A tree fruit native to China , litchi nut is a nip that ’s making waves in America .
What does litchi savor like and where does it make out from ? The white , almost crystalline fruit with a hard crimson shell is a raw material in Asiatic cuisine . Recently , it ’s originate showing up more and more on American menus , especially incocktailsand sweet . You may have experience litchi martini on the menu at your favorite local sushi restaurant . Get ready to hear all you need to recognize about this sugared fruit in our scout to the tremendous litchee .
What Is Lychee?
Lychee ( Litchi chinensis ) is a fruit that belongs to the soapberry crime syndicate , Sapindaceae , and is aboriginal to the province of Kwangtung and Fukien in southerly China . Alychee treegrows between 30 - 100 feet and produces bunch of 2 - 20 fruit . Lychee exterior is red , oval - work , and about 1 - 2 in wide . Beneath the pelt lies the thick , semitransparent - white portion of litchi nut yield cover a semen . prefer fresh lychee fruit that is cerise - pinkish ( though browner hide are utterly o.k. to run through as well ) .
How do you pronounce litchi nut ? It depends on where you ’re from , but the two most common ways you ’ll hear it are prevarication - chee and lee - chee .
When Is Lychee Season?
Since they need a tropic climate to grow , lychees are often spell ( except in Hawaii and some areas of California and Florida ) . Peak seasons vary reckon on the country they ’re coming from , but mostly show up in the United States from May to September . If you get your hands on wise lychees , put in them for up to one week wrapped in a report towel inside a breathable or perforated storage bag .
Lychee Benefits
Lychee control a decent amount of vitamin C and is a great option for meeting yourdaily yield serving . There are also study that show fresh lychee fruit could containantioxidantandanti - inflammatoryproperties .
Lychee vs. Rambutan
Mostly discover in Malaysia and Thailand , rambutan is very similar to litchi in smack and grain , but it ’s the appearing that will make you take a second flavor due to its " hairy " outside . ( The terminus " rambut " mean hairsbreadth in Malay . ) Rambutan is also less acidulent than lichee , with a flavor profile similar to that of a hemangioma simplex .
How to Eat Lychee
Do n’t get that rugged exterior scare you . First , break up spread out the litchi nut just below the theme . From there , the leathery red skin is easily peel away ( or down out by squeeze from the opposite end ) to reveal the fleshy white , glossy fruit that feels sort of like a grape vine without the peel . consume the leechee fruit just like you would a cherry tree , discarding the seed . For the good flavor , lychees should n’t be peeled until just before eat or served .
What Does Lychee Taste Like?
The most important question : What does litchee taste like ? The aromatic lychee is sweet-flavored , with slightly flowered and acidulous notes . Texturally , it ’s sort of like a firm , terse grapeshot . Upon biting , you ’ll get a risque , sweet - prostitute flavour burst with a taste similar to strawberry or pear with a hint of citrous fruit . Some also equate thefloral tasteto rose .
Where to Buy Lychee
Keep an eye out for them at your local Asian or international grocery store . Choose ripe fruit with shiny cherry skin and a soft , but not mushy , texture . Keep the lychees refrigerated in the shell for up to two weeks . If there are n’t any fresh lychees in blood line , go with canned lychee ( which is delicious frigid or served over ice ) . sassy or dismiss , enjoy lychee plain as a bite , in a cocktail , or even in a savory salsa .
Yoshigai , Emi et al . " The Anti - incitive Effects of Flavanol - Rich Lychee Fruit Extract in Rat Hepatocytes . “PLoS One , vol.9 , no . 4 , 2014 , doi : 10.1371 / journal.pone.0093818
Liu , Yu et al . " recognition of Proanthocyanidins From Litchi ( Litchi chinensis Sonn . ) pulp magazine by LC - ESI - Q - TOF - MS and Their Antioxidant Activity . “PLoS One , vol.10 , no . 3 , 2015 , doi : 10.1371 / journal.pone.0120480
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