Kamias fruits or Iba (Averrhoa bilimbi) or Cucumber Tree, according to some research are from trees indegenous in the Asian tropics like the Philippines.The fruit of the tree is green to yellowish green when fresh. It is usually juicy and sour. The kamias tree is very common in most backyards of Filipino homes specially those in the provinces. The tree bears fruits almost all-year round but most aplenty during June to October, the rainy season. So, what do we do with the fruits? We Filipinos use the fruits in many ways like: souring agent for fish or meat dishes, a snack in itself with salt usually, a preserve as in jams, a prune-like delicacy as a candied fruit, a brined preserved fruit or a dehydrated fruit preserved for further use when the fruit is not available. I have a kamias tree in my backyard and with the bountiful fruit I decided to make some relish. The ingredients are mostly available in any Asian kitchen and here is my recipe:
Recipe:
1 kilo fresh kamias, washed, cut into halves
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon coarse salt
1 head garlic, sliced into slivers
1 big piece ginger, sliced into matchsticks
3 pieces red onions, sliced
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Procedure:
Place all the kamias, white sugar, salt, garlic, ginger, red onions and black peppercorns in a clean bowl and mix everything until water comes out of the fruit. There is no need to add any liquid as the kamias will sweat out its own juice which is enough to cover the mixture.
Place the well mixed relish in a big bottle container, refrigerate for at least two hours if you will serve it right away. The relish can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. Serve this refreshing relish with any fried or grilled foods or it can be served as an appetizer.
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