lychee
Also known as l
Laichi , litchi, lichu
Description
The lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family Sapindaceae. It is a tropical fruit tree. It is primarily found in China, India, southern and central Taiwan, the Philippines, Southern Africa and Mexico. It is a fragranced fruit with a sweet taste. The fruit is a drupe, 3-4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The outside is covered by a pink-red, roughly-textured rind that is inedible but easily removed.
They are eaten in many different dessert dishes. The inside consists of a layer of sweet, translucent white flesh, rich in vitamin C, with a texture somewhat similar to that of a grape only much less moist. The edible flesh consists of a highly developed aril enveloping the seed. The center contains a single glossy brown nut-like seed, 2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm in diameter. The red rind turns dark brown when the fruit is refrigerated, but the taste is not affected. It is also sold canned year-round.
Chopped lychee
Remove the outer skin of the lychees and deseed them. Chop the flesh of the lychee into small even sized cubes. The canned lychees may also be used for chopping. Chopped lychees may be chilled and enjoyed with cream or curds. They can also be made into lychee purees by adding water and blending.
Select those which are with fresh looking, firm skin. Some stem should be attached.
Culinary uses· Lychees can be relished on itself or with other fruits in ice creams, custards or as cocktails or as fruit salads.
· These make up for great salads with veggies or can be served with cream or yoghurts as desserts.
· Lychee iced tea, martinis and lemonades are also common.
· Blend the lychee flesh with water to obtain a smooth puree, strain and discard the pulp. Transfer the liquid to a jug, add lime juice add red syrup, stir well. Pour into glasses filled with ice cubes. Top up with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig before serving.
How to storeLychees usually do not ripen any further after harvesting. Refrigerate them in a plastic bag or container. Use within 7 days.
Health Benefits· The Lychee contains on average a total 72 mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit.
· Lychee fruit provides, among other minerals, Copper, Phosphorous, and Potassium
· Most of the energy in a lychee is in the form of carbohydrate (sugar), about half of which is fructose and half glucose. They provide 285kJ per 100g of our flesh