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Mandarins for the New Year, what are they and how are they useful?
The most common tangerines, which are sold in our stores not only for the New Year, are
Satsuma (winshiu) They are distinguished by their bright orange color, medium size, sweet taste, thin and bumpy skin and lack of seeds. Their flesh is coarse, and the slices are often of different sizes. Not the juiciest.
Tangiers – smaller tangerines with a flattened shape, orange-red easily peeled peel, few seeds. Not the juiciest.
У clementines (a hybrid of a pea orange and a tangerine), the fruit is firm with a strong and refined aroma. They are colored orange-red, the peel is thin, easily separates from the pulp and a lot of seeds. Very juicy and sweet.
Minneola (a variety of tangelo, a hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit) – good. They have a delicate and sweet taste, but the red-orange rind is difficult to separate.
The opinion that orange tangerines are sweet and greenish tangerines are sour is wrong. Color is not so much a marker of ripeness as a variety: the peel of even ripe unshiu tangerines can have “green”.
At the same time, overseas tangerines, sometimes sailing across the ocean to us, are often harvested unripe, and then “ripened” with the help of degrining, bringing their peel under the influence of temperature and carbon dioxide to the orange ideal.
The benefits of tangerines
It is not only the juice and pulp of tangerines that are useful. The peel contains a large amount of beta-carotene, and the essential oils that are part of mandarin have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system. Therefore, actively use the tangerine zest for the New Year – add it to baked goods, salads, sauces, side dishes or tea. Dry the rind and grind in a coffee maker. This preparation is also good for baking and desserts. And what delicious candied fruits are obtained from tangerine peel!
A pigment from the carotenoid class, found in tangerines and a number of other citrus fruits, helps reduce body fat by 30%. How good it is, especially if it’s tangerines for the New Year! At the same time, the Spanish scientists who published the study in note that the beneficial effects of carotenoids should be perceived as an additional therapy for obesity, but not as a substitute for drugs or diets.
- The calorie content of tangerines is 53 kcal.
- Protein: 81 mg
- Fat: 31 mg
- Carbohydrates: 11.54 g
- Energy ratio (protein / fat / carbohydrate): 6% – 5% – 87%.
Mandarins for the New Year, how to choose. Elena Pavlova’s advice
Tangerines should be clean, firm, free from damage, bruises, not wilted, without spots on the peel, with a stem cut off at the base of the fruit. You can buy fruits with a fallen off, but not torn stalk (twig), since microorganisms can get into the place of its attachment with the fruit – especially for fruits with a thin skin.
By the cup that remains at the place where the fruit is attached to the peduncle, one can judge how long ago the fruit said goodbye to the tree. If the calyx is not dry or gray, the fruit was picked not so long ago. By the way, this is a true indicator for other citrus fruits (lemons, oranges and limes)!
Like all citrus fruits, tangerines need to be weighty. The heavier the tangerines, the juicier. Tangerines, light in weight, are usually tough, have a lot of seeds and do not have the optimal amount of juice.
The entire surface of the fruit should be firmly attached to the fruit, with the exception of clementines, satsum and tangerines.
According to statistics, there is a dependence of the quality of the fruit on their shape. It is believed that if the fruit is flattened, it will surely turn out to be sour, but pitted.
To determine the ripeness of a tangerine, lightly squeeze its skin: the ripe fruit splashes with drops of essential oil. Also, after pressing, a ripe tangerine will easily return to its previous shape.
IMPORTANT! Please note that different types of citrus fruits have different storage conditions. The higher the temperature in the growing country, the higher the storage temperature. For example, Abkhaz tangerines are recommended to be stored at 2-3 ° С, and Mediterranean tangerines – at 5-7 ° С. On average, oranges are stored at 2-9 ° C, tangerines – 3-8 ° C, lemons, limes and grapefruits – 8-12 ° C, pomelo and kumquats – 10-12 ° C.
Mandarins for the New Year, what to cook, 9 festive ideas available to everyone
Casserole with Italian pasta. Grease an ovenproof baking dish with vegetable oil, sprinkle the bottom and sides with tangerine zest (only the top “colored” part of the peel!). Shake off excess, salt and pepper. Spoon the contents of the casserole, add the creamy or tomato sauce and cook according to the recipe.
Fragrant New Year’s vegetable side dish. Combine some tangerine zest, some tangerine and lemon juice, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss with carrots and celery sticks and bake at 200 ° C until tender. Serve with baked lamb or salmon.
Additive to ice cream or fruit salad. Whisk in the cream. Add some zest and 1 tbsp. l. dark rum. Use when serving sweet pastries (waffles or thin pancakes), and to start, just dip your finger in this mass and lick.
Tangerine seasoning. Mix 1 tbsp. l. dried tangerine zest with 1 glass of sugar (180 g). Punch in a blender bowl until smooth. Use wherever you use sugar.
Fragrant salt. Place a small sprig of rosemary and tangerine zest in a food processor and chop. Mix with 100 g of fine sea salt and place on a tray to dry in a dry place, for 5 hours or more. Season fish, shrimp, beef, pork, or chicken.
The healthiest citrus “tea”. Peel the tangerines, lime, lemon and boil with a cinnamon stick and a little fresh ginger root. Strain, pour into glasses and add honey. Stir and drink – you can under the tree.
Cocktail for adults. Mix 1: 1 clementine juice and champagne (or other sparkling wine). Pamper yourself and your loved ones, but without fanaticism!
A cocktail for children and not only. Peel the tangerine, remove all seeds. Mix its pulp and juice with milk and ice cream. Transfer to old-fashioned ceramic mugs and add straws. You can sprinkle with finely grated dark chocolate. Chic!
Ice for drinks. Mix chamomile or other herbal tea (linden or even light oolong tea) with a little tangerine juice. Pour into ice cube trays. Freeze and serve with compote or fruit drinks.