Fruits of exotic appearance. Durian: a fruit with a "hellish smell and divine taste"

Lychee (otherwise "fox", "liji", "Chinese plum", "laise", "dragon eye") is a tasty and healthy fruit that can be found not only in the countries of Southeast Asia, but also in domestic supermarkets.

Recently exported to us to a greater extent from Vietnam and Thailand. Nevertheless, many still do not know what it tastes like and how to use it. The benefits and harms of the "Chinese plum" are of interest to many consumers. Let's try to figure this out.

What does a lychee look like?

This fruit is small (from 2.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter) and weighs about 15, maximum 20 g. It has an oval or ovoid shape. The reddish or pinkish lychee peel is dense, but brittle, consists of numerous tubercles. The jelly-like juicy pulp of the fruit has a white or creamy hue. It has an excellent, refreshing, sweet and sour taste and pleasant aroma. Inside the fruit is an inedible seed, oblong, dark brown in color. This is what a lychee fruit looks like, the photo clearly demonstrates this.

This interesting fruit grows in clusters on evergreen trees of the Sapindaceae family, reaching a height of 30 m. They have a dense, spreading crown. Their leaves are dense and leathery, usually a rich dark green hue. Lychee trees bloom with numerous yellowish flowers, collected in hanging inflorescences, similar to "umbrellas".

Where did this come from

China is considered to be the homeland of the lychee, where this fruit has been grown for over 1000 years. Since ancient times, the Chinese called this fruit because of the bright combination of red peel, white pulp and brown seed. In Europe, this tasty fruit was known only in the 17th century. Where does lychee grow now? Today, trees of the Sapindaceae family are actively bearing fruit in vast areas of Southeast Asia, Australia, in the countries of South America and Africa (South Africa), as well as in the southern United States. This fruit is exported to Russia mainly from the northern regions of Vietnam and Thailand. Harvested in the subtropics in May-June, cutting the bunches together with the stem part of the branch. Individually harvested fruits spoil extremely quickly and begin to ferment.

Lychee - a storehouse of vitamins and minerals

This tropical fruit has a variety as it contains a lot of vitamins. The dragon's eye is rich in valuable micro and macro elements. Lychee contains B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Also, the "dragon eye" contains vitamins K, E, H and folic acid. Especially a lot of vitamin C in its composition. In addition, lychee is rich in healthy dietary fiber and plenty of pure water. In addition, the Chinese plum is also rich in minerals, including copper, fluorine, zinc, manganese, and iodine. It contains phosphorus, sodium, calcium, iron, sulfur and potassium. The sugar content in lychee varies between 5-15% depending on where the fruit grows.

Lychee fruit. Benefit and harm

Such a high content of valuable vitamins, micro and macro elements, as well as fiber and pure water makes the "Chinese plum" an extremely useful product. It saturates a person with the necessary substances, gives strength and vigor. Lychee has a wonderful tonic effect on the body as a whole, mobilizes the immune system. It has been known in China since ancient times that "dragon's eye" is the strongest natural aphrodisiac. It is able to rejuvenate the body, activate attraction and maintain "love" functions at the proper level. Lychee fruit has been successfully used for the prevention and treatment of many serious diseases. Its benefits and harms are, in fact, disproportionate. Counts,

It cannot cause serious harm to human health. But its benefits are enormous. However, it is advisable to be careful when consuming the fruit. Do not immediately eat too much lychee. Otherwise, an allergic reaction may occur. It manifests itself as acne on the skin and damage to the mucous membrane in the oral cavity. To begin with, you should try one or two fruits and track the reaction of the body. If everything is in order, you can fearlessly eat up to 250 g of "Chinese plum" per day (for adults). Children over 2 years old should consume about 100 g of fruit. It is undesirable to include litchi in the diet of one-year-old babies. "Chinese plum" is contraindicated for those who have been found to have its individual intolerance.

How is lychee fruit used in folk medicine? how is it useful?

This tropical fruit is widely used in folk oriental medicine. It can and should be used to prevent beriberi and anemia. Lychee is often used to prevent cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, because it contains a significant amount of potassium.

