2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The melon tree / Solanum muricatum /, which is known by the exotic name pepino is a novelty for the Bulgarian market, but is grown worldwide. Pepino It originated in South America, where the ancestors of today's Chileans and Peruvians cultivated it thousands of years ago.
Like corn, its wild ancestor is not found in nature. Pepino is grown in a number of temperate and subtropical regions, including Israel, Spain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and California. Like the melon, the melon has a light cavity that is full of small, sweet, edible seeds.
Pepino is a close relative of tomatoes and eggplants. It grows as a perennial shrub that has woody stems and reaches a height of 1 meter. It grows extremely fast and only 4-6 months after planting gives its first fruits.
The leaves of a single specimen can be both simple and dissected. The flowers are grouped like potatoes and tomatoes. They have a white, pale pink or bright blue color, and in some varieties they are even fragrant. The fruits pepino are in the shape of a melon, and the main color of the skin is variegated with a variety of touches - brown, purple, green or gray.
When they reach the size of a goose egg and acquire a pale yellow or cream color, they are carefully detached. Overripe fruits do not have the same taste.
As with tomatoes, the flowers and fruits of the melon tree appear constantly. The ripe fruits resemble the taste and aroma of melon and tropical fruits.
Composition of pepino
The fruit contains between 4-8% sugars, a very high percentage of vitamin C and provitamin A. It is rich in the minerals iron and calcium, as well as a lot of fiber. 100 g pepino contain 80 kcal, between 35-70 mg of vitamin C.
Selection and storage of pepino
Choose well-ripened fruits, whose skin is slightly susceptible to pressure. Avoid fruit that has signs of rot. Don't worry if you buy immature pepinobecause it can ripen at room temperature. Otherwise, well-ripened fruits are stored in the refrigerator, where you can keep them fresh for 2-3 weeks.
Pepino in cooking
The fruits can be eaten raw on their own or in various fruit salads. Sour, unripe fruits are most often put in salads. The fruit is ideal for salads with spinach.
Pepino can be stewed, and in this form is used as a garnish. Fried pepino is a great side dish that will add a lot of exoticism to any table. Many people prefer to consume pepino on their own, cleaned of seeds and slightly chilled. It can be eaten with or without the rind.
Benefits of pepino
In America pepino was chosen as one of the super fruits. It is believed to help with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and kidney stones. Regular consumption of pepino reduces the risk of these diseases. Pepino fruits improve endurance and provide the necessary energy to the body.
Pepino contains high amounts of vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant that is extremely useful against free radical attacks, which are the cause of cancer and premature aging. Vitamin C is needed to boost the immune system so that the body is not susceptible to disease.
The fiber in pepino improves digestion and prevents obesity. Pepino has excellent taste and health qualities, so if you have not tried this fruit before, it's high time to try.
