Quince - what kind of fruit is it and how to eat it?

Have you ever tried to eat quince raw? Then, perhaps, the fruit disappointed you. The taste is sour, astringent, astringent. But do not rush to abandon the "golden apple." Quince miraculously transformed after heat treatment. Gourmet desserts are prepared from it - jelly, marmalade, sweets, jam. Quince slices are added to meat dishes and salads. We offer you to learn how to get nutritional pleasure from quince and how it is useful for the body.

What is quince

What kind of fruit is quince? Like the apple tree, the tree belongs to the family Pink. The plant has a 4000-year history, and the Caucasus is considered its homeland. Large bright yellow fruits, resembling apples, grow on a tree. The peel is covered with barely noticeable hairs. Quince exudes a strong aroma, as it contains a lot of essential oils.

Today, fruit is grown in Asia, Africa, North and South America, the European Mediterranean countries. In Russia and the CIS, yellow fruits go on sale in late autumn - early winter.

Raw use

Is it possible to eat quince raw in principle? Here the opinions of people were divided. Some people think that fresh fruit preserves the maximum of useful substances - vitamins, minerals, organic acids, essential oils. Others recommend a heat treatment so that the fetus does not irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines.

However, there is no scientific evidence of the dangers of raw quince. The tart-acid taste is given to it by tannins and some acids in the composition (citric, tartaric). Gastrointestinal upset will only be if you eat a lot of fruits. But due to the specific taste and astringent effect, this is physically impossible.

Raw quinces are eaten in the following ways:

• like an apple (uncomfortable);
• peel the peel, remove the core with seeds and cut the fruit into small segments;
• rubbed on a fine grater and add a little honey to the resulting mashed potatoes.

The last way is optimal. So you solve the problem with hardness and improve taste. Well, honey is a useful product in itself.

Is quince suitable for diabetics?

With diabetes, you can not eat fruits with a high glycemic index. 100 grams of quince contains 9.6 grams of carbohydrates. Compared to other fruits, this is an average. However, due to the fact that the pulp contains a lot of dietary fiber, sugar is absorbed by the body slowly and does not cause sudden jumps in the blood. So quince refers to products with a low glycemic index (up to 55) and is allowed for diabetes.

Pregnancy and lactation

A pregnant woman can eat fruit if she does not have problems such as increased acidity of gastric juice, gastritis, or an ulcer. It is recommended to use a fruit that has undergone heat treatment.

A nursing mother is allowed to introduce quince into the diet from the moment the baby is 4 months old. If you treat yourself earlier, the child runs the risk of allergic reactions, intestinal colic and bloating.

Methods for preparing quince

How to cook quince, if the tart taste of raw fruit does not suit you at all? We give examples of recipes for delicious and healthy dishes.

Boiled slices

A simple recipe for minimalists:

1. Wash the fruit under running water and peel it off with a knife.
2. Divide in half, remove the core with pits and cut into 6 equal slices.
3. Put a pot with 200 ml of water on the burner, boil.
4. Add slices, make a small fire and cook for 15-20 minutes. Boiled quince is ready.

Dessert with honey and cinnamon

Dessert for those who monitor their health. The procedure is as follows:

1. Peel the fruit, cut into two equal parts, remove the seed basket.
2. Put foil on a baking sheet (so that the fruit does not burn during baking), and on top of it - halves of quince.
3. Sprinkle quince with cinnamon, and if desired, with vanilla. Put a tiny piece of butter in the central dimples.
4. Pour each half 1 tsp. honey. You can use sugar, but then the dessert will not be so useful.
5. Cover the quince with foil.
6. Put the bake in a preheated oven to 180 degrees.
7. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the top layer of foil. Bake fruit for another 15-20 minutes. Make sure that the top is not burnt.

What will be the result? Quince is caramelized, acquires a golden color and a delicate sweet taste, becomes soft. They eat such a dessert with a teaspoon.

Jam

Why not maintain the beneficial properties of quince for months to come? One of the easiest ways is to make jam. You will need 5 medium-sized fruits, a pound of sugar, 4 tbsp. l lemon juice. If desired, add a pinch of cinnamon or a handful of crushed nuts to the jam.

1. Cut the peeled fruit into small cubes, put on the bottom of the pan. Pour in water so that the liquid barely covers the pieces.
2. Place the pot on the burner, bring the water to a boil.
3. Boil quince for 20 minutes over low heat.
4. Add lemon juice, sugar, if necessary spices and nuts. Mix well.
5. Boil the mixture for another 25 minutes.

Then hot jam can be poured into sterilized jars and rolled up.

There is one little secret that makes dessert even tastier. After boiling, leave the fruit-sugar mixture to infuse for 3 hours. Then repeat the heat treatment (20 minutes). Do this 3-4 times. The jam will acquire a golden color, rich taste and uniform consistency.

Fried chicken with quince

“Golden Apple” makes poultry meat tender, gives a spicy finish, removes excess fat. Therefore, we cook and eat at home a baked chicken with quince.

For one bird weighing up to 1.5 kg, take 2 fruits, one large carrot, one lemon and 700 ml of vegetable broth. The procedure is as follows:

1. Cut the carrots into strips and fry them slightly in sunflower oil.
2. Butcher the chicken. Roll the slices in flour and fry in a pan until the color turns golden.
3. Add carrots, quince and fry the dish over medium heat for another 7 minutes.
4. Pour the vegetable stock into the chicken pan. Cut the lemon into 6 equal parts and add to the mixture.
5. Reduce the heat to a minimum. Stew the chicken for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the lemon from the pan. Simmer until cooked, but no longer than 35 minutes.

Compote

Quinces make not only dishes, but also drinks. The easiest way to cook quince compote.

For one kilogram of quince they take 350 grams of sugar and 3 liters of water. Of the additives, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, star anise are suitable. And, of course, do not forget about lemon juice - you need one half of citrus.

1. Cut quince in equal slices. When cooking compote, the peel does not need to be removed, only seeds.
2. Pour sugar in water and turn on the heat. Wait for the crystals to completely dissolve.
3. Add quince and cook until the liquid boils.
4. Pour in lemon juice, sprinkle with spices. Brew a drink for 10-15 minutes.

Now it remains only to cool the compote. Such a drink is useful to drink for the prevention of colds in the autumn-winter period.

And at the end of the culinary section we will give one more recommendation. Feel free to add raw, boiled or baked quince slices to the baking dish. You can take any recipes with apples and replace one fruit with another.

The benefits of quince for the body

Quinces are not only eaten for pleasure.This fruit has a rich vitamin and mineral composition, therefore it is used to treat and prevent many diseases. Here are some substances that are present in large quantities in quince.

• Vitamin C

In 100 grams - a quarter of the daily norm. And this is the prevention of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other problems associated with a weakened immune system. In addition, vitamin C protects the body from premature aging and cancer.

• Vitamin A

18.5% of the daily rate. Needed to maintain eye health, reproductive system. Improves the appearance of the skin.

• Chromium

39% of the daily norm. Chromium is one of the most micronutrient deficiencies for humans. Often his shortage is experienced by athletes and other persons whose life is associated with increased physical exertion. Chromium regulates blood sugar, which is necessary for the prevention of diabetes.

• Iron

100 grams of quince cover the body's need for iron by 17%. This element is involved in the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to various organs and tissues. The fruit serves to prevent anemia (anemia).

Do not rush to brush off the quince just because it is sour and tart in its raw form. Small grater, honey and many recipes for preparing delicious dishes will help to solve the problem. The benefits of this fruit for the body are difficult to overestimate. It is eaten to prevent viral and bacterial diseases, diabetes, anemia, obesity and other health problems.