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How to eat longan: what is it, how is it eaten, how to properly peel the fruit
If you love exotic treats, learn how to eat longan. First, it needs to be peeled from a thick rind. This is easy to do if you know the characteristics of this fruit.
It is an exotic fruit native to China. Also common in Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia. The fruits grow in clusters on evergreen trees. Their height reaches 15–20 m. In Chinese, the name “longan” means “dragon’s eye”.
Longan fruit must be peeled before eating
They can have different colors – from red-yellow to brown. From above, they are covered with a dense skin. The pulp is light, almost transparent. It is very juicy and sweet. There is a large black seed inside the fruit.
The fruits are rich in vitamins C and B. They contain trace elements – phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, potassium and others. At the same time, they have a low calorie content – 100 kcal per 60 g.
How to properly peel this fruit
To get to the juicy pulp, the thick skin must be removed. For this:
- wash the fruit under running water;
- bite through it with your teeth. Even if the rind is hard, it breaks easily. You can make an incision in a circle with a knife or scissors;
- peel the berry. In some fruits, it is hard, so you need to carefully remove it so as not to get hurt;
- after that, the sweet fruit can be eaten. The bone must be spit out.
If the longan is sour, then it is unripe. In order for it to mature, it must be placed in a warm place. At room temperature, it can be stored for 2-3 days and does not deteriorate. After about a day, it should be sweet.
You can leave it to ripen in the refrigerator. But in such conditions, this will take 2-3 days. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time – up to a week.
The fruit is eaten raw. It is used to prepare various dishes in Thailand. It is served with sweet rice porridge and coconut milk for dessert. Add pulp to ice cream, pancakes, use as a filling for buns. Since the fruit is very juicy, fresh juice is made from it.
Dried pulp is also used for food. Dried fruits have the same properties as fresh fruits. They are served with hot and spicy dishes.
In Thailand, a fragrant fruit drink is common. They are dried in the fresh air during the day. Then they are boiled with sugar until the juice comes out of them. This drink is refreshing on hot days and increases appetite.
Dragon’s Eye is a very healthy and tasty berry. Since it does not grow in our latitudes, not everyone knows how to clean it. Although this is done very simply.