Persimmon is an oriental sweet fleshy fruit that we can enjoy only in winter. There are few people who would not like her. Someone likes to use it fresh, someone likes jam, and some people really like dried persimmons. The latter option has all the properties that are characteristic of a fresh fetus. Such a delicacy may well replace sweets, and its taste resembles figs.
A brief history of persimmons
Scientists have long proved that persimmon is a berry. Today it is also called oriental sweetness, heart apple and sun in the middle of winter. From Latin, the name of the fruit is translated as "food of the gods." The first persimmon trees appeared more than two thousand years ago in the Middle Kingdom. Then from this country it began to spread to other Asian powers, in which the tropical and subtropical climate prevails.
Already in the XIII century it was known how useful persimmons are for the body, and in all Mediterranean information sources it was possible to read detailed information about the cultivation of fruit and its recognition by the local population.
In European countries, persimmon gained popularity only in the century before last. At the same time, it appears as an independent culture in the warm regions of Brazil and America. Today, persimmon grows in North India, on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in China, Italy, Crimea, Japan, the Philippines and many other countries. Fresh and dried, it is popular all over the world.
Persimmon varieties
Persimmon is a member of the ebony family, and in the world there are almost five hundred of its varieties. In the prevailing climatic conditions in our country, it is possible to grow three of them. So, the Virgin, Eastern and Caucasian persimmons will bring wonderful fruits to us.
Eastern began its march around the world from China. This is one of the oldest fruit plants in the country. In the XVIII century this variety was first brought to France, and then to other Mediterranean powers. This species appeared as a result of natural crossbreeding of wild-growing species in the Middle Kingdom.
Persimmon Virgin came to us from North America, so her other name is American. This variety has excellent medicinal qualities. So, it has bacteriological and diuretic properties, helps fight against thyroid diseases, and has widespread use in cosmetology.
Persimmon Caucasian takes second place after citrus in its nutritional, dietary, taste and healing properties. It contains a lot of copper, cobalt and phosphorus. These substances cleanse the vessels of the brain and nourish it.
Persimmon composition
The fact that persimmon is a vast storehouse of all kinds of vitamins and other useful substances is not worth talking about. But still, it would not hurt to find out in more detail what kind of persimmon the composition has. Such information will help to understand the benefits of plant fruits and its importance in the human diet. The red sun is one of those few products in which a high content of natural iodine is noted. By the amount of this ingredient, persimon (in other words called persimmon) is equated to seaweed and fish.
The berry also has a lot of vitamin C, citric and malic acids, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium and copper. A lot of such fruits and sucrose, glucose. Antioxidants are also present. With all this, persimmon is considered a low-calorie product. Therefore, it is recommended to use it to all people without exception, including children.
Selection of fruits for drying
Due to the fact that persimmons are not able to be stored for a long time, people come up with various ways in order to preserve a delicious treat for as long as possible. So, the berries are frozen, jam is made from them, jams, pastille. But the most effective storage method is drying. Thus, you can save all the benefits of fruits for a long time. In addition, the drying process helps rid Persimons of their inherent astringency. In Japan, dried persimmon is a classic sweet that has been cooked here for many years.
If you decide to make such a dish for yourself, then you should know how to choose good fruits for drying. Give preference to a product with a rich and vibrant hue. The peel should be shiny and smooth. Do not buy persimmons with stripes or spots on the surface.
You can dry both mild and tart varieties; slightly immature crops and dense mature ones. Overripe and soft persimmons are not suitable for this process.
Dry at home
Fresh persimmons are available only in cold weather, but dried persimmons are at your disposal for a whole year. It is worth preparing it in the winter, and you can enjoy the delicacy when you want it. Drying it is not difficult at all. If only freshly ripe fruits and preferably large sizes are suitable for fresh consumption, then small persimmons come in for drying, which may not be too ripe.
Before subjecting the fruit to processing, they must be washed and peeled. It is desirable that a tail is present on each fruit, but if it falls off, then the berry can be cut and dried in a special dryer for vegetables and fruits. Those persimons that have green ponytails are tied together and suspended somewhere in a dry, well-ventilated place. So that the future delicacy is not disturbed by insects, it is recommended to cover the bunch with gauze.
