Ingredients 12

1. FIG

   Ficus carica is an Asian species of flowering plants in the mulberry family, known as the common fig (or just the fig). It is the source of the fruit also called the fig, and as such is an important crop in those areas where it is grown commercially. 

   Native to the Middle East and western Asia, it has been sought out and cultivated since ancient times, and is now widely grown throughout the world, both for its fruit and as an ornamental plant. 

   The species has become naturalized in scattered locations in Asia and North America.

   The luxury of a luscious ripe fig is extraordinary. The soft and yielding fruit is full of seeds, but the seeds are so small they just add to the unique texture that makes fresh figs so sought after. 

   Most varieties are intensely sweet, so they get used in desserts. That works, of course, but is also use that honey-like sweetness to cut sharper savory flavors.

   you'll see when fresh figs are in season, learn how to store them, and find some great ways to highlight figs' sugary ways with piquant, bitter, and salty pairings.

   Considered exotic in some areas of the world, figs are sweet and juicy when ripe. They can be red, yellow, or purple-skinned or green-striped, each with their own unique flavor. 

   But before they reach optimal ripeness, figs are gummy with “latex,” which contains serious skin irritants, so protective measures for workers are sometimes mandated for fig production operations.

   Dried figs are sometimes roasted and ground as a coffee substitute or converted into alcohol as a liqueur or tobacco flavoring.

   Figs are quite perishable and should be refrigerated if not eaten within a few days. Like apples, figs are a great snack by themselves, but also can be added either peeled or unpeeled to many recipes. 

   It's interesting that the seeds only add to the satisfying, tasty chewiness. Best at the firm-to-tender stage, the more ripe they are, the more antioxidants they provide.

PRODUCTION

   In 2014, world production of raw figs was 1.14 million tonnes, led by Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco as the four largest producers, collectively accounting for 64% of the world total.

   While the United States is lower on the list of fig producing countries, California produces some 80% of the U.S. production.

   California varieties in relative order of acreage are: Calimyrna, Mission, Adriatic types (Conadria, Adriatic, Di Redo, Tena), Brown Turkey, Kadota, Sierra, and Sequoia.

   Figs have two seasons. A quick, shorter season in early summer and a second, main crop that starts in late summer and runs through fall. Figs cannot withstand temperatures much below 20°F, and so are not available from local sources in much of the Midwest and northeastern U.

NUTRITION

   Figs are high in fiber and a good source of several essential minerals, including magnesium, manganese, calcium (which promotes bone density), copper, and potassium (which helps lower blood pressure), as well as vitamins, principally K and B6.

   Besides keeping much longer, the nutritional value of figs increases   when they're dried. A half-cup of fresh figs, for instance, provides as much calcium as one-half cup of milk, but a single dried fig contains almost as much calcium as an egg. Whether fresh or dried, figs contain powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals in your body and fight disease.

BENEFITS

   Fig supplies healthy amounts of dietary fiber, which keeps your system regulated and may have a positive effect on weight management. According to one study, the fruits with the most fiber content include apples, dates, figs, pears, and prunes, and there was a 34% reduction in breast cancer risk among women who consumed the most fruit fiber, compared to those who ate the least.

   Traditional medicine around the world has made use of figs as poultices on tumors, warts, and wounds. The fruit and leaves have been pulverized and gargled to relieve sore throats. 

   Fig extracts and dried figs have been found to contain ingredients that protect the heart, regulate kidney and liver functions, lower blood pressure, lower incidences of macular degeneration, and inhibit some cancers, specifically post menopausal breast cancer.

   In some cultures, fig leaves are nearly as important as the fruit, not just because of what they add to Mediterranean-style cuisine, but because of the unique health-related benefits they offer. 

   This includes their ability to regulate blood sugar levels, since research has shown they contain properties that can actually reduce the amount of insulin needed by diabetics.

   However, consume figs in moderation because they contain fructose, which may be harmful to your health in excessive amounts.

   A sweet, honeyed taste and a soft (some might say squishy) texture make fresh figs worth seeking out. Unctuous fruit studded with discernible seeds are a far cry from the dried figs most people know.

   That yielding texture makes them particularly sensitive to travel since they split and spoil quickly when not handled with kid gloves, a fact that makes fresh figs even more seductive and finding a source for locally grown ones worth the effort.

ANOTHER HEALTH BENEFIT OF FIG

·        Prevent Constipation

·        Promote Weight loss

·        Lower Cholesterol

·        Prevent Coronary Heart Diseases

·        Treat Colon Cancer

·        Prevent Post-menopausal Breast Cancer

·        Control Diabetes

·        Prevent Hypertension

·        Treat Bronchitis

·        Venereal Diseases

·        Sexual Dysfunction

·        Strengthen Bones

·        Urinary Calcium Loss

·        Prevent Macular Degeneration

·        Relieve Throat Pain

COOKING USE 

   Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, and used in jam-making. Most commercial production is in dried or otherwise processed forms, since the ripe fruit does not transport well, and once picked does not keep well.

   beside that people using fig as a garnish or as a main of dessert like fig pie or fig cake.

