How to Eat Ugli Fruit

Опубликовал Admin
17-08-2021, 10:30
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Ugli fruit is high in vitamin C and fiber, and with fewer than 40 calories per piece, it also makes a great snack for anyone on a low-calorie diet. Even though it looks less than appetizing on the outside, the inside is filled with a sweet, tangy flesh. The fruit can be enjoyed raw and on its own, or you could add it to other dishes.

Selecting and Preparing Ugli Fruit

  1. Know when and where to look. Ugli fruit are only available from December through April, and you might need to go to a specialty food store to find them.
    • The ugli fruit is actually another name for the Jamaican tangelo. It was discovered in Jamaica and became one of the country's exports starting in 1914.
    • While the fruit is imported to the United States, its supply is fairly limited, so it can be somewhat expensive. On average, it costs two to three times more than a grapefruit costs.
    • Check with stores in your area known for having a wider variety of international goods, including imported produce. Many standard grocery stores may not carry ugli fruit, and local farmers' markets will almost never offer them.
  2. Choose a fruit that feels heavy for its size. You cannot tell how ripe an ugli fruit is based on its color. Instead, you should look for a fruit that feels heavy for its size and has a slight give when pressed at the blossom end with the tip of your thumb.
    • This fruit lives up to its name, and most agree that it looks ugly from the outside. The skin is yellow-green with occasional hints of orange, and thickest at the neck end. It looks a little like a mandarin orange, but it has larger pores and a knobby or lumpy appearance.
    • Do not worry about surface scarring, uneven coloring, or loose skin. None of this says anything about the quality of the fruit.
    • Most ugli fruits are fairly large, but smaller ugli fruits tend to have more flavor and more sweetness. The diameter ranges from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm).
    • If there are any soft spots or brown spots on the fruit, gently press them with your thumb. If your thumb goes through, the fruit is spoiled.
    • The fruit should have a little give, especially at the blossom end, but it should not be mushy.
  3. Store the fruit at room temperature. You should eat ugli fruit within five days if kept at room temperature. If you refrigerate it, however, you can store it for up to two weeks.
    • The fruit does not need to be stored in a container of any type.
    • Check the fruit daily to make sure that it is not going bad. Look for developing soft spots, and press into these soft spots with your thumb to see if the skin breaks. If the skin does break, the fruit may already be overripe and partially rotten.
  4. Wash the fruit before you use it. Rinse the ugli fruit under cool running water and pat dry with clean paper towels. Even though you will not be eating the peel, you will be handling it as you eat the fruit, so having a clean peel and clean hands is still important.

Eating Ugli Fruit Plain

  1. Eat the ugli fruit with a spoon. Cut it in half, loosen the segments, and eat it straight out of the peel with a spoon.
    • When you cut the ugli fruit open, the inside should look similar to that of an orange, but the fruit should appear slightly fleshier than an orange would.
    • Unlike grapefruit, the ugli fruit is sweet enough on its own and does not need any added sugar. If you do add sugar to the fruit, you may even find it too sweet.
    • An ugli fruit can be enjoyed in this manner as a simple, light breakfast.
    • If you want to use the fruit for a light yet exotic lunch or dessert, you can cut it in half and drizzle it with a bit of sherry or kirsch before enjoying it.
  2. Peel and separate the segments. Peel the skin off the ugli fruit and separate it into sections, like you might expect to do with a tangerine. The segments can be eaten one by one.
    • The skin is thick yet loose and puffy, so you should be able to remove it with your fingers.
    • There are seldom any seeds, so you should not have to worry about removing seeds before enjoying the fruit.
    • The segments inside the fruit are also easy to separate, and you should be able to separate those with your fingers, as well.
    • Enjoy the fruit in this manner as a snack or side dish to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Using Ugli Fruit in Dishes

