Longan- The Euphoria Fruit!

Can you identify the secret ingredient in this eye catching dessert? Well to unfold your curiosity, you have to read this blog....

Soft warmth of the Sun, chilly winds and supple snow blanket. Oh! this is #WINTER! Mother nature seems to have festooned up with colorful hued flowers, veggies and fruits this season. Just LOOK around in the local markets, the lively vibrant #COLORS are in fact the Visual Stress Busters!

Friends, the other day I went to buy fruits and it was a visual treat to see the Red hued Apples, Pomegranates, Red- Orange hued Kinnows & Oranges, Yellow ripened Bananas, Purple Grapes BUT one attention-grabbing ‘small’ fruit in bunches resembling Lychee was attracting the customers' attention in particular! Even the vendor was not ready to compromise with the selling price as he was confident that this seasonal fruit will fetch him good price for the day. Curiously, I too chose a perfectly ripe bunch before his lot finishes. They were tasting sweet, refreshing with hint of floral nectar just like Lychee. Guess what this wonder fruit is? It’s #Longan fruit, from the tropical tree Dimocarpus longan, the subtler cousin of Lychee. It is a small, round, watery, and sweet fruit with a thick brown shell that gets harder with the time. I cherished this succulent fruit greatly and thought of sharing a post on it without wasting much of time today!!!

MORE ABOUT LONGAN...

Longan, a small yellow fruit is believed to originate from the mountain range between #Myanmar and southern #China, specifically the provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Sichuan and Fujian. Longan’s literal translation is “dragon eyes.” So, when the shell of the fruit is taken off, the black seed shows through the translucent flesh, representing an eyeball. Ancient Indian literature also indicates its native in Asia and the forest hills of #Assam and the #Garo hills. Presently, we find it growing all over the northern belt of India.

NUTRITION TAKEAWAYS

Nutrition Consultant, Dr Jayeeta adds that this fruit can be considered as ‘Functional Fruit’ with low calories and an excellent source of #potassium and #VitaminC as well as #Copper, #Magnesium, #Phosphorus and #Manganese, in addition to numerous #VitaminB's, #Folicacid including #Fibre. This fruit also boasts certain #Antioxidant polyphenols like #Corilagin, #Gallicacid, and #Ellagicacid that can boost immunity as well as increase the overall wellness of the body. Its #Adenosine & #GABA content can boost restorative deep sleep and relaxation. Even its #Corilagin content is being researched for reducing blood pressure. Therapeutically, because of #lowcarbs, can be a good choice for #Ketogenicdiet, especially for weight watchers.

However, there’s a limitation. They are small sweet fruits and if you’re not careful, it’s easy to eat a lot more in one sitting and jack up your intake of carbs and sugar and this especially applies for Diabetics. So, self- portion control is the key for safe #Glycemic control!

COZYFOODCORNER’s SPOTLIGHT

Nevertheless, during winters the sweet tooth seems to acquire a stronger craving and we are in search of healthy options. What if a seasonal fruit can do wonders replacing the refined sugar? As Gastronomic Expert, I curated a range of dishes in #Cozyfoodcorner’s counter with this succulent fruit. Sharing some culinary ideas, which you too can do easily and enjoy!

1. Split pieces and add in Fruit salad and Custard, Tart, Cheesecake toppings

2. Juice it for a Refreshing drink to sip as such or add in #Mocktails

3. Crush and add in Banana, Green apple and Melon #Smoothies

4. Crush to incorporate into soya-based #Mayonnaise and use as flavoured #Spread or #Dips.

5. Incorporate pieces to bake plum #Cakes.

6. Add pieces in #Burger patty for added texture

7. Stew in sugar syrup to make #Chutneys

8. Add deseeded, halved longans to #Gelatin recipes

9. Barbecue longans with skin over a slow open fire & add the smoky fruit to #Soups for added flavour.

Thanks to this astonishing fruit!

For more of Longan Sweet Temptation Recipes for Diabetics / Weight watchers / Keto-Diet, write to ipsitascozyfoodcorner@gmail.com