Dried Fruits
Dried fruits – dried fruits or berries, the residual moisture content of which is 20%. This is a natural source of easily digestible carbohydrates, organic acids, pectins, fiber, macro- and microelements, and vitamins A, B, E, C, and PP, necessary to maintain human life.
Useful properties of dried fruits depend on the method of drying:
– Natural (in the sun, under awnings);
– Chemical (with the help of a dehydrator, preservatives).
In the first case, dried fruits are natural and retain a maximum of nutrients (90%), in the second case, they lose 50% – 80% of their nutritional value and contain residues of harmful chemicals. Popular dried fruits: dried apricots (apricots, Kaisa), figs, raisins, dates, and prunes. Effect on the body:
– Normalize digestion, and heart function (dried apricots);
– Improve metabolism, restore strength, and fight neoplasms (figs);
– Disinfect, lower blood pressure, strengthen immunity, calm the nervous system (prunes);
– Improve the work of the heart, kidneys (raisins);
– Increase hemoglobin, regulate the amount of glucose in the blood, and have an antipyretic effect (dates).
Dried fruits and berries have a high energy value (from 230 calories per 100 grams of product), so their consumption should be limited to people with diabetes and obesity.
The darker, uglier the dried fruit, the less harmful processing it has undergone, and therefore, it is more useful and safer. The bright color and shiny surface indicate the use of chemicals during drying (sulfur). It is better not to buy such a product.
Give preference to those dried fruits that have a tail and do not leave marks on the hands after “rolling” between the fingers. It is more useful to produce them at home on your own, using a home fruit dryer
1. Dried Pears
No one will tell the truth about where pears first appeared. It is only known that they began as wild, inedible plants. Only via evolution can they develop flavor and beneficial features. Only until the 16th century do dried pears become increasingly popular. Furthermore, they were never offered uncooked, but only after being pre-treated with hot water.
After some time, the situation changes dramatically and breeders manage to breed a large number of different varieties of fruits.
Dried pears and apples are becoming an integral part of everyday life in many countries. And their useful properties are used in various fields of activity, up to cosmetology. At the same time, some varieties still retain a sour taste, while others, on the contrary, give off sugary sweetness. A modern fruit can differ in almost everything – skin color, aroma, taste, and even useful properties.
2. Candied Papaya
The product is simply called melon, breadfruit. The trunk is slender, and the tree may grow to a height of 11 meters. The leaves look like long umbrellas. The fruit ripens in the axil of the cutting.
If you look at the fruit, you can confuse it with a pear. Inside the berry is soft, amber-yellow flesh.
It grows in tropical countries, namely Brazil, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and others, so for a good harvest, it needs warmth and humidity. This is not a simple woody plant, outwardly it looks like a palm tree. It grows quickly and yields for 22 years.
3. Candied Pineapple
Candied pineapple is a delicacy that has long been part of our diet. Boiled in very thick sugar syrup and carefully dried pieces of fragrant fruit pulp can be purchased at any supermarket at an affordable price. Candied fruits are sold both by weight and in packaged form.
Natural candied pineapple – rings, half rings, or cubes of pale golden color. They smell very natural. As a rule, this product is quite hard and fibrous due to the fact that, according to the existing manufacturing technology, moisture is removed from the fruit as much as possible during drying.
Despite such a modest appearance and not particularly outstanding taste, it is this version of the delicacy that is considered the most beneficial to health. However, sadly, candied fruits that have passed the “beauty factory” are much more popular with consumers. Unscrupulous manufacturers tint them with bright food coloring to give them a more attractive appearance.
With the help of flavors and food additives, the cubes are given the smell of a variety of tropical fruits – papaya, mango, and orange. Such a dubious delicacy is usually sold under the very “streamlined” name “candied tropical fruits”, and its composition and health benefits raise many questions.
