Feijoa Kasaundai
'Let food be your medicine," said Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine.
Am I right in thinking there is a resurgence in the interest in feijoas?
Just lately it seems every food (and many non-food) conversations include feijoas.
For example, a friend is swearing by her sliced feijoa face mask.
Leave it on for 10 minutes and feel the difference. Well, feijoas are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, minerals and fibre so maybe this natural beauty aid could be promoted as a "superfood" facial!
And last night someone asked me what wine they should serve with poached feijoa icecream. Smell the fruit then smell a gewurztraminer.
The aromas are so similar that it's really a match made in heaven.
One advantage over their rival kiwifruit is that feijoas can be enjoyed fresh or cooked.
Kiwifruit tend to lose their vibrancy when cooked.
Feijoas are ready to eat when slightly soft.
The centre section of the freshly cut fruit should be clear and jelly-like.
If the centre is hard and white it is unripe.
If it is brown and translucent it is past its prime.
To prevent the cut fruit from oxidising (going brown) I use vitamin C powder that I purchased from the local health-food shop.
A little goes a long way.
One quarter of a teaspoon in three to four tablespoons of water is enough to prevent at least 500 grams of cut fruit from discolouring.
If necessary, the fruit can be drained before use. Lemon juice is another option, but for me, vitamin C powder is a necessary pantry staple.
Firm feijoas should be stored at room temperature to ripen. Once soft, keep them in the refrigerator.
Because the skin is tart it is not usually eaten although unpeeled feijoas are great in jams or pickles.
RECIPES
FEIJOA KASAUNDAI
An Indian-style chutney. For a tamer preserve use half the amount of chilli powder.
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp each: ground cumin, chilli powder
125g root ginger, peeled and chopped
12 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 & 1/4 cups white vinegar
1kg feijoas, topped and tailed but skin left on
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp salt
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the turmeric, cumin and chilli powder and fry until fragrant.
Place the ginger, garlic, vinegar and feijoas into a food processor or blender and mix, until smooth. Add to the turmeric mixture together with the sugar, mustard seeds and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the oil floats on top, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Pour into hot sterilised jars and seal. A thin layer of oil can be poured on top to help keep the contents airtight prior to sealing. - Makes 6 cups
FEIJOA CINNAMON CAKE
Topping: 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup each: chopped walnuts, brown sugar
50g butter
Cake: 1 & 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
125g butter, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 medium feijoas, peeled, diced
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper.
To prepare the topping, put all ingredients in a processor and blend until the nuts are finely chopped. Set aside.
To prepare the cake, place all the ingredients - except the feijoas - into a processor in the order listed. Blend until the mixture is well combined.
Fold in the feijoas. Spoon into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is golden-brown and comes away from the sides.
Great served warm with cream or Feijoa Passion. - Serves 8
FEIJOA PASSION
The lemon juice can be replaced with 1/8 teaspoon vitamin C powder combined with 1 tablespoon of water.
300ml cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
4 feijoas
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup passionfruit pulp
8 meringues, halved
Whip the cream and icing sugar, until thick.
Peel and dice the feijoas and combine with the lemon juice. Fold into the whipped cream together with half the passionfruit pulp and the meringues. Pile into a serving dish and drizzle with the remaining passionfruit. Chill.
Can prepare up to 2 hours before serving. - Serves 6-8
FABULOUS FEIJOAS & PORK
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp flour
3-4 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
500g lean diced pork
4 large feijoas, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sweet white wine or orange juice
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan and brown the onion. Place in a casserole.
Put flour, curry powder, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Add the pork and shake to coat. Press the dry mixture into the pork well. Brown the meat in the remaining oil. Add to the casserole with the feijoas and wine or orange juice.
Cover and cook in the oven for 1 & 1/2 hours. Great with baked kumara. - Serves 4
Even in our biggest city, there are still ways to get away from it all.