The fetus also contains nicotinic acid, which has a positive effect on lipid metabolism in the body. Helps cleanse blood from cholesterol and dilates blood vessels lychee fruit. What else is useful? It is used to normalize blood sugar levels, so it is indicated for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia. In addition, useful decoctions and infusions are made on the basis of the "Chinese plum", which normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, have a mild laxative effect, and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and kidneys. Lychee preparations are prescribed for people with lung diseases, including those suffering from bronchitis, asthma, or those with tuberculosis. These drugs make breathing easier and normalize the function of the respiratory system. Regular consumption of lychee is useful for those who have peptic ulcer, gastritis and pancreatic diseases. In oriental medicine, "Chinese plum" in combination with lemongrass is even used to treat cancer, including breast cancer. Is lychee peel good for you? It is no less valuable than the pulp of the fruit. Lychee peel is used to prepare decoctions and infusions that have a pronounced diuretic effect. They contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the tissues of the body, as well as increase the overall tone and improve well-being.

"Chinese plum" in diet food

Nutritionists recommend eating lychee in order to saturate the body with water, as well as reduce hunger. The "Chinese plum" contains pectin. It allows you to quickly saturate the body, giving nutrition to the beneficial intestinal microflora. Therefore, it is recommended to consume several lychee fruits before each meal, which will reduce the standard serving of food and not overeat. The calorie content of lychee is only 76 kcal / 100 g, so people who carefully monitor their weight can safely eat it.

How to choose a good, fresh fruit in the store?

If you want to purchase high-quality, tasty fruits, you must be guided by the following simple rules. First, when choosing a lychee, you need to pay attention to the color of its peel. It should be pink or red. The brown color indicates that the fruit was plucked from the tree a long time ago and has already deteriorated. The taste of dark-colored lychee will be unpleasant, and the smell will be sharper and stronger. The light yellow color of the fruit, on the contrary, indicates its immaturity. This fruit is also not worth buying. Secondly, when choosing a "Chinese plum" you need to pay attention to the presence of damage. A good fruit will not have any suspicious spots, dents, cracks. Thirdly, the lychee should be resilient, as if it would "burst" soon. Too soft or, conversely, hard fruit should not be taken. Fourthly, in the place where the petiole was located, there should be no white spots and mold. And finally, the smell of lychee should be pleasant, fresh, slightly reminiscent of the scent of a rose. Too heavy and sweet indicates overripe and stale fruit.

"Dragon's eye" in cooking

How to eat lychee? The fruit just needs to be washed under running water, peeled, and then the inedible bone removed. The juicy pulp of the fruit can be eaten fresh. Reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries, white grapes, currants and dried apricots lychee fruit. Its taste is pleasant, sweet and sour, fresh. In addition to fresh consumption, lychee canned, dried, frozen and heat-treated. Drinks, desserts are made from it, including delicious ice cream, a variety of sauces, mousses, and jellies. On the basis of lychee, an excellent golden wine is also made, with a pleasant fruity aromatic and soft sweet and sour aftertaste.

"Dragon's eye" is also used in the preparation of dishes from game, meat and sea fish. In Chinese restaurants, you can enjoy deep-fried shrimp with sweet and sour sauce with lychee (Lizhi Xia Qiu). If you manage to get a fresh "Chinese plum", be sure to try the homemade sweet and sour chicken with almonds and lychee sauce. In addition, the fruit is used in the preparation of a variety of pastries, it is added to the filling of pies and pies, cookies and cakes are made from it.

How to store lychee?

The issue of storing the "dragon's eye" deserves special attention. In general, it is advisable to eat this fruit as soon as possible - on the first day after purchase. At room temperature, litchi can be safely kept for 2-3 days. In the refrigerator, at 7°C, lychee can be kept for one or two weeks, provided that the shell is intact and not damaged. In general, this fruit deteriorates quite quickly, its peel darkens and the amount of vitamins in its composition decreases. If you want to keep lychees for a long time, we advise you to peel the fruits and freeze them. You can also dry the fruit or preserve it. In China, pickled lychees are stored inside bamboo stalks. In India and Vietnam, whole fruits are dried, after which the peel becomes hard, while such fruits are called "nuts". In this article, we looked at an interesting Chinese fruit - lychee, the benefits and harms of which are of concern to many consumers. As you can see, the "Chinese plum" has practically no contraindications and therefore can be fearlessly eaten. Moreover, it is rich in vitamins, minerals and has a lot of undeniable advantages! Be sure to try this delicious exotic product.

