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Tomato tales

Tomato is an annual and its red fruit is eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable or used in salads, juice and sauce. It combines well with other vegetables. It belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family and originated from Central and South America.

Tomato is a short-lived plant, which grows to a height of 1-3m, with a weak, woody and fleshy stem that usually rambles over other plants. The leaves are 10-25cm long and both the stem and the leaves are densely granular and hairy. The flowers are 1-2cm long; the fruit is a brightly coloured berry.

Varieties

There are many varieties of tomatoes grown for various purposes. The most common is the commercial variety. Others are categorised based on their shape and size. Beefsteak tomatoes are large, round tomatoes commonly found in supermarkets and used for sandwiches.

Plum tomatoes are small and egg shaped. They have a higher solid content and are often used in tomato sauce and paste. They are also known as Italian aroma tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes resemble cherries and are eaten whole in salads. Pear tomatoes are small, pear shaped with a sweet flavour. There are red and yellow versions of this variety. Yellow or orange tomatoes are popular for their low acid content and high sugar content. They are low in lycopene. Sun dried tomatoes are plum tomatoes that have been dehydrated to preserve them and intensify their flavour.

How to select them: Select firm, fleshy, shiny fruit, uniform in colour and without wrinkles or cracks.

Tomato is believed to benefit the heart. Lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, is available in plenty in raw and ripe tomatoes and helps prevent prostate cancer. The body absorbs more lycopene from cooked or processed tomatoes rather than fresh ones, which are a rich in Vitamin C.

Culinary use

Tomatoes are eaten throughout the world, although their seeds cannot be digested and pass straight through the intestines. They are extensively used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, especially Italian cuisine.

HRUDANANDA BEHERA

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