   The widely produced fig newton or fig roll is a biscuit (cookie) with a filling made from figs.

   Fresh figs are in season from August through to early October. Fresh figs used in cooking should be plump and soft, and without bruising or splits. If they smell sour, the figs have become over-ripe. 

CARE AND STORAGE 

   Slightly under-ripe figs can be kept at room temperature for 1–2 days to ripen before serving. Figs are most flavorful at room temperature.  

   Not for long! Fresh figs wait for no one, so plan on eating them within a day or two of buying them. They keep best at room temperature with plenty of air circulating around them. They will keep a bit longer in the refrigerator, but chilling detracts a bit from their full flavor, so try to avoid it.

2. STARFRUIT

  Carambola or starfruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a species of tree native to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Seychelles.

   The fruit is popular throughout Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Micronesia, and parts of East Asia. The tree is also cultivated throughout non-indigenous tropical areas.

   The fruit has distinctive ridges running down its sides (usually five but can sometimes vary); when cut in cross-section, it resembles a star, hence its name. The entire fruit is edible and is usually eaten out of hand.
   They may also be used in cooking and can be made into relishes, preserves, and juice drinks.

   The fruit is about 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) in length and is an oval shape. It usually has five prominent longitudinal ridges, but in rare instances it can have as few as four or as many as eight.
   In cross section, it resembles a star. The skin is thin, smooth, and waxy and turns a light to dark yellow when ripe. The flesh is translucent and light yellow to yellow in color. Each fruit can have 10 to 12 flat light brown seeds about 6 to 13 mm (0.25 to 0.5 in) in width and enclosed in gelatinous aril. Once removed from the fruit, they lose viability within a few days.

   Like the closely related bilimbi, there are two main types of carambola: the small sour (or tart) type and the larger sweet type.    The sour varieties have a higher oxalic acid content than the sweet type. A number of cultivars have been developed in recent years.

   The most common cultivars grown commercially include the sweet types "Arkin" (Florida), "Dah Pon" (Taiwan), "Ma fueng" (Thailand), "Maha" (Malaysia), and "Demak" (Indonesia) and the sour types "Golden Star", "Newcomb", "Star King", and "Thayer" (all from Florida). Some of the sour varieties like "Golden Star" can become sweet if allowed to ripen.

NUTRITION & BENEFIT

   Star fruit is one of the very low-calorie exotic fruits. 100 g fruit just provides 31 calories, which is much lower than for any other popular tropical fruits. Nonetheless, it has an impressive list of essential nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins required for well-being.

   The fruit along with its waxy peel provides a good amount of dietary fiber. Fiber helps prevent absorption of dietary LDL-cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.

   Star fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. 100 g of fresh fruit provides 34.7 mg or 57% of daily required levels of vitamin-C. In general, consumption of fruits rich in vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

   Star fruit is rich in antioxidant phytonutrient polyphenolic flavonoids. Some of the important flavonoids present are quercetin, epicatechin, and gallic acid. Total polyphenol contents (Folin assay) in this fruit is 143 mg/100 g. Altogether, these compounds help protect from deleterious effects of oxygen-derived free radicals by warding them off the body.

   it is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together, these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.

   It also carries a small amount of minerals and electrolytes like potassium, phosphorus, and zinc and iron. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure, it counters bad influences of sodium.

SEASON

   Fresh star fruits can be available twice in a season. In Florida, for example, Arkin cultivars are available from December to March.

STORAGE

   In general, fruits just short of ripening stage are picked up for shipment and storage; since the ripe fruits tend to bruise easily, especially their thin ribbed edges.

   Ripe fruits tend to perish early; however, they stay well in cold storages when kept at appropriate temperatures. At home, unripe light green fruits may be stored at room temperature until they turn vibrant orange-yellow color. Ripe fruits may keep well for 2-3 days at room temperature, but required to be stored in the refrigerator for extended shelf life.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT 

   While buying, choose uniform, large, attractive looking, yellow-orange fruits. Avoid green, small size fruits since they tend to be extremely acidic, and unappetizing. Avoid those with cuts, bruised, shriveled or spots.

   Star fruit at its best is sweetest in its bright yellow color. You may also see it green, which tastes slightly more acidic. People have different preferences, so pick both and find out which you prefer. The larger the star fruit the sweeter it will be. You'll also want to pick star fruit that is free of blemishes and firm to the touch. So you know, star fruit should be kept in the refrigerator and will keep up to two weeks.

COOKING USE

   Star fruits are generally used as a garnish in salads, sorbets, drinks, as well as to impart tart flavor in dishes.

Given their high oxalic acid content and extreme tartness, they used quite less frequently in food the industry.

   To prepare, wash them thoroughly in cold water, dry mop using absorbent cloth. Trim off the ends and edges of the ribbed angles. Cut the fruit crossway into thin sections, which resemble like a starfish.Pick out any seeds located near its center.

