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Fruit or veggie?

How does it really matter whether tomato is a fruit or a vegetable? We all like it, we eat it, and that’s all that counts in the world of food. Scientifically speaking tomato is a fruit but used as a vegetable. Although it is the fruit of a tom ato plant it can be used as a vegetable in cooking.

The once-feared tomato, believed to be poisonous, became known as the Moor’s apple, the wolf peach, the Love Apple too, depending on the region. Blood-red in colour with sweet, tangy flesh, it became the perfect symbol for the aphrodisiac qualities of food. The tomato has been linked to the Garden of Eden. Some even call it the “other” forbidden fruit after the apple. Contrary to popular belief, the tomato received this appellation not because it was originally considered an aphrodisiac. Far-fetched as it might seem that one glance at a soft, fresh-picked tomato still warm from the sun could overpower the devout with desire. However, tomatoes do certainly bring something to the table in the game of gastronomic delight.

“Succulent flesh from a perfectly ripe tomato, sweet with the flavours of the garden and just soft to the touch, is the perfect food to feed on. Lightly salt and serve with your fingers, letting the seeded flesh slide down your skin. Soon you will discover why the sensual secrets of this food were feared for centuries,” says Amrita, a housewife.

Tomatoes contain large amounts of an antioxidant called lycopene, which may be responsible for this possible positive effect. Tomato paste and sauces contain a greater amount of lycopene, because they are more concentrated than fresh tomatoes.

Swati, a working woman, recollects: “My mother-in-law would buy tens of kilos of tomatoes and turn them into ketchup. I would often wonder why she makes ketchup in such huge quantity when nobody at home really like it much”. The housewife goes on to explain the logic: “Wait till the prices go up to Rs. 40 a kilo, then you will know the value of this,’ would be her retort.”

Of the thousands of tomato varieties, the most widely available are cherry, plum, and slicing tomatoes. A new sweet variety like the cherry tomato is the grape tomato. They add wonderful colour, flavour, and texture to your favourite sandwich, salad, or omelette.

They can be enjoyed stuffed, baked, stewed, or grilled or try a broiled sliced tomatoes topped with basil leaves. Ripe Tomatoes make an excellent base for homemade soups or sauces and especially compliment pasta dishes. Combine tomatoes with other vegetables to make a tasty side dish or snack.

Lalita, a seasoned Andhraite, brushes off all foreign recipes for tomato and retorts: “Nothing can beat the pungent Andhra style tomato rasam or pachchadi. So what if tomato is a fruit, it is an integral part of our cuisine and if it’s a love apple then whoa, your love life should be surely uplifted.

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