If a few days after the start of drying you notice that a white coating has formed on the persimmon, do not be alarmed. This is ordinary glucose that appears on fruits in the process of evaporation of moisture from them. The fruits should dry for two weeks, after which it is best to move them to the refrigerator for further storage.
The benefits of dried persimmon
Dried persimmon is considered a priceless medicine . Its benefits are invaluable. Due to its high fiber content, dried fruit improves the functioning of the intestines and stomach, helps get rid of constipation, saturates a person and prevents overeating.
Sun-dried persimmon will protect against diseases of an infectious and inflammatory nature, since it has many polyphenols and catechins, which are the strongest antioxidants.
Using dried persimmon in small portions, you can stabilize the amount of sugar in the blood. That is why such dried fruits are recommended for people with diabetes. It reduces persimmons and cholesterol, thus preventing clogging of blood vessels.
Even in dried form, persimmon helps to cleanse blood vessels and strengthen the heart, improves immunity and improves eyesight. Due to the fact that the fruits contain a lot of iron, they raise hemoglobin in the blood.
Harm of dried persimmon
Despite all the advantages described above, dried persimmons can be harmful to the body, provided that the following recommendations are not followed:
- if a person has anemia, then he cannot enjoy sweetness, as it complicates the absorption of iron by the body.
- Due to the poor combination of persimmons with milk, you must wait at least one hour between meals.
- Dried fruit can irritate the walls of the stomach, and therefore it is better to eat it after the main meal.
- People with diabetes are required to eat dried orange in limited quantities.
Persimmon Slimming
The dried fruit is an excellent means for losing weight. Although persimmon contains dried calories in sufficient quantities (in one hundred grams of the product, there are 260-270 kcal), you can still use it while following a diet. It is only necessary throughout the day to eat no more than 50 grams of dried fruits and do this if possible in the first half of the day.
You can also eat dried fruits in case you want to lose weight and to limit the amount of sweets eaten. In this case, it is allowed to replace sweets, cookies and cakes with dried persimmon fruits.
How to choose dried persimmon when buying
Incredibly rich in minerals and vitamins, dried persimmons are much more interesting than their fresh counterpart, as it lacks an astringent taste, lasts longer and does not deteriorate. When buying a bundle of dried Persimonov at the market or in the supermarket, you need to pay attention to the only, but incredibly important point: each fruit should be covered with an even thin coating of white. If you found a product with such quality, now you should drag your finger along its surface. Refuse the purchase if the coating is erased. This suggests that the fruit is sprinkled with starch or flour to trick a potential buyer.
The correct coating is the sugar that came out during the drying of the berries, and it is imperative to stick to the skin. If this sugar is present on the fruit, and persimmon itself is soft, like rubber, then you can safely buy such a treat.
The use of dried persimmon in cooking
Dried persimmons may well become a useful substitute for sweets (contraindications and benefits are described in the article). Also, such a product can be cut into small pieces and added to ice cream, mixed with cottage cheese or cream. Thus, you can get a delicious dessert. Culinary experts with experience recommend baking incredibly mouth-watering cottage cheese pancakes with slices of dried persimmon. The taste of the dish is unusual.
You can also cook appetizers of chicken and dried persimmons. To do this, beat off the chicken fillet, and then cut into strips. Bake or fry such blanks until they are completely cooked. While the dish is cooking, cut the dried Persimon into small pieces. When everything is cooked, it is necessary to wrap each piece of the berry in a fillet and put half of the olives on both sides, pins it with a skewer. As a result, delicious canapes will come out.
Glory of Dried Persimmon
In some states, dried persimmon is such a popular treat that various festivals are held in its honor. So, in South Korea, in Endon County, a dried persimmon festival takes place every year. This region was not chosen by chance, because it is in it that most of the various fruits are grown in Korea. Persimmon from Endon is known for its highest quality and sweetness.
Throughout the festival, guests will be invited to become participants in the process of peeling fruits, hanging berries. Also, everyone will have the opportunity to take a foot bath based on the leaves and skin of Persimons, participate in a song contest and enjoy many other attractions. During the festival, its participants can buy different types of persimmons.