SERVING TIPS:

   Only sweet-variety Carambola can be eaten fresh or mixed with other fruits in salads. Fresh fruit can also be juiced and used in cocktails with other complementing tropical fruit juices.

   Sour type fruits are favored in cooking as they impart unique tart flavor to poultry, meat, and seafood dishes.

Cut sections of fresh fruit added to stews, curries, and stir-fries with chicken, and fish and shrimp.

   The fruit can be used to make sauce, pickle, chutney, tarts, and jam.

Warn Kidneys and Starfruit

   A note on how to eat star fruit properly: if you have no kidney problems, you can eat all the star fruit you want. However, if you have issues with kidney function or your kidneys are otherwise impaired, eating star fruit may be dangerous.
   Called “star fruit intoxication,” symptoms include persistent hiccups, nausea, vomiting, agitation, insomnia, mental confusion and convulsions that occur within one to five hours of eating the fruit. 

3. MANGO

 

   Mangoes are juicy stone fruit (drupe) from numerous species of tropical trees belonging to the flowering plant genus Mangifera, cultivated mostly for their edible fruit.
   Mangoes are generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars some have a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while others are firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, and some may have a fibrous texture.
   

   The majority of these species are found in nature as wild mangoes. The genus belongs to the cashew family Anacardiaceae. Mangoes are native to South Asia, from where the "common mango" or "Indian mango", Mangifera indica, has been distributed worldwide to become one of the most widely cultivated fruits in the tropics.
   Other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango, Mangifera foetida) are also grown on a more localized basis. It is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and the national tree of Bangladesh.

NUTRITION

   The energy value per 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of the common mango is 250 kJ (60 kcal), and that of the apple mango is slightly higher (330 kJ (79 kcal) per 100 g).
   Fresh mango contains a variety of nutrients (right table), but only vitamin C and folate are in significant amounts of the Daily Value as 44% and 11%, respectively.

COOKING USE

   Mangoes are widely used in cuisine. Sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, athanu, pickles, side dishes, or may be eaten raw with salt, chili, or soy sauce.
   A summer drink called aam panna comes from mangoes. Mango pulp made into jelly or cooked with red gram dhal and green chillies may be served with cooked rice.

   Mango lassi is popular throughout South Asia, prepared by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilkand sugar. Ripe mangoes are also used to make curries.
   Aamras is a popular thick juice made of mangoes with sugar or milk, and is consumed with chapatis or pooris. The pulp from ripe mangoes is also used to make jam called mangada.

   Andhra aavakaaya is a pickle made from raw, unripe, pulpy, and sour mango, mixed with chili powder, fenugreek seeds, mustard powder, salt, and groundnut oil. Mango is also used in Andhra to make dahl preparations. Gujaratis use mango to make chunda (a spicy, grated mango delicacy).

   Mangoes are used to make murabba (fruit preserves), muramba (a sweet, grated mango delicacy), amchur (dried and powdered unripe mango), and pickles, including a spicy mustard-oil pickle and alcohol.
   Ripe mangoes are often cut into thin layers, desiccated, folded, and then cut. These bars are similar to dried guava fruit bars available in some countries.
   The fruit is also added to cereal products such as muesli and oat granola. Mangoes are often prepared charred in Hawaii.

   Unripe mango may be eaten with bagoong (especially in the Philippines), fish sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, or with dash of salt (plain or spicy).
   Dried strips of sweet, ripe mango (sometimes combined with seedless tamarind to form mangorind) are also popular. Mangoes may be used to make juices, mango nectar, and as a flavoring and major ingredient in ice cream and sorbetes.

   Mango is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit bars, raspados, aguas frescas, pies, and sweet chili sauce, or mixed with chamoy, a sweet and spicy chili paste.
   It is popular on a stick dipped in hot chili powder and salt or as a main ingredient in fresh fruit combinations. In Central America, mango is either eaten green mixed with salt, vinegar, black pepper, and hot sauce, or ripe in various forms. Toasted and ground pumpkin seed (pepita) with lime and salt are eaten with green mangoes.

   Pieces of mango can be mashed and used as a topping on ice cream or blended with milk and ice as milkshakes.
   Sweet glutinous rice is flavored with coconut, then served with sliced mango as a dessert.

   In other parts of Southeast Asia, mangoes are pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar. Green mangoes can be used in mango salad with fish sauce and dried shrimp. Mango with condensed milk may be used as a topping for shaved ice.

STORAGE

   Keep unripe mangos at room temperature. Mangos shouldn’t be refrigerated before they are ripeMangos will continue to ripen at room temperature, becoming sweeter and softer over several days.

   To speed up ripening, place mangos in a paper bag at room temperature.

    Once ripe, mangos should be moved to the refrigerator, which will slow down the ripening process. Whole, ripe mangos may be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.

    Mangos can be peeled, cubed and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to six months.