Of all the known fruits, it is durian that deserves such polar characteristics. And it is even impossible to imagine how true they are. The smell of durian is so disgusting that they are not allowed into hotels, shops, elevators, taxis and other public places with it. Even with there is a special sign- durian crossed out with a red line. This means that entry with it is prohibited. Indeed, even after the fruit is eaten, such a “flavor” remains in the room that it cannot be weathered for a long time by any cosmetic means. For the same reason, durian is not subject to long-term storage and transportation.

What only epithets do not reward his aroma! The smell of decaying flesh, rotten onions, dirty socks, toilets, rotten eggs... An Englishman who visited Siam in the 19th century describes his impressions of the durian aroma as follows: "it's akin to eating a herring with blue cheese over an open sewer manhole."

And after all this, he is called the “king of fruits”?! Is this possible? Perhaps, - Thais, Malaysians answer, - if, holding your nose and overcoming disgust, you still try the pulp of durian. And only then you will understand how “divine” taste she has. The Thais claim that durian is actually sweet in taste and is similar to a sweet cream made from eggs and milk. According to renowned naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, “Trying durian is a whole new experience, and a trip to the East is worth it. The more you eat durian, the less you want to be distracted by something else.” And in general, for true gourmets, this fruit proudly occupies one of the places of honor among such well-known "fragrant" delicacies as Chinese "rotten" eggs, Swedish surströmming and the famous Roquefort cheese, covered with green mold...

The name of the fruit comes from the Malay word "duri" (thorn) and the Malay suffix "an", which means "thorny fruit". Durian is native to Indonesia, Thailand, India, Ceylon, Indochina, Philippines. By the way, it is believed that the most delicious durians grow on plantations near Bangkok in Thailand. It is also cultivated on plantations in central Africa and Brazil. Usually a mature fruit weighs 2-3 kg, has a diameter of 15-25 cm and a length of 20-30 cm. It grows in large trees. It reaches a height of 15-20 meters, gives the first fruits already for 8-10 years. And then it bears fruit all year round. It blooms for less than eight hours: bright white flowers open at dusk and fall by dawn. They say that they are pollinated by bats. The fruit is by no means plucked. Ripe, it must fall by itself. If the durian falls on his head (God forbid!), then it will not seem small. Individual fruits the size of a good soccer ball weigh about 10 kg. Plus they have sharp spikes.

Unripe fruits local population cooks like boiled vegetables as part of various dishes, and ripe fruits are really exquisite dessert of exceptional taste with a wide range of nutrients. This fruit rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins. Durian pulp contains a lot complex vitamins B, and the amount of vitamin C is much more than that contained in a sweet orange. And its specific smell is attributed to the presence of organic sulfur, the healing properties of which are just being studied.

A good durian has a sweet flavor, smooth texture, rich custard-like flavor reminiscent of banana, mango, pineapple, overripe papaya, and vanilla. The disgusting smell comes from a thick prickly peel, studded with thorns of a menacing appearance and size. Inside, the fruit is divided into slices with white walls, in each section there are three to four large shiny seeds from beige to bright yellow (depending on the variety and ripeness of the durian). They will reward with their taste everyone who can cope with the smell. Beginning gourmets and tourists most often come to the aid of a seller who can advise the right fruit - not overripe or rotten on the side, not with clots, because they usually smell strongly of hydrogen sulfide, and not underripe.

It is most convenient to eat durian with a spoon, otherwise the stubborn smell cannot be washed off with any soap. Out of habit, for the first time, durian is eaten in the same way as they drink vodka. First, they exhale air from themselves, and then sharply bring the fruit to their mouth. By the way, durian should not be washed down with strong liquor. It is not compatible with them, but for some reason many tourists neglect this advice and then suffer from severe stomach irritation. An example can be taken from the locals, they wash down the delicacy with ordinary salted water, which is poured into an empty bowl-shaped half of a giant shell.

Durian is so satisfying that having eaten a "slice" in the morning, it is easily enough until dinner. At the same time, there is not even a slight feeling of hunger.

The peoples of South Asia appreciate durian for its great taste and medicinal properties, but they buy it very rarely and most often for children, since this delicacy is sold at a fairly high price. For example, in the UK, durian can be bought for about 15-25 pounds, in the USA - for 5-20 dollars, and in Thailand itself, even in season, a small piece of pulp is sold for no less than 70 baht (about 3 US dollars) .

