Every Sunday there is a "tianguis" or outdoor market just a block away from my apartment. As Alejandro and I were walking by, we saw a fruit stand selling two seasonal products... pomegranates and dragon fruit (known in Spanish as "pitahaya")
The beautiful ruby-red seeds of the pomegranate are used in the dish "chiles en nogada", and the fact that the fruit is now in season is part of the reason that the dish is traditional this time of year. The "pitahaya" is the fruit of a species of cactus. Its bright red exterior contrasts with the gray flesh of its interior.
Alejandro bought a pomegranate and a dragon fruit for me to take back to the apartment. I have been mixing the pomegranate seeds with my breakfast yogurt. A couple nights ago I cut open the dragon to have as an evening snack.
The fruit is slightly sweet and very juicy. It is supposed to be an extremely healthy food, low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I will buy more the next time I see them in the market.
I love both of those. And they're so darn expensive here. When I go to the Asian grocery store, I sometimes get a bottle of Korean pomegranate drinking vinegar. I mix it with water or sometimes diet ginger ale. Maybe I need to take a trip there tomorrow after work.
ReplyDeleteI have seen pomegranates in the grocery store, usually around Christmas time, but I have never seen dragon fruit.
Delete