Friday 11 November 2016

Pomegranate skins


It is pomegranate season and the tree beside my back door is full. I've picked and juiced several oversized fruit and there are lots of small ones waiting to ripen.  Walking home in the dark a couple of nights ago, I headed a low hanging fruit as I looked down to search for my keys. It didn't fall which means it is not ready but I will use a less painful method to test their ripeness next time. I had earlier had an altercation with a low hanging bougainvillea bush so already had a sore scalp. The vegetation is out to get me. 


I've been eating this fruit for several decades, (ignoring the advice I was given as a nine year old that the seeds would give me appendicitis), always throwing the peel on the compost heap but this year I read that I should be eating all the fruit so I decided to give it a go.  The peel should be stripped of the white pith and dried either in the sun or a low oven (my thermostat has broken so I have burnt several attempts). The brittle skin can then be ground in a spice grinder.



The resulting powder is high in vitamin C, ellagic acid and other anti-oxidants, and can be mixed in hot water and drunk as a tea to help ease sore throats, coughs and gum problems,  mixed to a paste with milk or rose water and used as a facepack, or added to soups, yogurts, cerals etc.   I finally managed to dry one skin and have been adding it to my porridge for the past few days. I hope it stops me walking into trees.

10 comments:

  1. B to B, Although I usually give most of your culinary suggestions a try and I always love the idea of using the entire of anything, I may keep tossing ours on the compost. But then again, I've heard those antioxidants can work wonders. Don't they help you see better in the dark?

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  2. . . the skins of most fruit/veg is where it's at - stupid, modern day humans are well known for throwing the best bits away!

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  3. Liam used to make delicious ice cream with pomegranate juice and kaymak. You could feel your arteries harden with every mouthful. He threw the skins away!

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    1. I think the juice would counteract the cream - Recipe please Liam

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  4. Absolutely fabulous idea, that fruit is amazing inside out, thanks for the inspiration!:) xxx Ozlem

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    1. I'm sure it is on sale at a great price in Holland Park.

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  5. First time hearing this but will try the next time I can afford a pomegranate here in the states. They are $1.99 per piece.

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    1. They are probably that price in the UK too. Here they are about 1 to 2 TL a kilo.

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