But the price doesn't stop tourists curious to new tastes. An illustration of getting to know durian can be the story of a certain Russian tourist, who emotionally and colorfully shared his feelings on this strange fruit on the Internet: “Do you know what onions smell like? And the rotten onion? And the vegetable store, where all the onions are rotten? This is the smell spread from this delicacy. I already had tears in my eyes. If such a meal had been offered to me at a party, I would not have touched it. But now, out of sheer stubbornness, I had to try at least a small piece and try it. Holding my nose and closing my eyes, I pinched off a piece of the oily paste that made up the inside of the durian. And then I experienced a culture shock. It tasted like the most delicate, sweet cream, reminiscent of the sweetest varieties of dried apricots, mixed with cream and chocolate. And only somewhere in the background - a slight aftertaste of baked onions. In surprise, I opened my nose - and immediately spat out this muck ... But, it was too tasty ... In general, so I ate it, pinching my nose, to the end.

The article will tell in detail about the benefits and features of eating such an exotic fruit as lychee.

Lychee is an exotic fruit that grows on a tree that can reach up to 25-30 meters in height. The shape of the fruit is similar to an egg, the surface is pimply and has a bright red color. The diameter of the fruit is small, only 3-4 centimeters.

Lychee is a berry with white flesh inside. The center of the berry is very soft and juicy. Inside the pulp there is a bone of an elongated brown color. The taste of ripe lychee pulp is very pleasant and somewhat reminiscent of cherries, very fresh, sweet and with a slight sour tint.

This tree grows mainly in the subtropics: China (southern part), South America, Africa, Japan. The berry is very popular and is exported almost all over the world. The berry is in demand not only for its unusual taste, but also for its incredible benefits. The berry is stored for a very long time, and therefore it is convenient to transport it.

Lychee is a dietary and low-calorie product. 100 g of berries contain no more than 70 calories. Lychees are allowed for consumption by almost everyone, those who do not follow the figure and those who adhere to a healthy, as well as dietary diet.

Lychee: berry, seed, pulp, peel

lychee tree

lychee berry

How does lychee grow?

ripe lychee

Lychee fruit - fruits, seeds, peel: composition, vitamins, beneficial properties and contraindications for the body of women, men

The benefits of lychee lie in its rich biochemical composition, which can have a healing and healing property on the body. There are a lot of vitamins and minerals in lychee, the most important are:

• B vitamins- improve metabolic processes in the body.
• Vitamin E- improve the condition of hair, nails and skin, remove toxins.
• Vitamin C- strengthens the immune system
• Vitamin H- helps digest protein
• Vitamin K- improves blood clotting

Trace elements - minerals:

• Potassium- necessary to ensure the normal functioning of all soft tissues in the body.
• Sodium- participates in enzymatic processes and muscle contraction.
• Fluorine- strengthens tooth enamel
• Iodine- Improves thyroid function
• Chlorine- regulates the water-alkaline balance in the body
• Iron- improves blood quality by increasing hemoglobin
• Manganese Needed for the normal formation of bone structure.
• Selenium- is a key link in many metabolic chains of the body.
• Sulfur- actively helps the body fight harmful bacteria.

For those who have never encountered lychee, it is important to know that the peel of this fruit is completely unsuitable for food. Remove the skin carefully with a knife. After that, you should remove the bone from the pulp with the same knife, since it is quite large and it is inconvenient to eat lychee with a bone, it is easily removed.

In Asia, eating litchi is not accepted by hand. Lychee pulp is put in one plate, eaten with a spoon or fork, because it is jelly-like in structure. So it will not be possible to get dirty with pulp juice. Lychees are often eaten not only fresh, but even dried and canned. For those who can easily get lychee every day, you can make lychee smoothies or puree. In some countries, lychee is dried with the skin on.

IMPORTANT: It should be noted that lychee contains quite a few calories, which means that the berry is not considered a dietary product. 100 g of fruit contains up to 70 kcal and litchi should be eaten in limited quantities. However, the composition of the lychee is very useful and favorably affects the process of weight loss in reasonable quantities.

In Asian countries, litchi is considered a product that is very beneficial for men's health, because its effect on "sexual function" has not gone unnoticed. Apparently, this is why litchi is often called the “fruit of love” in many sources. In China, for example, not a single wedding table is complete without a full dish of fresh lychees, because this will “help” make the first wedding night fruitful and successful marriage.

IMPORTANT: In Asian countries, lychee is often used in traditional medicine recipes for the preparation of medicines that relieve high blood cholesterol levels and diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as the prevention of atherosclerosis.

What are the benefits of lychee for men?

