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The
plentiful seeds of the pomegranate have secured it a place in the
folklore of many cultures. They are regarded as a symbol of fertility,
eternal life and strength.
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The pomegranate is a leathery-skinned, red fruit about the size of an
orange,
famous for its abundance of seeds. Its rind is bitterly acidic, and it
is popular primarily for its seeds and juice, the tastes of which vary
from tangy-sweet to sour.
A Little Bite of History
The pomegranate, which most likely originated in Persia, is one of the
oldest fruits known and is widely popular in Europe, the Middle East
and Asia. Though its overwhelming abundance of seeds may have prevented
it from acquiring equal popularity in the United States, the seeds have
also secured the fruit a place in the folklore of many cultures.
Its
plentiful seeds made it a symbol of fertility and eternal life to early
followers of Judaism and to Ancient Egyptians, who buried their dead
with pomegranates to encourage rebirth. Babylonians chewed pomegranate
seeds before going off to battle, believing that the seeds could
strengthen soldiers or even make them invincible. The pomegranate and
its seeds also appear in the Greek myth of Persephone, who cannot
resist the temptation to consume food, which she has been forbidden by
Hades.
The pomegranate also has a claim to fame as the
namesake of the hand grenade, and is also the namesake of the Caribbean
island Grenada and of Grenada, Spain.
Varieties
There are an assortment of pomegranate varieties throughout the world,
known in the agricultural world by their seed color (light red to deep
scarlet), harvesting time, and sweetness.
Sweet
pomegranates with lower acid contents are the only fruits of widespread
commercial interest, and varieties include Piñon Tierno, Albar, Mollar
and Valencias.
Buying Tips
In the U.S., pomegranates are available primarily in autumn.
Look
for the prettiest pomegranates, those with a rich-colored skin that is
as close to perfection as possible: unblemished, unwrinkled, unscarred
and crack-free.
The larger fruits are likely to be juicier and tastier. Seek plump, heavy pomegranates with an even, round shape.
Storage Tips
While they will only last for a few days at room temperature,
refrigerated pomegranates can last for 2-4 months and will even acquire
a richer taste over the course of their storage life.
Pomegranate
juice keeps only three days in the refrigerator, but pomegranate seeds
can last in the freezer for up to a year, sealed in a plastic baggie.
Usage Tips
To break into the pomegranate, use a knife to cut through the outer
skin. Because they are high in tannic acid, the whitish membrane and
fleshy rind of the pomegranate are rarely eaten, so try to separate the
seeds from the membrane as you cut.
Because they can make the fruit’s juice bitter, don’t use carbon steel or aluminum materials to cut pomegranates.
Pomegranates
are often used as a natural dye, which means that their juice will
stain your clothes, so be careful during preparation.
Pomegranate JuiceAn
average sized pomegranate yields approximately ½ cup of sweet, tart
juice that can be used in
desserts, mixed drinks,
sauces and
marinades.
Be
aware that separating the juice from the seeds is a difficult task and
that seeds may be broken in the process. Because broken seeds add a
bitter tinge to the juice, be as gentle as possible in order to break
as few seeds as possible.
If looking to extract just the pomegranate juice, you can try one of a variety of methods:
•
When choosing a pomegranate for its snack value, many people will just
chew gently on the seeds to remove the juice, then spit the seeds out.
• If you want to get just a bit of juice for yourself, start by rolling
a pomegranate roughly on the countertop or other hard surface. This
will break the pockets of juice that surround the seeds, and you can
then insert a straw and squeeze the pomegranate in order to suck out
the juice.
• In a similar method, you can first remove the seeds and then place
them in a thick plastic bag, rolling over the seeds with a rolling pin
in order to puncture the juice sacs and separate the seeds.
• You can also cut a pomegranate in half and ream the flesh to remove juice from the seeds.
SeedsEach
pomegranate contains 840 seeds encased in a membrane of pomegranate
juice. You should be able to extract up to ¾ cup of seed pips from an
average sized pomegranate. The whole seeds can be eaten raw, used as a
garnish on deserts or entrees, or used as a salad sprinkling.
To
remove the seeds, peel the pomegranate carefully. First slice off the
crown of the fruit and remove the pomegranates core carefully so as not
to lose or damage the seeds. Then use a knife to make four
evenly-spaced, shallow cuts into the skin. While holding the fruit
through the hole in its center, pull the quarters apart in order to
remove the white rind that covers the seeds, and then invert the rind
so that the seeds will come off easily.
Substitution Tips
Citrus
juices and pomegranate juice can be substituted into many of the same
recipes because of their similar acidity and tangy flavor. Try using
pomegranate juice in place of a citrus juice in a sauce, marinade or
dressing as a simple way to add a unique flavor to a familiar recipe.
Nutrition Notes
Pomegranates are high in the antioxidant polyphenols, and have also
been shown through studies to reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Try one of our favorite pomegranate recipes:
Pomegranate Salad
Anarkali Shorba (Pomegranate Soup)
Pomegranate Syrup
