With the onset of summer, many fruits and vegetables begin to be in season. Among them are the green-colored tomatillos, which are native to South America.
You can eat tomatillos raw, boiled, or even fried. It is a popular favorite in Mexico, and they consume it on a daily basis when it is in season.
They may look like raw tomatoes, but they belong to the gooseberry family. But you may be wondering what do tomatillos taste like? Tomatillos taste a bit sweet and sour.
Read more to learn what tomatillos are and how you can incorporate them into your daily diet.
What are Tomatillos?
Tomatillos are also called the Mexican Husk tomato or Mexican ground cherry. They are a native of Mexico and spread to other countries after its popularity.
It was the Spanish who introduced tomatillos to the Americans. Since they are summer vegetables, they require a hot area for growing them and lots of water to nourish them.
Tomatillos come with a lantern-type cover on them which is thin as paper. Although they are green in color, tomatillos are also a bit yellowish when they become ripe.
Consume the tomatillos immediately after you peel off its cover. If not, ensure that you keep the tomatillos with their cover if you store them for some time.
What Do Tomatillos Taste Like? Do Tomatillos Taste Good?
In terms of texture, tomatillos are a bit dry and dense. But they have a sweet taste to them. Their taste comes between a green apple and an unripe cucumber.
If you eat very ripe tomatillos, they are slightly yellowish than the usual green ones. They are quite tastier and are sweeter. But, they are safe to eat in both green and ripe versions.
Usually, people eat tomatillos without cooking them. But, if you cook them, they have a more citrusy and tangy flavor to them.
According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, A medium-sized tomato can be around 30 grams of weight. It has a nutritional content of
- Around 10 calories
- Around 1 % of total fat
- Around 1 % of Carbohydrate
- Around 2 % of Dietary Fiber
- Around 1 % of Iron
- Around 2 % of Potassium
- A small amount of Calcium, Vitamin D, and Sugar.
The health benefits of eating Tomatillos are
- It can help control diabetes. Tomatillos contain vitamin B3, which helps balance your sugar level.
- It improves your eyesight. The vitamin A present in Tomatillo can help control developing cataracts too.
- It strengthens your bone density. Tomatillos contain calcium that can help in improving your bone health and reduce the chance of bone fractures.
- It speeds up the healing of wounds. The presence of Iron in tomatillos helps to increase your hemoglobin count, which can make your wounds heal fast.
- It reduces PMS symptoms. Tomatillos contain manganese that aids in decreasing cramps and painful PMS symptoms.
How To Cook/Use Tomatillos
There are so many ways of using tomatillos in your dish. The most popular method of using Tomatillo is to make a salsa verde out of them.
All you need to do is to boil your tomatillos. After that, you can blend them with your chosen herbs and seasonings. Here is a salsa verde recipe for you to try out.
You can also make guacamole from tomatillos by blending them with other ingredients like lime juice, onion, paprika, etc.
You can make soups and drinks from tomatillos by blending. Check out this recipe for chicken tomatillo soup.
Please ensure always to wash your tomatillos before you eat them. Also, ensure that you remove the papery skin properly before washing. The papery skins that you find in tomatillos are not edible.
If you do not wash your tomatillos properly, the papery skin can cause allergies in some people. Also, check if consuming tomatillos can cause allergy symptoms like watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc.
Over intake of tomatillos can cause abdominal pain for some people as tomatillos have an acidic content in them.
People who have arthritis or inflammation are advised not to consume tomatillos as the alkaloid substance in Tomatillo can cause more pain in the body.
Conclusion
Aside from eating them raw or cooked, you can also dry tomatillos and consume them. Dried tomatillos tend to be sweeter than fresh ones, and their taste resembles that of cranberries.
You can even grow your own tomatillos as they do not require much attention, and what better way to consume food when you can grow them in your own yard.
What Do Tomatillos Taste Like? Do Tomatillos Taste Good?
Ingredients
- Tomatillos
- Ingredients from your favorite recipes
Instructions
- Depending on the recipes you choose, the taste can vastly differ.
- For authentic results, it is important to choose a recipe that will highlight the original flavor.
- Have fun experimenting with different recipes and taste tests!
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