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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2015 Food 39 Fine food of the week Pomegranates Pomegranates have been cherished for their exquisite beauty, flavour, colour, and health benefits for centuries. From their distinctive crown to their ruby red arils, pomegranates are royalty among fruit. They are symbolic of prosperity and abundance in virtually every civilization. Fortunately, this treasure's versatility and possibilities are as abundant as the juicy arils bursting forth from within. After opening the pomegranate by scor- ing it with a knife and breaking it open, the arils (seed casings) are separated from the peel and internal white pulp membranes. The entire seed is consumed raw, though the watery, tasty aril is the desired part. The taste differs depending on the subspe- cies of pomegranate and its ripeness. The pomegranate juice can be very sweet or sour, but most fruits are moderate in taste, with sour notes from the acidic tannins contained in the aril juice. Pomegranate juice has long been a popular drink in Per- sian and Indian cuisine, and is now widely distributed in the Western world. Pomegranates have been used around the world in a variety of dishes, from appetiz- ers, soups and salads, main courses, pre- serves, dips, sauces, desserts and drinks. In the Caucasus, pomegranate is used mainly as juice. In Azerbaijan a sauce from pomegranate juice (narsharab) is usually served with fish or tika kabab. In Turkey, pomegranate sauce is used as a salad dressing, to marinate meat, or simply to drink straight. Pomegranate seeds are also used in salads and sometimes as garnish for desserts. Pomegranate syrup or molas- ses are used in muhammara, a roasted red pepper, walnut and garlic spread popular in Syria and Turkey. In Greece, pomegranate is used in many recipes, including kollivozoumi, a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegran- ates and raisins, legume salad with wheat and pomegranate, traditional Middle Eastern lamb kebabs with pomegranate glaze, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado-pomegranate dip. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur and popular fruit confectionery used as ice cream topping or mixed with yoghurt or spread as jam on toast. In Cyprus as well as in Greece and among the Greek Orthodox Diaspora it is used to make kolliva, a mixture of wheat, pomegranate seeds, sugar, almonds and other seeds served at memorial services. Pomegranates are a new super food. They are high in vitamin C and potassium, a great source of fibre, and low in calories. The pomegranate has been cultivated in Caucasus since ancient times and today is widely cultivated throughout Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, China, Bur- ma, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and the Mediterranean. The name pomegranate derives from Middle French, pomme garnete, lit- erally "seeded apple"; it is sometimes referred to as a Chinese apple. Many scholars also believe that the forbidden, yet irresistible fruit that Eve indulged in from the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate (and not an apple). The pomegranate is a symbol of abun- dance and is still used throughout the world, particularly at wedding ceremo- nies. During a Persian wedding ceremo- ny, a basket of pomegranates is placed on the ceremonial cloth to symbolize a joy- ous future. In Turkey, after the marriage ceremony, the bride throws a pomegran- ate on the ground. The number of arils that fall out are believed to indicate how many children she will have. In Crete, when a bride enters her new home, the groom hands her a pomegranate. In China, a picture of a ripe, open pome- granate is a popular wedding present, expressing the wish, "May you have as many children as there are seeds." Recipe of the week Chocolate, banana and peanut butter smoothie bowl Royalty among the fruit This smoothie breakfast bowl is thick and delicious and feels more like ice cream than a healthy breakfast. These are thicker than your regular smoothies with any added topping your heart desires. Simply add the fruit (or vegetables – or a mix of the two) into your blender and top with any fruits, nuts or seeds to make your breakfast look as pretty as it is delicious. The hidden kale gives it an added boost of nutrition, sneaking some greens into your kids – or even your own – diet. Ingredients • 2 large leaves kale • 1 tbsp chia seeds • ½ cup almond milk • 2 bananas, frozen • 1 tbsp raw cacao powder • 1 tbsp peanut butter • 6 ice cubes • 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional) Toppings • 2 tsp desiccated coconut • 2 tsp cashews • 2 tsp chia seeds • 2 tbsp blueberries • 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds Method 1. Put the kale leaves and chia seeds into the blender. 2. Add the almond milk and blitz until smooth. Liquidis- ing the kale before adding the other ingredients will ensure you don't get any horrible bits in your smooth- ie bowl. 3. Add the banana, cacao powder, peanut butter, ice and maple syrup, if using. 4. Blitz until smooth. 5. Pour into two breakfast bowls and top with a selection of your own favourites – nuts, seeds, coconut, berries, fruit or anything else you have in the fridge! The juicy arils provide the sweet taste of the pomegranate, though the taste varies according to the species of the plant and ripeness of the fruit