4. Dried Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a small thorny tree or shrub from the Rosaceae family. Hawthorn berries ripen in late summer, early autumn. There is a garden variety of the plant and wild. Wild berries are smaller in size and are often dry. For the use of berries, it is recommended to collect them only in ecologically clean areas. Dried hawthorn is actively used in cosmetology and cooking, and in medicine. The product has incredible beneficial and healing properties.
Chemical Composition Of The Product
As part of the dried hawthorn, all the useful components of fresh berries are preserved. The product is rich in B vitamins, vitamins K, E, C, and A, riboflavin; organic acids, minerals ( calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium, zinc ), and natural sugars.
5. Candied Watermelon Corks
Watermelon is a popular summer treat for both children and adults. The juicy and sweet pulp effectively quenches thirst and has several beneficial characteristics.
However, most people consider striped crusts to be trash and just discard them. According to the cooks, this is a huge error.
The truth is, you may create a really unusual and delectable delicacy – candied fruits – from the peel of watermelon, which is inappropriate for eating in its “original” state. Translucent slices of light golden or greenish tint will be not only delicious but also beneficial – after all, the rind contains the majority of the elements found in watermelon.
Boiled in concentrated sugar syrup with natural fluids and dried watermelon crusts, which were before inedible to us, become aromatic, soft, and delicious. Such candied fruits are difficult to get in stores, but if you have basic cooking abilities and spare time, you may make them yourself.
Calorie Content And Chemical Composition
The product’s energy value is 209.15 kcal. The nutritional content is as follows: 2.5 g protein, 0 g fat, and 51 g carbohydrates. The chemical makeup of candied fruits made from watermelon peels varies from that of watermelon pulp in that it contains more amino acids and fiber.
It is worth noting that most of the nutrients are retained in the delicacy even after heat treatment. As a result, the vitamin content of the product comprises a complex of B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin PP. B vitamins are required for regular metabolism and emotional stability.
They also boost the body’s resistance and help the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system perform better. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a good antioxidant and has protective and remodeling properties.
This vitamin also aids iron absorption and helps quick wound healing. Vitamin PP is in charge of the general equilibrium of the body and each of its systems. It is also useful in the treatment of depressive disorders and emotional excess.
Furthermore, candied fruits made from watermelon peels are high in magnesium, calcium, iron, organic acids, and fructose.
One of the key players in the body’s metabolic processes is magnesium. This macronutrient evens out the emotional backdrop, protects against migraines and depression, and lowers the risk of heart disease. In addition to strengthening bones and teeth, calcium also helps with allergies and inflammation.
Iron is essential for the healthy process of hematopoiesis and gives tissues oxygen and blood hemoglobin. The metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all depend on fructose.
6. Dried Cherry
Cherries are well-known for their sweetness and juicy texture, but a growing body of research reveals that cherries are also very healthy for people. The health of humans is prevented by nutrients and bioactive components.
Consuming cherries may help you from developing inflammatory, carcinogenic, cardiovascular, and diabetic conditions.
High quantities of antioxidants present in this fruit shield cells from free radical damage. Cherries aid in weight loss and increase melatonin synthesis, which promotes restful sleep, according to recent research.
Both fresh and dried cherries, as well as dried cherries, tinctures, compotes, jam, and jam, are helpful. Let’s think more carefully about the advantages and disadvantages of dried cherries.
Dried cherries are incredibly advantageous to the body since they include all the same healthy, healing, and therapeutic components as fresh berries.
Dried Cherries At Home
Take 2.5 kilos of fresh berries, 1 kilogram of 330 grams of sugar, and 525 milligrams of water for cooking. Wash the berries and separate the flesh from the seeds, trying to retain the berries whole. Drain the resultant liquid, then sprinkle sugar over the fruit. Approximately eight hours should pass during this time (you may stir the berries).
After five hours, use a sieve to drain the juice that has resulted. One and a half kg of cherries are produced following all the steps. Put sugar syrup together.
Before simmering for ten minutes, pour the syrup over the fruit. Drain the syrup after cooling it to 50°. The berries should be dried in the dryer for at least four hours after it is turned on.
