Pomegranate sauce is a great addition to meat and fish dishes. It is not only delicious, but also extremely healthy. You can buy it at any supermarket, however, you will never be completely sure of its quality, because the presence of preservatives and food additives will certainly affect its beneficial properties. Therefore, it is advisable to make the sauce yourself at home from natural juice of this beautiful fruit.
The classic recipe for this sauce was invented in Azerbaijan. Narsharab, called pomegranate sauce at home, is made from natural freshly squeezed juice with spices. This product should have a consistency of thick sour cream, which is achieved by boiling the juice over a fire. Those who once made jam will find a slight resemblance in the way they cook. The process takes a lot of time, but the result is worth it. Taste and bright rich color of the sauce will complement any dish and make it original and beautiful in appearance.
In the article, we will consider how to properly prepare pomegranate sauce in different ways. This is a classic Azerbaijani recipe, and its options in our kitchen. Step-by-step instructions will help you do the job without errors, the sauce will turn out to be unusually beautiful and will have the correct consistency. You will learn how pomegranates are good for your health and how to clean them properly so that the grains remain intact.
The benefits of pomegranate juice
Pomegranate is the fruit of a decorative bush of a pomegranate, which grows in the subtropical and tropical zones of the globe. Its fruits are large with many seeds of red color inside. Pomegranate has long been valued for its beneficial properties, as it contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals, fiber and tannin, acids, salts, as well as other substances necessary for the body in red pulp. Grains are used to make salads and desserts, drinks and sauces.
If you use grains with seeds, then the oils contained in them, help with metabolic processes and restore the desired level of hormones. It is especially useful to eat pomegranates during menopause. Pomegranate juice also lowers blood sugar, which is recommended even for diabetics. Many people know that pomegranate juice increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood, while helping to lower the pressure, which is necessary for hypertensive patients.
Pomegranate grains are useful for sore throats and stomatitis, since pomegranate juice is a good antiseptic, can fight infections of the oral cavity, and also helps get rid of worms in the body. Now you know that pomegranate sauce for meat will not only be delicious, but will also benefit the whole body.
How to clean grains correctly
First of all, when cleaning the fruit, you need to cut the circle on top where the flower was located. To do this, with a sharp knife, you need to carefully cut the peel in a circle so as not to touch the grains. After this cover is removed, dividing partitions will be visible. These are films that divide the fetus into separate sectors.
Along them, make shallow cuts on the peel, but not completely. Then press the fingers in different directions to open the fetus, but do not break off the slices. Turn the pomegranate upside down and, putting the fruit over the bowl, tap the wooden spoon on the back side. Grains easily sprinkle in a container.
Little trick
There is another unique method of peeling pomegranate. In a bowl, draw water, dip the cut fruit into it and turn the peel in the opposite direction. Grains will fall to the bottom, and the empty shell will remain afloat. Remove it, take out the remnants of the films and drain the water. Grains remaining at the bottom can be used to make juice.
Prescription Pomegranate Sauce
To prepare 1 kg of narsharab, you need 3 kg of pomegranate fruit, salt and spices are added to taste. After the grains are separated according to the method described above, put them in an enameled bowl (you can also use the stainless steel version) and put on fire. When they become soft, you need to crush them slightly with a nudge, so that the juice comes out. Stir frequently until the bones turn white.
Then remove the container from the heat and strain the juice through a sieve. Then put it back in the pan and continue boiling until the pomegranate sauce thickens. At the end of cooking, add spices as desired. At this stage, you can give it any taste: make it spicy or sweet, spicy or with a mint tint. The finished product is bottled and stored in a cool place.
Instant recipe
According to the recipe, the narsharab pomegranate sauce is boiled for a long time, without adding other ingredients. The product is viscous in a natural way. But pomegranate sauce can be made quickly. To do this, from 3 fruits, collect all the grains in a bowl and squeeze the juice. You can use an electric juicer. Additionally prepare:
- half a glass of apple juice;
- 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- 1 tbsp. l potato starch;
- one pinch of chopped nutmeg;
- spices as desired.
After receiving the juice, pour it into the pan and place it on the stove. When the juice begins to heat up, pour sugar and spices, add a spoonful of starch and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. As soon as the liquid begins to bubble, turn off the heat and set aside the sauce to cool, although some use it even when hot.
Georgian Liquid Sauce
Azerbaijani narsharab pomegranate sauce in sunny Georgia has undergone some changes. It is made much faster and easier, although it turns out to be liquid and is not stored for a long time. It can be done while barbecue is prepared on the grill.
You will need the following components:
- half a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice;
- ½ cup boiled water;
- a couple of branches of cilantro;
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 hot chili pepper in a pod;
- a pinch of salt to taste.
Juice from pomegranate seeds is minced with a pusher or using modern technology to speed up the process. Separately, in a mortar, grind the salt with pestle and chopped cilantro. Add the resulting slurry to the pomegranate juice, toss the hot peppers and peeled garlic. Add cold boiled water to the mixture and mix. Pour the finished sauce into the gravy boat and store in a cool place or use immediately for meat. Sometimes Georgian housewives add chopped walnuts to such a sauce, although it turns out deliciously without them.
Wine sauce
According to this recipe, pomegranate sauce for meat contains dessert wine, which gives it a sour-sweet specific flavor. To prepare this version of the sauce, you will need the following products:
- 3 kg of fruit;
- a glass of wine;
- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic;
- spices are added to taste - sugar, salt, coriander, pepper, etc.
Pomegranates are washed under wastewater, peeled in a known manner, grains are collected in a juicer and pomegranate juice is made. You can use any pusher or squeeze it through cheesecloth. Pour juice into a saucepan and put on fire. When it boils, make the fire quieter, and at this time peel the garlic and add to the pan. Then add a glass of dessert wine and cook until thickened over low heat. At the end of the cooking process, add sugar and other spices to the sauce as desired.
Onion sauce
This is another interesting recipe for Georgian cuisine, which combines pomegranate juice with herbs, as well as onions and garlic. Prepare the following ingredients:
- a glass of pomegranate juice;
- a couple of branches of cilantro, dill or savory;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- one onion;
- salt to taste.
Pomegranate juice is best done independently at home, in order to know that it has not been diluted. Grind the salt with herbs and garlic separately in the mortar. You can use dried and pre-ground.
On the board, chop the onions very finely. Then mix everything and set aside for some time. Then pour into a saucepan and store in the refrigerator or serve immediately. You can strain the resulting sauce through a sieve so that pieces of vegetables do not come across. Some do not, but eat it right away.
Pomegranate juice sauce for fish
Pomegranate sauce goes well not only with meat products, it can also be prepared for fish using fish broth. It is interesting to combine it with absolutely any fish, in our recipe we will talk about river catfish. Boil a piece of fish with peppercorns and a bay leaf for 15-20 minutes. Lightly salt the water to taste. Remove the finished fish and put on a plate to cool.
In the meantime, cook the grains of the pomegranate half and squeeze the juice into a bowl using a crush. Pour 100 ml of fish stock into a separate pan and add a tablespoon of starch. Put on a slow fire and cook until thickened. Then pour in the pomegranate juice and keep it on fire for a couple more minutes. Pour the sauce onto a piece of fish, in addition, you can put a few pomegranate seeds, add a slice of lemon and sprinkle with chopped herbs to taste.
As you can see, making sauce from pomegranate seeds is quite simple, you can diversify it in every way by adding additional ingredients to your taste.