Lychee fruit - fruits, seeds, peel: useful properties and contraindications for pregnant women and breastfeeding

Lychee has a unique biochemical composition. Lychee contains a lot of organic acids and fiber. This has a positive effect on intestinal motility. In addition, there are a lot of minerals useful for a woman in lychee: potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, which favorably affect the process of menstruation (reduces pain and spasms, prevents emotional overexcitation and mood swings.

Other positive properties of lychee:

• Lychee pulp contains Omega-3, this element eliminates pain during PMS.
• Pectins, which are very abundant in lychee, are able to remove accumulated toxins and toxins from the intestines from the body.
• Lychee contains choline, which is very useful for women who regularly experience stress. Choline has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
• Lychee contains folic acid, which not only improves the immune system, but also has a beneficial effect on the beauty of nails, skin, and hair. Substances such as lysine, tryptophan, methonine help filic acid.
• Nicotinic acid favorably affects the health of women during menopause.

IMPORTANT: You can’t eat lychee with a bone, especially on an empty stomach. In its raw form, the stone is very poisonous and can bring adverse effects.

IMPORTANT: You should also pay attention to how your body perceives litchi, whether there are any allergies: rash, itching, redness of the skin and other symptoms.

Lychee in the diet of pregnant women should not be present often. You can afford no more than 10 fruits per day, if there is no allergic reaction or contraindications. During pregnancy, lychee can be useful in eliminating bowel problems and saturating the body with essential vitamins and minerals.

Lychee acidity will help a woman in a position to cope with toxicosis and a feeling of nausea. In addition, the diuretic property of lychee helps to eliminate excessive swelling during pregnancy (especially on the limbs) by “driving out” water. This is very important in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

IMPORTANT: There should be litchi in small processes. It is known that in the early stages of pregnancy, an accelerated metabolism (which is affected by the fetus) can lead to spontaneous miscarriage (but in very rare cases).

During lactation, lychee is useful in that nicotinic acid (there is a lot of it in lychee) helps to improve milk flow (due to the activation of the hormone prolactin). Fruit should be eaten approximately 30-45 minutes before feeding the baby. Be careful if the baby is currently undergoing a period of formation of the intestinal microflora (the so-called "colic"), you should not eat lychees - they can provoke increased gas formation, both in the mother and in the child himself. In other cases, lychees will saturate the milk with important vitamins.

IMPORTANT: While breastfeeding, do not exceed the daily intake of fruits, namely - 5 pieces per day.

Can pregnant and lactating women eat lychee?

Lychee fruit: benefits for children, at what age can a child be given?

Lychee is an exotic fruit and therefore it is necessary to take into account the fact that, unlike the usual food, it can be allergic. It is best to let the child try the rays not earlier than 3 years of age. One fruit for the "sample" will be enough. It is better not to give lychee to children at a young and infancy, as it can provoke excessive bloating and colic.

How to take lychee fruit for weight loss, what is its calorie content?

Lychee calorie content can reach 70 kcal per 100 grams, depending on the maturity of the fruit.

Lychee is often used as a weight loss aid. The fruit really helps to eliminate troubles with the work of the intestines and get rid of excess water, but it should be eaten in limited quantities so as not to disturb the body's daily calorie intake.

Fruit, lychee berry: how to choose the right ripe one?

Ripe lychee is chosen for a number of reasons:

• Fruit size (not less than 3 cm, not more than 4 cm)
• Peel of the fruit is pimply
• The skin of the fruit may be slightly prickly.
• The skin has a rich red color
• When you press the skin, it can bend and even burst, and then return to its previous shape.
• The ripe fruit has a pleasant sweetish aroma.

Fruit, lychee berry: how to clean and eat?

It will be possible to cut the lychee only with a very sharp and thin knife, similar to a blade. If you try to cut the lychee with another knife, you risk squeezing the juice out of it and damaging the flesh. The skin should only be slightly pierced and cut in a straight line along the diameter.

The bone is removed from the fetus in two ways:

• Or cut the pulp in half and get the bone
• Simply squeeze out the pit by pressing on the pulp

How to clean and eat lychee?

Chinese lychee plum: are the seeds edible, are they poisonous, what will happen if you eat a lychee bone?

The lychee stone is toxic, but only if eaten raw. If you dry it or make a decoction out of it, you can eat a bone. The litchi bone contains a number of useful vitamins, minerals and amino acids that have a diuretic effect on the body. In some countries, you can find lychee, which is called "Chinese plum". The stone of this fruit is fried in oil and served with spices as a prepared dish.

