guava
Description
Guava fruit, usually 4 to 12 cm long, are round or oval depending on the species. The outer skin may be rough, often with a bitter taste, or soft and sweet. Varying between species, the skin can be any thickness, is usually green before maturity, but becomes yellow, maroon, or green when ripe. Guava fruit generally have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less sharp.
Guava pulp
Guava pulp may be sweet or sour, off-white to deep pink, with the seeds in the central pulp of variable number and hardness, depending on species.
Guava Cubes
Turn the guava on its side and make a series of slices. Lay the guava on top of each other and make a series of lengthwise slices, (½ inch slices for smaller cubes, 1 inch slices for larger cubes. Make a series of ½ inch or 1 inch crosswise cuts through the cheese and it will fall away into cubes.
Ripe guava
A ripe guava is fully ripened fruit which softens to the touch. Ripe guavas emit a strong, sweet, pungent fragrance. The flesh is white, red or salmon-colored and flavor ranges from strawberry to lemon to tropical. They are usually used to prepare jams and jellies.
Semi ripe guava
Semi ripe guavas are still greenish in color and not so soft when touched. They are best to be enjoyed as a fruit or in mocktails.
Deseeded guava
The seeds of the guava are removed usually after pulping the guavas and straining the seeds in a sieve.
Chopped guava
Guava should be washed very well since they tend to collect dirt. Put the washed and peeled guava on a chopping board and chop them in small 1-2 inch sized pieces with a sharp knife. They may be chopped in to big chunks or smaller ones as per the recipe.The guavas may also be chopped without peeling.
Sliced guava
With a sharp knife the guava is sliced on four sides to create a thick rectangular stick, then cut lengthwise into approximately 3 mm (1/8 inch) slices. Stacking these slices and again cutting lengthwise into strips creates thin uniform square sticks or thin slices.
Peeled guava- Peel the outer skin of the guava with a peeler oe a knife. The soft flesh inside can be pulped or deseeded as per recipe.
Varieties differ widely in flavour and seediness. The better varieties are soft when ripe, creamy in texture with a rind that softens to be fully edible. The flesh may be white, pink, yellow, or red. The sweet, musky odour is pungent and penetrating. The seeds are numerous but small and, in good varieties, fully edible. Select the ones which are firm and without any blemishes or soft spots.
Culinary Uses· The fruit is also often prepared as a dessert or simply enjoyed as a fruit.
· In Asia, fresh raw guava is often dipped in preserved prune powder or salt.
· Because of the skin's high level of pectin, boiled guava is also extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, marmalades, and also for juices
· Red guavas can be used as the base of salted products such as sauces, constituting a substitute for tomatoes, especially for those sensitive to the latter's acidity. In Asia, a tea is made from guava fruits and leaves.
· Guava juice can be used as mocktails and slices in ice creams, sorbets, salads and yoghurt to impart its distinct flavor.
How to storeGuavas like other tropical fruits should not be refrigerated unless over ripe. Ripe guavas should exhibit a fragrant fruity aroma. They will continue to ripen after harvest and should be stored at room temperature unless it is very ripe.
Health benefits· Guavas are often marketed as super fruits", being rich in vitamins A and C, and if the seeds are eaten too, omega 3 and omega 6 poly unsaturated fatty acids and especially high levels of dietary fiber.
· A single guava fruit contains over four times the amount of vitamin C as a single orange (over 200 mg per 100 g serving) and also has good levels of the potassium and magnesium and generally a broad, low-calorie profile of essential nutrients.
· Guavas contain both carotenoids and polyphenols - the major classes of antioxidant pigments -, giving them relatively high dietary antioxidant value among plant foods.