We continue to get acquainted with interesting and unusual fruits from all over the world, which amaze not only with their eccentric shape, but also with their specific smell and spicy taste.

 

Tomatillo

Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

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Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

wikipedia.org

Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

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Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

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Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

US Department of Agriculture on Flickr.com

Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

depositphotos.com

Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

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Tomatillo (or Physalis vegetable, or Mexican tomato)

depositphotos.com

Tomatillo (or vegetable physalis, or Mexican tomato) is a heat-loving plant that practically does not tolerate frost. Reaches a height of 1,5-2 meters. Tomatillo is grown in many countries with a warm climate, therefore it has a number of other names: “Mexican tomato”, “strawberry tomato”, “Peruvian gooseberry”, “ground cherry”, “golden berry”, “ground cranberry”, “pineapple cherry”.

Tomatillo is native to Mexico, and is native to Central and South America. Tomatillos have been cultivated in the United States since 1863. Further distribution occurred in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Florida. By the middle of the 20th century, the plant was exported to India, Australia, South Africa and Kenya.

Tomatillo is valued for its spherical or conical flat (almost pyramidal) fruits, 6–12 mm in diameter. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour, reminiscent of gooseberries and strawberries, and in appearance it is almost an exact reduced copy of Chinese decorative lanterns that are launched into the sky. The pulp contains many small grains-seeds.

The amount of sugars in the fruits of vegetable physalis is 15% more than in raspberries and strawberries. This is a pectin fruit, that is, it contains pectin. There are many organic acids in the fruits (ascorbic, folic, pantothenic, citric, malic, tartaric, succinic), carotene, water, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium, numerous vitamins: provitamin A, vitamin A (PE), vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, choline, pyrodoxine, tocopherol, phylloquinone, steroids, esters, phenolcarbolic acids, phytoncides.

In other words, tomatillo fruits contain a balanced amount of organic acids, pectins, sugar, vitamin C and tannins for the human body. The content of phytoncides makes them a good antiseptic. It is a dietary product.

The fruits contain substances that have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, diuretic, analgesic and choleretic effects. Fresh fruits and freshly squeezed juice from them are indicated for high blood pressure, respiratory diseases, dermatosis. Decoctions and infusions of fruits are taken for urolithiasis, cystitis, hepatitis, bronchitis, ascites and edema, rheumatism, gout, bruises.

The tannins contained in it prevent the fermentation of the fruit, due to which it is preserved for quite a long time.

Varieties of tomatillo are divided into two groups: candied and vegetable.

  • Candied varieties are used to make jams, jams, jellies and candied fruits. They make very tasty jam and yellowish jam. Compotes, kissels, marmalade, fillings for pies are also good from it.
  • Vegetable varieties are used for making salads (similar to tomatoes).

Tomatillo is also used as a garnish. It is especially good with baked chicken, shrimp. It goes well with mint, cream and is used to prepare various soft drinks. Used to make food coloring.

Dried tomatillo is indistinguishable from yellow raisins in appearance and taste. It has a pleasant strawberry aroma.

It is also the basis of one of the varieties of the traditional Mexican salsa sauce (salsa verde or "green salsa").

 

Mombin purple

Mombin purple (or Mexican plum)

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Mombin purple (or Mexican plum)

Cristobal Alvarado Minic on Flickr.com

Mombin purple (or Mexican plum)

wikimedia.org

Mombin purple (or Mexican plum)

wikimedia.org

Mombin purple (or Mexican plum)

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wikipedia.org

Mombin purple (or Mexican plum) is a small deciduous tree 7,5–15 meters high. Found both wild and cultivated in the Caribbean and all the way from Central Mexico to Peru and Brazil. It is also currently cultivated in Venezuela, Nigeria and the Philippines.

The fruits of purple mombin are oval or ovoid, 2,5–5 cm long, purple, yellow, orange or red in color. The skin is thin and shiny. Inside contains yellow fibrous juicy sour pulp with a rich aroma. The stone is hard, yellowish-brown, with longitudinal grooves. In general, purple mombin fruits are similar in structure and taste to plum fruits.

Mexican plum fruits are very rich in vitamin B, contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), as well as mineral elements (potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus).

They are consumed fresh, canned (pickled) form. It is also customary to stew the fruits with sugar, resulting in a very tasty dessert dish. Purple mombin produces quality jam. In the Philippines, they are used to make a sour stew. The fruits also make a very healthy and tasty compote.

 

Strawberry guava

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

Malcolm Manners on Flickr.com

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

wikipedia.org

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

wikipedia.org

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

wikimedia.org

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

pixabay.com

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava)

pixabay.com

Strawberry guava (also known as Kettley guava, strawberry guava, cherry guava) is a small evergreen slow growing tree 2-4 meters high. Strawberry guava is native to eastern Brazil. It is also cultivated on a limited scale in other countries of Central and South America, Florida, Southern California, Antilles, Bahamas and Bermuda. It is also cultivated in Africa, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

Strawberry guava fruits are round, 2,5–4 cm in diameter, with a thin skin of dark red, purplish red or lemon yellow. The pulp of red fruits is white, slightly reddish near the skin, yellow fruits are yellowish. In both types of fruit, the flesh is juicy, translucent and has a strawberry flavor. Contains vitamins A and B.

The fruits are eaten fresh and used to make jams, jellies, sherbets, juices and alcoholic beverages.

 

Tangelo

Tangelo

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Tangelo

pixabay.com

Tangelo

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Tangelo

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Tangelo

pixabay.com

Tangelo

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Tangelo

depositphotos.com

Tangelo is a citrus fruit, a hybrid of tangerine (a type of tangerine) and grapefruit (or sometimes pomelo). The trees are quite large and more frost-resistant than grapefruit.

The fruit is the size of an orange or sometimes a grapefruit. The pulp ranges from yellow to orange in color and has a sour taste. The peel is orange and comes off very easily.

This hybrid was obtained in 1897 by Walter Tennyson Swingle at the US Department of Agriculture.

Tangelo has several well-known varieties:

  • Minneola is the most common type of tangelo in our country.
  • Simenol
  • Orlando
  • Thornton
  • Agli
  • Alamoen

 

Minneola

Minneola (or mineola) is a variety of tangelo, obtained in 1931 in Florida (USA). It is a hybrid of “Dancy” mandarin with “Duncan” grapefruit.

Minneola is grown in the USA (Florida), China, Turkey and Israel.

Minneola has a round shape, slightly flattened along the axis, a relatively large size (8,25 cm wide, 7,5 cm high). The rind of the fruit is deep red-orange in color, thin but firm.

The pulp consists of 10–12 slices, has a sweet and sour taste and a wonderful aroma, melts in your mouth. The pulp contains 7-12 small seeds (pits), green inside.

Minneola ripens late. Well preserved during transportation. If the crop is overexposed on the tree, the fruit of the next crop will be light in color. One way to increase the size of the fruit is to tie the inflorescences.

Minneola contains a large amount of folic acid – up to 80% of the daily human need for 100 g of product.