Lychee fruit - fruits, seeds, peel: what helps?

The pit and skin of the lychee is not used for ischu consumption, but often serves as the basis for the preparation of medicines. The bone, for example, contains a concentrated amount of useful trace elements. The bone can be boiled, or it can be dried and ground into powder. Such funds are popular in Asian countries as a powerful pain reliever.

Often the remedy is used in the treatment of:

• Neuralgic diseases
• Intestinal diseases
• metabolic diseases
• Orchita

IMPORTANT: You should take into account the fact that with excessive use of decoctions and medicines prepared on the basis of peel and bone, it can have the opposite effect and “give” toxic poisoning.

How to prepare a decoction and infusion of lychee peel, how and from what to apply?

Decoction and infusion of lychee - a well-known remedy for the treatment neuralgic diseases:

• Apathy
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Excessive irritability and emotionality
• Tearfulness

IMPORTANT: In addition, a decoction of the peel is often used to treat cardiovascular diseases and as a prophylaxis of atherosclerosis.

How to prepare a decoction:

• Put the washed peel into a bowl.
• fill with water
• Bring to a boil, turn down the heat
• Cover with a lid
• Cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes
• Let the decoction brew for another 20 minutes
• Take 1-2 tbsp. before meals twice a day.

How to make an infusion:

• In a liter jar, put the peel of lychee fruits (necessarily washed beforehand).
• Fill the peel with a liter of vodka or alcohol (per liter jar).
• Insist in a dark place for a week, shaking the jar every day, rearrange for storage in the refrigerator.

Can you eat lychee fruit for gout?

The use of litchi can harm a person, for example, if he has a disease such as gout. You should be aware that a large amount of carbohydrates in lychee can cause a feeling of heaviness in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as increased gas formation and pain in the stomach.

How to eat lychee and when not to eat it?

Is there an allergy to the lychee berry?

Allergy to lychee can occur, especially in those who have a strong sensitivity to various components. Lychee should be consumed in reasonable quantities, one fruit per day is useful for a “test”, and only 3 fruits is the daily nome of a person.

Lychee essential oil: properties and uses

Litchi essential oil is widely used as an adjuvant for prolonging the beauty and youth of the body. The oil is often used as an additive to caring cosmetics. The oil helps to make hair shiny and smooth, strengthens its growth and makes it healthy, restoring the structure. In addition, lychee oil has a delicate, subtle, fresh scent that is often used in aromatherapy to invigorate, energize, and refresh the body.

Lychee syrup: properties and uses

Lychee syrup is a concentrated product made from the pulp and juice of the fruit. The use of syrup is wide. It can be added to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for a fresh taste. As a standalone remedy, lychee syrup is used as a syrup for coughs and other colds. The syrup gives the body the necessary "portion" of vitamins and strengthens the protective function of the immune system.

Lychee syrup

How to make a drink from lychee?

To prepare a delicious drink, you can use both fresh fruits and lychee syrup. In the case of using syrup, it can simply be dissolved in a carbonated drink, juice, or even water. Fresh lychee pulp should be ground in a blender and mixed with any other liquid. Add sugar or any other syrup to taste and preferences.

How to make lychee salad?

You will need:

• Arugula - a handful of lettuce (approximately 50-70 g).
• Orange - the pulp of one not large fruit (without zest and chaff).
• Cheese "Dor Blue" - 50 g (or another with blue mold).
• Apple vinegar - a few drops
• Sesame oil - 1-2 tsp
• Lychee pulp - 100 g (without peel and pit)
• Sesame seeds and spices to taste

Cooking:

• Wash the arugula leaves, put them in a dish, season with vinegar and oil, mix.
• Peel the orange and fold the fruit fillet on top of the arugula
• Arrange the lychee pulp nicely along with the orange
• Cheese crumbles with hands on top of fruits
• The salad is decorated with sesame seeds, you can once again flavor with vinegar.

Using lychee to make salads

Lychee: how to store and how much?

Lychee is desirable to sit immediately after purchase. The longer you keep it, the worse it gets. Every day, the amount of vitamins "disappears" from the lychee. At room temperature, litchi can be stored for no more than three days.

If the lychee shell is intact, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks. Pay attention to the peel, if it darkens, the fruit deteriorates. Lychee can be salted, canned or frozen for long term storage.

How to freeze lychee?

