adds taste but also make it tempting for kids. Pomegranate molasses can be used in marinades, rubs, glazes or in desserts. If you plan to store Pomegranate juice, make use of disposable containers or glass jars, as it can leave stains on plastic container. Pomegranates are rich in fiber and Vitamin C and give a refreshing crunch to both sweet and savory dishes.
Pomegranates are very tasty and are excellent for the body, so experiment and cook to enjoy its healthiness and flavor.