7. Candied Melon
Children and adults alike love candied fruit, which is a delicacy.
Fruit pulp pieces that have been cooked in a very rich sugar syrup have a distinctive scent and superb flavor that let them stand alone as a delicacy or as a component in a variety of sweet pastries and desserts.
Melons are always a favorite among the many different candied fruits. Melon is a staple food of the late summer and early autumn since it is so delicious and healthy. Sadly, this cheery fruit swiftly degrades while it is new.
They started making candied fruits from the melon’s pulp so they could treat themselves to melon any time of the year. Slices that have been dried and boiled in concentrated sugar syrup may be bought at the grocery store as well as prepared at home.
8. Dried Barberry
Barberry (berberis vulgaris) is also known as berberine, European barberry, or holy thorn. It is assumed that the barberry originated in Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.
The bark, berries, and roots have been used medicinally. The medicinal properties of the product are often attributed to the alkaloid berberine. This ingredient has antibacterial properties. In Iran, it is widely used to treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder. Tea with berries is considered a natural remedy for fever and mild infection.
Alkaloids are found in both the barberry plant’s red berries and bark. Organic dried barberries have a deliciously tangy flavor that makes them absolutely distinctive.
Heartburn is relieved, stomach and intestinal motility are restored, and even the liver is cleansed thanks to this herb’s extraordinary therapeutic and nutritional benefits. In organically dried barberry berries, there are no pesticides or chemicals; merely a nutritious, eco-friendly product.
Enjoy Dried Berries
Barberry dried organically has a deliciously tangy taste that goes well with both savory and sweet dishes.
In Iran, they are most often used to spice meat and saffron rice meals. Chicken salad, couscous, fried vegetables, and soups all benefit from the unique addition of dried barberry berries.
Adding a stick of dried berries might assist to balance out a dish’s richness if it is excessively sweet or has a taste that is overpowering.
9. Dried Mango
One of the most well-liked dried fruits is dried mango. These days, this is not only very delicious but also a highly nutritious treat that can be bought at any store for a reasonable price.
Although the benefits of Asian apples fresh fruits are well recognized, the fruit is still rich in nutrients that the body needs even after it is dried. Dried mangoes are also often used in cooking owing to their delicious flavor and incredible perfume.
Cooking Technology
Dried fruit is made from the juicy and ripe fruits of the mango tree. The skin is carefully removed from them, after which they are cut into thin strips. They are placed in a dryer, where the product gets rid of excess moisture. After that, the slices are covered with a thin layer of a special oil made from rice bran.
This allows you to preserve the natural color, and, importantly, the original beneficial properties that are literally “sealed” in the dried fruit.
It should be noted that sugar is not used in the manufacture of this delicacy – it is not necessary due to the taste of the fruit. However, like other candied fruits, dried mangoes have almost five times more calories than fresh fruits.
10. Dried Wild Rose
The amazing substance known as dried rose hips has been used medicinally for a very long time. The job of a dog rose picker existed even during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
To ensure that not a single berry was lost, specially trained individuals thoroughly inspected the wild rose’s fruit. The royal treasury housed the fruits that had been harvested. They used them to create “svoroborin molasses”—a concoction that was served to warriors to help them fight more effectively.
They offered brocade, velvet, and sable skins as payment for the infusion, which had an amazing price. Dried rose hips are still used to prevent and cure a variety of illnesses even in this day and age, when medical science is progressing at an exponential rate.
The Effect Of Dried Rose Hips On The Body
Due to the high level of vitamins and minerals, dried wild rose fruits have a whole range of beneficial properties for the human body.
First of all, an infusion of them has a tonic, anti-inflammatory, and tonic effect, “boosting” the immune system.
It is advised to use it for infectious diseases, and physical and emotional overload. In addition, dried fruits have a choleretic effect, stimulate the digestive tract and help accelerate metabolism.
