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The luscious purple mangosteen has been referred to as the "queen of tropical fruits" ever since 1903 when American plant explorer and botanist David Fairchild first used the term in his book Exploring for Plants. And the name is not arbitrary. If you enjoy the flavour, the gorgeous pulpy segments that are sweet and tangy and covered in a rich purple skin can become extremely addicting. When the fruit is being harvested, the shell is soft, making it simpler to break it with one's hands and obtain the fruit's cleaner inner segments. However, if you let mangosteen remain for a few days, the water loss causes the shell to harden, making it necessary to use a knife to make a clean cut. The mangosteen, which has its roots in the Malay Archipelago's Sunda Islands and Indonesia's Malaku Islands, is also cultivated in Sumatra, Java, and other Southeast Asian countries. Much later, in the middle of the 1800s, when they were being produced in English greenhouses, it began to enter western countries. The delicious inside flesh has a dazzling white colour in contrast. Even though mangosteen is a less common fruit, it shouldn't be disregarded because of its abundance in nutrients, fibre, and special antioxidants. Mangosteen is known to have been grown in India since the 1800s; however, due to the necessary humidity and rainfall, it is primarily found in the Nilgiris, Tinnelvelly, and Kanya Kumari in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
Culinary Use
It's not rare to include fruits in salads, and no, we're not talking about the typical fruit salad. There are some truly inventive recipes for mangosteen that are sure to impress. For instance, prawns and mangosteen make a tasty salad topping. To make a delicious salad, combine four entire mangosteens, 250 grams of cleaned and cooked prawns and lettuce. Use mayonnaise, hot sauce, a little olive oil, and fresh tomato sauce to make the dressing. Lemon juice and sugar should also be kept on hand.
Mangosteen jam is also available for use as a breakfast spread or as a midnight snack on crackers. This can be made using 100 grams of mangosteen (either in the pulp form or pureed form), 2 grams of pectin, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice. To create a syrup, take sugar and some water. Use a thin (and clean) towel to filter the syrup once it is finished cooking. On a medium temperature, combine the remaining water with the mangosteen in a pan and stir continuously until it softens. Finally, while stirring, add the syrup, lemon juice, and pectin. Reduce the heat and give it some time to cook. By now, the jam should have begun to thicken; this often takes 30 minutes. Remove from flame and taste it once. Make sure the glass bottles are always sealed and sterile before storing them.
Mangosteen has a relatively limited season; hence it is frequently taken in canned, juiced, or supplement form. Mangosteen is used to make the simplest and most straightforward refreshing beverage, which calls for 1 cup of the fruit, 1 cup of mangoes, 1 cup of water, ¼ cup of sugar, and ½ lime juice. Mangosteen, mangoes, water, sugar, and lime juice only need to be combined and blended. Stir well, then chill. Enjoy your chilled beverage.
Health Benefits
In addition to tasting wonderful on its own, the fruit has a number of health advantages. The fact that it is relatively low in calories, saturated fat-free, and cholesterol-free is the best news. It also contains a lot of nutritional fibre. Mangosteen is a strong source of vitamin C as well, which aids in building immunity against the common cold and flu. Additionally, it enhances blood flow throughout the body and aids in the prevention of anaemia. The fruit's high mineral content, including copper, manganese, magnesium, and potassium, helps to protect the heart and control blood pressure. In addition, the fruit is renowned for its ability to reduce inflammation.