• Remove the skin from the lychee
• Carefully squeeze out the bone
• Place the lychee pulp in a plastic bag or food container.
• Keep lychee in the freezer for up to a year

Video: “Lychee. Thai fruit, berry

Several legends about the love of the rulers of the Middle Kingdom for this fruit have survived to this day. One of them tells how Emperor Xuanzong, whose capital was in northern China, for the sake of a beautiful concubine, Yang Guifei ordered messengers to deliver daily a basket of freshly picked lychee from the southern provinces, which are considered the most useful. we have a separate article. The beauty was filled with such gratitude to the noble admirer that she later became his devoted wife.

Why shouldn't the Emperor start cultivating lychees in his own capital, instead of arranging a costly courier delivery from the south, some will ask. Turns out, capricious tree feels good only in subtropical latitudes and the sharply continental climate of northern China does not suit him.

The second ancient legend known to us is connected with this feature of the plant. Another Chinese emperor, the famous reformer Wu-di, who ruled in the north-west of the country just at the time of the discovery of lychee, wanted the magnificent southern fruits to grow on his lands. But no matter how hard the court gardeners fought, the seedlings brought in did not want to be accepted. Then the angry emperor executed innocent servants.

What a pity that then there were no supermarkets where you can buy overseas fruits from anywhere in the world. And no difficulties with cultivation or delivery.

Botanical reference

Chinese lychee (lichee) is an evergreen tree of the Sapindov family.

How and where does it grow

The height in natural conditions reaches 20 m, the crown is wide, the leaves are paired, lanceolate, the inflorescences are very reminiscent of the lush "candles" of horse chestnut. The country of origin of the lychee is clear even from its name. However, today, in addition to China, India, Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Israel, Brazil and the Philippines are also engaged in the cultivation of useful fruits on an industrial scale.

The limited distribution area is explained by its demanding soil (it must be moist and fertile) and climatic conditions. The plant is suitable only for subtropics with their mild summers and dry, fairly cool winters. In the equatorial belt, trees do not bear fruit due to too high humidity and the absence of a seasonal temperature difference, which is necessary for abundant flowering and the appearance of an ovary.


The plant can be propagated by seedlings or vegetatively. The second option is more often used, since in this case the first fruits from the trees can be harvested after 4 years, and not after 10, as when planting seedlings. Every year, the lychee bears fruit more and more actively, and the peak of productivity falls on the 20th year of its life.

The fruits have a slightly elongated shape with a dense skin covered with pineal outgrowths of a bright pink, coral or red hue. White (rarely creamy) juicy pulp of jelly-like consistency is well separated both from the peel and from the inside of the bone.

In the cut, the lychee is very beautiful. The poetic Chinese have long called it "the eye of the dragon." Indeed, the skin covered with pimples, the translucent flesh and the dark, oblong bone together are very reminiscent of the mysterious look of a mystical animal.

Is it a fruit or a berry?

Looking at the branches of the Chinese lychee, densely strewn with small (up to 4 cm) reddish fruits, which are similar in shape and color to our strawberries, many people think that they are dealing with berries. But it's not. Lychee is a stone fruit, similar in structure to a plum, peach or apricot.


This similarity was first noted by the Spanish Bishop Juan González de Mendoza, who wrote the history of China for Europeans in the 16th century. The priest had never been to the Celestial Empire, but relied on the information of his countrymen - missionaries, who repeatedly mentioned a certain "fruit that looks like a plum, which does not burden the stomach even in large quantities." This is exactly how the lychee is described by Mendoza. With the light hand of the bishop, the fruit received a second, European name - "Chinese plum".

When ripe

The season for selling fruits begins in June and lasts all summer, and sometimes until mid-autumn. At this time, you can buy fresh, ripe lychees without fear of "running into" spoiled or stale goods. But in Russian supermarkets, these fruits can be bought even in January, for example, imported from Thailand and Madagascar.

Attention!

When buying, pay attention to the color of the fruit. Copies with a brownish skin, or slightly greenish, are unsuitable for food. In the first case, they are overripe and begin to deteriorate, in the second, they have not yet reached the condition and can cause digestive disorders, especially in children. .

Lychee ripens in late May - early July. The fruits are grouped on a branch of 3 - 15 pieces, they are plucked like that: all together to increase the shelf life. Fruit separated from the stalk begins to rot after a few days, so do not be surprised to see that in the store they are sold with twigs and leaves.

