Nothing but the truth about the kiwi fruit

MANILA, Philippines – Ever been handed a small, brown fuzzy fruit and asked, “What on earth is this?” Ever seen those green slices atop cakes and pastries and wondered what they taste like? Don’t look now, but the kiwi fruit has invaded the Philippines.

You’ve probably noticed an upsurge of those little brown fruit in fruit stands and on supermarket shelves, or its strong presence in the culinary arena. Yes, there is no doubt about it. The kiwi fruit has arrived.

“What’s the fuss?” you’re probably wondering. Well, we’ve put together fascinating facts on the kiwi fruit (our kiwi-pedia, if you will). And if this list doesn’t make you dash off to the nearest supermarket to grab yourself some kiwi fruits, we don’t know what will!

Who says an apple a day keeps the doctor away? The kiwi fruit may very well be the most convenient way to load up on vitamins and nutrients one needs to stay fit and full of life. Brimming with extreme amounts of nutrition, the kiwi fruit is touted as the new super fruit. Here’s what you get in every kiwi:

• Vitamin C — The nutrient density of vitamin C in kiwi fruit is almost twice of that of an orange. Vitamin C is essential for boosting the immune system.

• Vitamin E — The significant amounts of antioxidants in a kiwi fruit is said to protect us from damaging free radicals. Vitamin E is also said to lower cholesterol, help thin the blood and soothe and heal damaged skin tissue.

• Potassium — Kiwi fruit has as much potassium as a banana

• Folate — Folic acid is a must for pregnant women as it enables the healthy development of the baby. Folate also helps keep skin and blood cells healthy.

• Fiber — High fiber content increases good bacteria in the intestines and helps with digestion and bowel movements. Fiber-rich foods are good for maintaining blood sugar levels — good news for diabetics.

• Lutein — Kiwi fruit contains the highest concentrations of lutein in fruits thereby improving eyesight and decreasing the possibility of vision loss as we age.

What’s more, you get all the goodness and only half the calories! Kiwi fruit also boasts of a low Glycaemic Index (GI) which helps us lose and control weight, increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin thereby improving diabetes control, and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Green kiwi and passion fruit sorbet

Makes a liter of sorbet

Ingredients:

green kiwi 10 pcs.

passion fruit juice 500 ml.

Golden kiwi, wedges

Procedure:

1. Extract the juice of the green kiwis.

2. In an ice cream machine, pour the kiwi and passion fruit juice. Turn on the machine until the mixture becomes a thick slush. Freeze.

3. To serve, place a scoop of the sorbet in a frozen margarita glass. Garnish with a golden kiwi wedge.

Herb-roasted chicken with green and golden kiwi ratatouille

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken       

120 g. butter, unsalted

30 g. rosemary, fresh

20 g. thyme, fresh

100 g. white onion

50 g. carrots

30 g. celery

1 tbsp. salt, kosher

1/2 tbsp. black pepper, ground

2 tbsps. Canola oil

2 pieces Zespri green Kiwi

2 pcs. Zespri Gold Kiwi

1 pc. Zucchini

1 pc. White Onion

4 sprigs Thyme, fresh         

1/2 cup crushed tomato

2 tbsp. canola oil

2 cups jasmine rice

3 tbsp. Butter            

1 pc. White onion

4 cups chicken stock

3 tbsps. Butter

Procedure:

1. To prepare the chicken, soften the butter and mix together with the rosemary and thyme. Place the herbed butter in between the skin and meat of the chicken, starting from the chicken breast to the drumsticks. Place the diced onions, carrots and celery inside the cavity of the chicken. Seal the entrance with a toothpick. And truss the chicken using butchers twine. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat up a pan and pour in the canola oil, sear the chicken on all sides. Place in a pre-heated oven (450ºC) and roast for 15 minutes. After the time has elapsed, lower the temperature to 150_C and continue roasting for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. After roasting, let the chicken rest while covered in foil. Set aside.

2. While waiting for the chicken to cook, in a sauce pot, heat up the butter and sweat the onions, add the jasmine rice, when the rice is covered with oil and it turns translucent, add the stock and cover, let it boil and then lower the heat to simmer. When the rice is cooked, fluff with fork and add about 3 tablesppons of unsalted butter. Set aside.

3. For the ratatouille, cut the kiwis, zucchini, and white onion in diced form. Heat up the sauté pan and pour in the canola oil, sweat the onions then add the zucchini. When the zucchini has softened a bit, add the crushed tomato and thyme. Simmer for a while and season with salt and pepper. Off the fire, add the kiwis.

4. To serve, carve the chicken to eight equal portions, on the plate add place a portion of the pilaf, ratatouille and roast chicken, serve with drippings of the chicken you get after roasting it.

* * *

Zespri International Kiwi fruit is available at leading supermarkets. Visit the ”Kiwi Festival” onging until June 30, at The Stock Market Restaurant, Bonifacio High Street,Taguig.