An infusion of berries accelerates cell regeneration, and strengthens the walls of blood vessels, preventing the development of atherosclerosis. It also effectively relieves itching from insect bites and promotes the healing of wounds and burns.
11. Candied Oranges
Many ladies are always looking for a sweet dessert that is both healthy and wonderfully delicious. In fact, there are occasions when you truly want to treat yourself to something delicious while still maintaining your weight. Candied oranges may help in this situation.
Candied orange peels are orange peels that are boiled in concentrated sugar syrup and then dried in a candied form. During the cooking process, the crusts absorb sugar, which acts as its natural preservative. Candied orange peel contains over 60 types of flavonoids and over 170 different types of phytonutrients, and is rich in various pectins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
The chemical composition of natural candied fruits: environmentally friendly peels of ripe selected oranges, sugar syrup, and powdered sugar. The product contains no additional chemicals, parabens, fragrances, flavor enhancers, or dyes. When choosing this product, carefully study the composition, and give preference to a more natural one.
12. Dried Melon
Melon that has been dried is one kind of dried fruit. It is used in salads, pastries, ice cream, savory sandwiches, and other meals as a standalone snack or dessert or added to them.
Although the meal may be readily created at home, dried melon is produced in specialized industrial chambers.
What you need to know about the product, how to prepare dried fruit in your own home, and whether or not you should include melon in your seasonal diet are all covered.
13. Dried Cranberries
A healthy diet should include plenty of fruits and berries. Cranberries are one such wholesome food.
Due to the enormous number of beneficial ingredients it contains, dried cranberries are a great dried fruit. The berry’s natural preservative, benzoic acid, keeps all the vitamins and minerals intact for a very long period.
As a result, dried cranberries possess the same health benefits as fresh ones. Due to its beneficial qualities, it is utilized in traditional medicine, cosmetics, and a balanced diet.
Main Characteristic
The plant belongs to the group of flowering evergreen shrubs of the heather family. Dried or dried cranberries are a product dried using a special technology. The taste of dried cranberries is pleasant and sweet, the berries are red, have a spherical shape, do not stick together, and have a pleasant and rich aroma.
The plant loves a temperate climate, common in Russia, often found in swampy areas. The size of such berries can reach 16 mm. Berries are harvested in autumn – from early September to late November.
14. Candied Fruit
Candied fruits are pieces of fruit boiled in sugar syrup. They are a traditional oriental sweet. The history of the origin of the delicacy is connected with the hot climate of countries, in which sugaring made it possible to “preserve” fruits and preserve the harvest. It is interesting that in Rus’ the product is called “dry jam”.
Fruit soaked in sugar syrup is used as a decor for decorating rolls, puffs, cookies, cakes, and pastries. In addition, they are put in the form of a filling in shortbread, yeast, biscuit, cupcake, and butter dough.
The delicacy serves as a natural substitute for sweets and contains fiber and organic acids, which help to remove toxins and toxic substances from the body, instantly replenish energy costs (due to the breakdown of fast carbohydrates ), and increase blood glucose levels.
15. Candied Ginger
The most delectable Asian treat, candied ginger, is a great substitute for jam or other types of preserves. As a delectable and nutritious treat, candied fruits have successfully migrated into the contemporary daily menu.
These oriental delicacies are further included in ice cream, jams, cakes, biscuits, and fruit salads. 80 percent of them are natural products that have been cooked and dried in sugar syrup. Sugar is a natural preservative that helps preserve the texture of candied fruits by extending their shelf life.
Candied ginger is a healthy food that is delicious, bright, and aromatic. It is also simple to make at home and essential for garnishing sweet foods.
Description And Main Characteristics
Ginger that has been cooked in sugar syrup and dried ginger root is known as candied ginger. They have a somewhat burning flavor and are cut into slices or little squares. They are externally a pale yellow hue.
An extremely important root vegetable, ginger is utilized in a variety of regional cuisines all over the globe. Ginger is said to have originated in India.