Although outwardly the fruits resemble plums, the consistency and sweetness of the pulp bring them closer, rather to grapes. According to some, lychee - something between strawberry, raspberry, bergamot and apple. Another fruit is a little tart, with a light, pleasant sourness and a delicate aroma of rose jam.

To fully understand the taste of lychee and not be disappointed in this overseas product, especially for those who try it for the first time, you need to buy specimens of bright red, not pale pink. The brighter the color of the fruit, the sweeter and more aromatic it is.

How to grow at home

A whimsical inhabitant of the subtropics, oddly enough, feels great as a houseplant. In order to grow your own, home-made Chinese plum, it is enough to buy it in a store, eat it with a planting and not throw away the stone.

Landing algorithm

Getting a sprout is very simple:

1. We take only lychee bones cleaned from pulp (it is undesirable to keep them extracted from the fruit for a long time, germination is reduced), wrap them in a natural damp cloth and place them in a dark, warm place for a week. You need to make sure that the seeds do not dry out.
2. Seeing that the bones have increased in size, we select 4 - 5 of the largest and most swollen, after which we proceed to planting.
3. In a pot of unglazed ceramics, we first pour a layer of drainage, and then a universal soil mixture mixed with peat in a ratio of 2: 1. Important: Our container should be small (8 - 9 cm in diameter) with a few holes for good drainage. Stagnation of moisture will inevitably lead to the death of the sprout. It is undesirable to use plastic containers - they will not allow the roots to breathe.
4. Having loosened the soil well, we place the lychee seeds to a depth of 1.5–2 cm. You can additionally pierce the bones.
5. We cover the pot with a plastic cup or build some kind of greenhouse from improvised means and cling film. We place the container in a warm place, away from the sun, for example, on the floor near the battery (if it happens in winter). Do not forget to regularly moisten the soil, providing the seeds with favorable conditions for germination.
6. The result of our efforts will be visible in 2-3 weeks. As soon as the first stalk appears, the makeshift greenhouse should be removed, and the pot should be placed in a more lit place. Direct sunlight must still be avoided. East or northeast windows are preferred.

Attention!

During this period, correct, regular watering of the plant is very important. Usually the soil is moistened every other day when its top layer dries up. Water should be soft, settled and not too cold.

young plant care

With proper care, lychee sprouts quickly gain strength. After the appearance of 4-5 permanent leaves, our exotic ward can be transplanted into a larger pot.

What to look for:

1. The plant needs to be provided with regular sufficient watering, but it is important not to overdo it. To create a suitable microclimate, the leaves are sprayed from a spray bottle with a frequency depending on the dryness of the air in the room.
2. The temperature in the room where the Chinese plum is located should not fall below 20ºС.
3. The soil in the pot is periodically loosened, both to provide air access to the roots, and to eliminate excess moisture.
4. Young shoots need light for at least half a day. At the same time, the lychee pot is still placed in a shaded place, away from direct sunlight. In winter, you should take care of artificial lighting.
5. Litchi are contraindicated in drafts. It is not recommended to place it on the door-window line or at the open sash.
6. 1 - 2 times a month, the Chinese plum is fed. Liquid mixtures for "exotics" are used as fertilizers. But you can make them only at 3 - 4 months of plant life.

   Attention!

   In winter, top dressing is not carried out.

7. After growing rapidly during the first weeks, the lychee "slows down" and begins to develop a root system. It becomes so powerful that it will easily destroy a cramped pot. Therefore, the plant must be repotted at least three times in the first two years, gradually increasing the volume of the container.

   The period of active growth of litchi falls on May - September. At this time, it should be plentifully watered and sprayed. In addition, a container filled with water is placed next to the tree to increase the humidity of the room. In autumn and winter, the lychee is at rest, watering should be reduced. It directly depends on the comfort of the plant during the “rest” whether fruiting will occur and how plentiful it will be.

8. To form a beautiful crown, the upper branches are regularly cut in the first year.

Harvest from your home lychee tree can be harvested as early as the third year. Further, under favorable conditions and careful care, the plant bears fruit regularly.

Let's just warn you: a bountiful harvest from a roomy Chinese plum is not worth waiting for. The emerging fruits are plucked as soon as they reach full ripeness. If this is not done in time, the fruit will darken and become unfit for food.

Lychee is one of those exotic foods that you should include in your menu. Today they are no longer a rarity and are quite acceptable. you will find some recipes. Try it - it's delicious, healthy and unusual!