Is it necessary to clean feijoas and when is the best time to do it?

The positive properties of the exotic green berry, which has an original taste and pleasant smell, can be discussed endlessly. Everyone knows that feijoa contains so many useful components that many traditional fruits would envy it, but whether the product needs to be cleaned before consumption or processing is still a matter of debate.

In fact, this is everyone's personal choice. Feijoa peel does not contain any harmful substances, but is very rich in antioxidants. True, according to the majority, its taste is quite specific without specialized processing, so they prefer to cut it from fresh berries.

How to choose the right quality product?

Despite the fact that fortified berries can be found in supermarkets all year round, it is best to purchase them from early autumn to mid-winter. This period is distinguished not only by reasonable prices, but also by the high quality of feijoa. The processing or storage option needs to be thought out in advance. In the refrigerator, within a week the berries will begin to wrinkle and lose their specific aroma.

Before purchasing, you need to make sure the quality of the fruits; they must meet the following requirements:

1. The berry should not have dents, cracks, dark spots or other marks that interfere with the uniformity of the skin.
2. Ripe and ready-to-eat feijoa cannot be too dense.

Advice: If you had to purchase too dense, unripe fruits, you need to bring them to optimal condition yourself. To do this, lay them out on a horizontal surface at room temperature and leave them in this form for a couple of days without covering them with anything. The benefits will not be diminished, but the risk of getting indigestion from eating low-quality berries will be significantly reduced.

3. The skin of a quality product is uniformly green in color, closer to a dark shade. The shape can be round or oval. Elongated fruits should not be too long; it is better to choose berries within 8-10 cm.
4. The pulp of mature feijoa is in the form of a dense light jelly with a pronounced pleasant aroma. A yellow tint is acceptable, brown indicates that the fruit is overripe and not suitable for consumption.

You can eat not only the fruits of the bush themselves, but also the petals of its flowers. They have a pronounced apple aroma and sweet taste. The components can be added to fruit salads or fried like chips.

In what form can feijoa be consumed and how is it recommended to process it?

Only if you do not clean the product can you get the maximum benefit from it. Those who find the taste of the peel too specific can only eat the jelly-like pulp, but do not throw away the peel. It is better to dry it and add it to tea. The taste of the drink will not change, but the benefits in the form of antioxidants and aroma will be added.

In addition, feijoa can be consumed in one of the following ways:

• Salads. Can be fruity or unsweetened. The ingredient only needs to be washed, especially dense areas on the poles removed and cut into arbitrary slices.This option is suitable only for those who like to eat the berry with the skin; the pulp alone in the dish will not look very aesthetically pleasing.
• Sauces. Feijoa, crushed in a blender, with the addition of sour cream, vegetable oil or your favorite spices, will be an excellent addition to any meat dish.
• Garnish. Even when boiled, the product retains its beneficial properties and delicate taste. It goes well with boiled vegetables and can be an addition to rice.
• Beverages. The aromatic fruit, which combines the notes of several beloved fruits at once, can become an excellent basis for lemonade, tea, fortified juice, healing tincture or compote. It is infused, boiled, evaporated, sautéed, used in pure form or combined with other ingredients.
• Dessert component. Feijoa can be used not only as a filling for pies, puff pastries and cakes; the ground pulp of the product is often added directly to the dough, giving familiar dishes an exotic and pleasant taste.
• A stand-alone dessert. If you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you need to chop fresh berries, sprinkle them with sugar and serve them as a snack for tea. Grinded fruits make an excellent gravy for ice cream.

We can’t help but remember feijoa jam. Contrary to popular belief, there are many options for preparing the product. It doesn’t even have to be boiled; without heat treatment, the jam will retain the maximum amount of vitamins and antioxidants, however, the shelf life of such a product does not exceed 2 months. Candied fruits made from exotic berries have an unusual taste. They are just the right amount of sweet, flavorful, and textured, making a great addition to any dessert.