Today, ginger is cultivated in Jamaica, West Africa, Argentina, China, Vietnam, Brazil, and Argentina. 100 grams of candied ginger have a 216 kcal calorie content, 3 grams of protein, and 0.4 grams of fat.
16. Dried Apples
Now that fresh apples can be bought at any time of the year, fewer and fewer people use dried apples. And it’s completely in vain because dried fruits retain a huge amount of useful substances and vitamins.
In addition, it is very convenient: they take up little space and can be used as a delicious snack. In dried apples, all useful substances are preserved, including in the apple peel.
They have the same high concentration of antioxidants as fresh. It is important to remember that dried fruits are much higher in calories due to their low water content.
Approximately one glass of dried apples contains more than 200 calories, while one fresh one contains only 80 calories.
Apples Instead Of Drugs
People with allergies might benefit greatly from dried apples. In addition to not triggering allergic responses in those who are predisposed to them, apples also decrease the symptoms of allergies, according to research. So dried apples may be thought of as a delightful and beneficial allergy remedy.
They are fantastic for youngsters too, of course. Additionally, they include a wealth of beneficial compounds that are simply essential for an organism in growth.
Additionally, dried apples naturally boost immunity. Everyone has long been aware that eating one apple a day is necessary if one wants to avoid becoming ill. It is quite conceivable to substitute dried fruits for fresh ones given that almost all of the product’s beneficial characteristics are kept in dried raw materials.
17. Dried Kumquat
Many exotic fruits are well recognized for their health advantages and deliciousness, but fruit as intriguing as the kumquat, even when dried, is not as well known. This fruit is known by numerous names, including the food of the sages and Japanese orange.
Although dried kumquats are not much bigger than walnuts in size, they are quite helpful and have an odd flavor and perfume. Because the peel also contains many beneficial ingredients, one of its characteristics is that the dried fruit is eaten whole, even with the peel.
The kumquat’s native country is China, but because of its flavor and other beneficial qualities, it very rapidly became famous, first in Asia, and is now widely available in America and Russia.
The oblong kumquat is round while it’s fresh, and its orange peel gradually becomes brown as it dries. It has been used for many years in China as a helpful herb that aids in the treatment of several ailments in addition to being a delectable dessert.
How To Choose
When selecting your own dried kumquat, pay attention to the hue. If this hue is a really vivid, brilliant red, the dried product has most likely been dyed.
The reality is that if the goods are dried naturally, the color will be dark and unnoticeable. In contrast to the flavor, the look of a dried kumquat is not particularly appealing; such fruits are black and wrinkled, but nevertheless quite nutritious. This is the scenario when you cannot assess a fruit by its look.
In addition, It is critical that there be no white spots or specks on it since they indicate that the fruit was treated with chemicals to remove mold.
Properly dried kumquat smells like citrus, with no off-notes; the scent is comparable to that of oranges or tangerines, with a hint of mint.
Take note of the scent, since it is one of the most crucial markers of how the fruit was dried. If you detect a definite chemical odor, this means that chemicals were used to dry the fruit, and you should avoid eating it.
When selecting a kumquat, keep in mind that dried fruit has a high concentration of beneficial compounds.
In reality, they often offer dried citrus that has been pre-boiled in sugar syrup and then dried. This product has a considerably sweeter flavor and is typically not unpleasant, although it is more suited as a dessert than as an excellent vitamin supplement. So, continue to choose the dried form, as it retains the original flavor and may flood your body with beneficial nutrients.
18. Dried Figs
Although ripe figs are a delicious and healthful fruit, they are regrettably quite difficult to carry due to their fragile fruits. Because of this, fig tree fruits are often harvested before they are fully mature while being transported to other nations, preventing severe damage.
As a result, figs have substantially less important vitamins and trace elements, however, if the fruit is dried, they are totally preserved.
The benefits of the dry product are clear: it is very helpful, has a long shelf life, and is simple to carry. Southwest Asia is the fig’s native continent, and the fig tree is the plant on which the fruit grows.
