bublik’s Product of the Week
The Pomegranate
Pomegranates are round, red fruits. They have a white inner flesh which is densely packed with crunchy, juicy seeds (those are the part you eat). You recognize a fresh and high quality Pomegranate immediately once you cut it open, by the colour of the seeds. They should be bright and deep red. And secondly, of course by the taste, which should be sweet and intense.
The Pomegranates we have here in bublik.sg grow completely naturally and they are fully seasonal - we only carry them when in season (starting August, to roughly February).
Health Benefits
Pomegranates are part of those foods called Superfoods for a reason: They are low in calories and in fat, but at the same time high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals; and they also contain some protein.
Their health benefits include antioxidants, heart health, urinary health, exercise endurance, and more.
Where to use Pomegranates
Juice of course comes first to your mind, to make with Pomegranate seeds. And once you have made the juice yourself, you will not buy the bottled one again. Not far away from the juice is the smoothie. Follow your usual smoothie recipe, just use Pomgranate seeds.
Generally, you can use Pomegranate instead of berries in many recipes, or you can simply add them to the berry mix. You will find the Pomegranate seeds also often combined with orange slices.
You can use Pomegranate seeds in many sweet dishes, for example in fruit salads, on top of cakes (not limited to but including Cheesecake), in Muffins, or as a filling for pancakes. Also, the combination with dark chocolate works very well, given the sweetness of the Granate seeds – think about Brownies or a Chocolate Mousse.
They pair well with Joghurt kind of dishes or sauces. The other day in an Indian Restaurant in Singapore, I found them used on a Raita, the Joghurt based side dish. Also, in a breakfast Cereal bowl with Joghurt or milk, the red and crunchy seeds fit well in.
Pomegranate seeds also pair well with Aubergine dishes, for example they give a nice sweet and crunchy counter point as part of an Aubergine puree, or Babaganoush.
In the Cousine of the Caucasus, in many dishes with chicken, lamb or beef, you would find the combination of rice and Pomegranate seeds on top, with them simply added in the end, for its sweet taste.
Pomegranate seeds also make a strong ingredient in many salads. For example, with chickpeas and feta, that is a colourful and strong salad. Another very simple combination is a salad based on cubed tomatoes and Pomegranates (you just add olive oil and some herbs of your choice, like mint or basil). Also, as an add on to roasted vegetable the Pomegranate seed works well, for example on top of carrots or Brussels sprouts.