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Eating out right

Kiwi is an great source of Vitamin C
It’s also a good source of potassium and fiber
Can also be used as meat tenderiser

On the outside a kiwi fruit looks like a fuzzy brown egg; on the inside its bright green flesh is sprinkled with a ring of small black seeds. It has a distinctive somewhat tart flavour with overtones of fruits and berries.

The kiwi originated in China and was known as the Chinese gooseberry until New Zealand fruit growers renamed it for their national bird and began exporting it. Kiwis were once considered an exotic fruit, but they are now grown in California and have become increasingly plentiful. Kiwis are harvested while green and can be kept in cold storage for six to 10 months. Ripe kiwis are eaten raw; even the skin can be consumed if it is defuzzed.

A large kiwi produces about 80 mg of vitamin C, and the fruits are richly endowed with phyto chemicals. A 115 g of fruit contains more than 100 mg. It also provides a good amount of potassium and pectin, a soluble fiber that helps control blood cholesterol levels. Kiwis contain both lutein and zeaxanthin,antioxidants associated with eye health. A 115 gm serving has only 70 calories.

An enzyme actinidin which is a natural meat tenderiser is found in kiwi. The fruit can be used as a marinade to tenderise tough meats.

Rubbing the meat with a cut kiwi and waiting 30 to 60 minutes before cutting will tenderise it without imparting any flavour from the fruit. This enzyme will also keep gelatin from setting and will curdle milk and cream. Theseeffects can be prevented by poaching the fruit beforehand. Don’t overcook the fruit however as it quickly turns to mush.