  1. Use ugli fruit in cold dishes. Like many citrus fruits, ugli fruit works well in cold dishes like tossed salads with mixed dark greens or tropical salads.
    • For a simple chopped salad, use various leafy greens, like green leaf lettuce, curly endive, lamb's lettuce, and spinach. Consider adding complementary fruits, like strawberries, or other accents like sliced almonds, crumbled blue cheese, or granola. Avoid adding too many other flavors, though, since they could run the risk of clashing with the flavor of the ugli fruit.
      • Regarding dressings, opt for mild or tangy vinaigrettes.
    • For a simple fruit salad or tossed fruit dish, combine the ugli fruit with other tropical vegetables or complementary vegetables, like mango, pineapple, strawberry, or grape. Avoid adding other tangy citrus fruits, like mandarin oranges, since the tastes are too similar.
    • In addition to using ugli fruit in cold mixed dishes, you can also use it as a garnish for certain desserts, like cheesecake.
  2. Substitute it for oranges or grapefruit. The taste of ugli fruit is similar to both of these other citrus fruits, and the structure is equally similar, so ugli fruit often works well as a replacement.
    • In fact, as a type of tangelo, the ugli fruit is actually a hybrid of the grapefruit (or pomelo) and the mandarin orange.
    • The flavor is closer to the taste of an orange than the taste of a grapefruit, but it has a tangy note that oranges lack. Typically, these fruits are very juicy and sweet.
  3. Make preserves. The peel and juice of the ugli fruit can be used to make marmalade, just like oranges can be used for marmalade.
    • Combine one chopped ugli fruit with 3/4 cup (180 ml) white sugar and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) ugli fruit zest in a saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently, ad cook for 7 to 10 minutes. When done, the marmalade should lose its watery properties and should become thick and glossy.
  4. Add the segments at the end of the cooking process. If you use ugli fruit in a cooked dish, like a stir-fry, you should add the prepared segments at the end of the cooking process to avoid breaking them down.
    • Ugli fruit segments work well in a stir-fry with a sweet sauce and sweet vegetables, like bell peppers. Cook all of the other ingredients first and add the segments during the last 5 minutes, stirring them gently and keeping them over the heat just long enough to warm them without causing them to burst.
    • You could also use the fruit segments as a garnish for roasted duck, ham, or other meats prepared with a tropical or citrus fruit glaze. Let the ugli fruit sit out at room temperature before using it as a garnish, or garnish the meat with the fruit and pop it back into the oven for another 5 minutes to let the segments warm up.

Using Ugli Fruit in Drinks

  1. Make ugli fruit "lemonade." Freshly squeezed ugli juice can be mixed with water and sugar to make a drink similar to lemonade.
    • Make a simple syrup by combining 1/2 cup (125 ml) white sugar with 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water and heating the mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat.
    • Once the sugar dissolves, transfer the syrup to a pitcher and add 1 cup (250 ml) freshly squeezed ugli fruit juice to the mixture.
    • Add 3 to 4 cups (750 to 1000 ml) cold water to the pitcher and stir well to combine all the ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.
  2. Prepare a hot toddy. Mix the ugli juice with rum and a sweetener. Warm it up for a sharp, sweet, and comforting treat.
    • Squeeze the juice from two ugli fruit using a juicer. Place this in a saucepan along with 2 oz (60 ml) dark rum, and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey. Heat it over medium heat until the honey has dissolved.
    • To serve, remove the drink from the heat, sprinkle in a bit of cinnamon (if desired), and serve in two clean mugs.
  3. Mix up a smoothie. If blended with sugar, ice, and other fruit or juices, ugli fruit can be made into a tasty and tangy fruit smoothie.
    • Peel and quarter one ugli fruit, then peel and slice one banana. Add these to a bender with 1/4 cup (60 ml) pineapple juice, 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk, and 2 Tbsp (30 ml) white sugar or honey. Blend together until smooth, add 8 ice cubes, and blend again until the ice is crushed.
      • This will make about four servings, which should be enjoyed immediately.
    • You could also experiment with your own variations. Any flavor you might pair with citrus will likely work, including strawberry, mango, or other tropical fruit or citrus fruit.

Tips

Things You'll Need

  • Paper towels
  • Knife (optional)
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