Fresh fruits resemble pears in certain ways, and depending on the type, their hue ranges from pale yellow to deep purple. Fresh fruits have an overly sweet flavor but are very nutritious and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Traditionally, Turkey, Armenia, and Uzbekistan have supplied us with dried figs. In truth, figs’ health advantages have been known to humans for a very long time, ever since the period of Ancient Greece, when they were often consumed and regarded as a fine delicacy, particularly in dried form.
Because he was so prized, the smugglers were put in jail if they attempted to sell him to another nation. Its daily usage, whether fresh or dried, was highly advised by Avicenna, the most renowned physician of antiquity, to preserve health. He also thought the fruit may be useful in the treatment of leprosy, tumors, fever, and possibly malaria.
Not all figs are created equal, as you may believe. Actually, there are 150 different varieties of this plant and their corresponding fruits worldwide. For instance, fruits have more antioxidants in them when their skin is darker.
Consuming figs regularly is thought to greatly lower the incidence of breast cancer, particularly in women who have passed menopause, in part because of their antioxidant content. Its fruits, leaves, and roots are also employed in the production of medications, in addition to other items.
19. Dried Bananas
Since bananas are almost always accessible in our nation, they immediately became quite well-liked. Dried figs or bananas are two less common but no less delicious alternatives. They gained their well-deserved fame because they are very practical to use, taking up little room while yet being a filling and healthful snack.
If you are watching your diet or can’t eat regularly at work, this is extremely helpful. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that dried bananas also acquire a much larger calorie content: they have roughly 5 times as many calories as fresh fruits, which aren’t very nutritious in and of themselves.
So, if you’re trying to reduce weight, be careful with dried bananas. In any event, keep in mind that foods are only genuinely nutritious when consumed in moderation.
Although dried bananas are not particularly well-liked in our country, they are even used to manufacture chips in several Asian nations. They are extremely vigorously dried for this purpose, with sugar and perhaps salt added.
The outcome is a really creative snack that is far less harmful to the body than traditional potato chips. The pairing of salt and banana, however, is one that should only be enjoyed by genuine gourmets.
It is vital to keep in mind that they have the same features as seeds while eating since you might consume a lot of them without even realizing it. Because even the healthiest foods may become dangerous if used regularly, consider either adding dry bananas to meals, particularly cereals like oatmeal, or rigidly limiting the quantity that you are planning to consume.
20. Dried Apricots (URYUK)
A dried apricot with a stone inside is called an apricot. This product is taken from the tree fully completed, unlike other dried fruits. Fruits spontaneously sublimate under the influence of the wind and sun. It preserves the most nutrients possible due to the consistency of the peel and lack of chemical processing.
Apricots may also be dried in the oven, hastening the process but reducing the number of nutrients in the dried fruit. Potassium, magnesium, carotene, tocopherol, iron, and phosphorus are all naturally occurring nutrients in apricots.
Dried fruit is used to thin sputum, promote intestinal motility, boost hemoglobin production, flush the body of extra fluid, and accelerate tissue energy exchange.
Due to increased potassium intake, the product is also essential for patients receiving treatment with diuretics, cardiac glycosides, and laxatives.
Apricots offer great flavor qualities in addition to being medicinal. It is ideal for making compotes, desserts, jellies, and sweet pastries as well as a standalone snack.
21. Dried Apricots
Dried apricots are apricot halves minus the stone. The apricot traces its beginnings to China, where cultivation of the fruit started more than 4,000 years ago.
Apricots, or rather their dried fruits, were imported from China to Armenia before making their way to the Mediterranean coast of Europe.
Only in the 16th century did people in continental Europe become familiar with the dried fruits of the apricot tree. Fruits that spoil quickly started to be gathered and dried during that period so they could be transported from far-off nations.
The dried apricot varieties apricot (with a stone), kaisa (with the stone removed via the stalk attachment point), and dried apricots all originated in this way.
