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An apple a day...
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Besides their nutritive value, apples taste great
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WHOLESOME FOOD Apples
Apple is a fleshy fruit, with tough skin, ranging in colour from greenish yellow to red. It is usually five to seven cm in diameter and has pinkish or yellowish white flesh. The fruit is considered a wholesome food. Apart from its energy value, it plays an important role in the normal development of metabolic functions i.e. the chemical and physical changes that take place within the body and enable its continued growth and functioning.
Apple is native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It has been mentioned in the annals of old China, Babylon and Egypt. The Scandinavians called it the `Food of Gods' and believed that it possessed medicinal properties to regenerate both mind and body. In India, apples are grown in the hilly areas of Kashmir, Kulu and Kumaon. Nearly 7,500 varieties of the fruit are grown all over the world.
Medicinal value
Apple is a highly nutritive food. It contains minerals and vitamins in abundance. The food value mainly comes from its sugar content, which ranges from 9 to 51 per cent. Of this, fruit sugar constitutes 60 per cent, glucose 25 per cent and cane sugar only 15 per cent.
It is good for anaemia, dysentery, heart disease, headache, eye disorders, kidney stones, and promotes vigour and vitality.
Apple is generally eaten raw and is popularly used in desserts. It can be used as a salad or taken with other fruits or cooked or baked. It can also be used in the form of dried apple, apple jelly, apple juice or cider and vinegar. Freshly prepared apple juice is one of the best fruit juices.
Apples can be eaten as a starter too. In Italian cooking, they are cooked with the main course. Now for a recipe.
Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
Apples: 4 (3 sliced thin and one chopped)
Raisins (soaked and chopped): half cup
Cinnamon: 1tsp
Walnuts: half tsp
Dates: half tsp
Nutmeg: half tsp
A dash of lemon juice
A pinch of salt
Method: In a blender, blend one chopped apple, soaked raisins, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg and salt until smooth. Pour sauce over thinly sliced apples kept in a medium sized lasagna pan and toss well. Continue by spreading an even layer of apple mixture and set aside.
Next, in a food processor, grind the walnuts finely, then add the dates and continue to grind until evenly mixed. Crumble an even layer of walnut mixture over the apples. Dehydrate the whole pan at 110 degree F for 2-4 hours. Delicious when served warm with coconut cream.
To make coconut cream: Blend grated coconut (of one whole nut), coconut water, vanilla bean, cashews and dates with a pinch of salt.
GOPI
Senior Chef de Partie,
Verandah, Taj Connemara
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