How And Where Does It Grow
One of the plum family members is the apricot. This tree is grown commercially in China, Central Asia, the Mediterranean area, and southern Europe. The tree has a 3 m-diameter crown and may grow to a height of 7–10 m. During the ripening season, apricots like bright, warm days, although they can withstand cold in winter.
A reasonable amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is ideal for tree growth in soil.
In their absence, the plant loses its ovaries, flowers, and leaves, which become yellow and drop off. The apricot’s growth is halted when the soil is too dry. Depending on the species of tree, blossoming usually starts in April or May. The fruit of the apricot tree, a luscious drupe, develops from white or pinkish blossoms. Fruits mature from June to July.
22. Date Fruit
Since the sixth millennium BC, date palms have produced fruit. Among all fruits, dates are among the tastiest foods available. The majority of the time, these fruits are dried like raisins or prunes, even if they may be consumed fresh. The fruit’s ability to retain its health-giving qualities in any shape makes it particularly special.
Characteristics Of Dates
Drupes with a fleshy outer layer are dates. The date palm’s fruits, known scientifically as Phoenix dactylifera, are cylinder-shaped, measuring 3–7 cm in length and 2–3 cm in diameter. Golden orange to dark brown is the range of ripe dates.
By the way, palm trees start producing fruit between the ages of 3 and 5 and mature to their fullest potential by the 12th summer. The Jordan area along the border between Iran and Iraq is where you may find natural thickets of this plant, which is mostly grown in hot climates.
These days, both raw and dried Phoenix dactylifera fruit is eaten. They are used to manufacture vinegar, date paste, and culinary flavorings. They are also used for desserts and salads.
The banks of the Euphrates, which is today’s Iraqi land, are widely acknowledged as the origin of the date palm. The people of ancient Egypt were aware of and adored this fruit, and they used it to make wine. This is supported by compelling evidence.
Dates eventually reached the American continent after spreading through time across North Africa, southwest Asia, and Europe owing to traders. There are several varieties of this plant that may be grown safely in various nations with suitable climates nowadays. Iraq alone produces around 100 different varieties of dates.
Fruits are categorized into three groups: sweet, extremely sweet, and unsweetened depending on how much glucose, sucrose, and fructose they contain. The Gaza Strip is home to one of the most well-known date species.
The fruits of the palm palms there are very tasty and have a pleasing crimson hue. Egyptian palms also produce similar fruits, but theirs are more oblong, have dark red skin, and are sweeter. Saudi Arabia is where one of the most costly data types is cultivated. They may be identified by their sweet flavor, soft meat, and dark brown skin.
23. Prunes
One of the most popular dried fruits is prunes. It is a commonly dried plum with great nutritional and flavor attributes. Plum, a tree-like member of the Rosaceae family, is a natural hybridization of cherry plum and blackthorn. Currently, it is intensively grown in Asia, France, the North Caucasus, Moldova, Ukraine, and southern and central Russia.
How Can You Get Prunes?
The process of getting such dried fruit is not very difficult. Prunes may be made from any common plum; all you need to do is thoroughly dry the fruit. It is crucial to pay attention to a few key details of culinary technology.
You must choose ripe, sweet, juicy, and flaw-free plums if you want prunes. The chosen fruits should then be blanched for 5–20 seconds in a boiling soda solution of 1.5%–1.5% (100–150 grams of soda per 10 liters of water) before being immediately rinsed in hot water.
The fruits must then be cooled before being dried in a steam drier. This makes it feasible to keep the nutrients inside the food as much as possible. Additionally, the drying process has unique properties.
The plums are first dried for 3–4 hours (at a temperature of 45–50 °C) until dry, and then they are cooked for 1-2 days at a temperature of 60–65 °C. Just before the drying process is finished, the temperature is raised to 100 degrees or more for two to three minutes in order to give dried fruits their distinctive black color.
As a result, the sugar in the prune pulp will rise to the top and caramelize, giving the fruit its distinctive shine. When you see a faintly white bloom, you may discuss the dried fruits’ entire readiness and superior quality.
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