Lychee Fruit
This Refreshing Sub-tropical Fruit Adds Refreshing Flavor to Recipes
The sweet and refreshing flavor of the lychee fruit is ideal when eaten fresh or when used in a variety of recipes from fruit salad to lychee drink recipes .
The lychee (litchi) is a sub tropical fruit that is believed to have originated over 2000 years ago in Southern China. Each lychee fruit is shaped like an oval or a rounded heart shape and is generally 1 ½ to 2 inches in size. The bumpy red skin is rough but is easily peeled to reveal a crisp juicy flesh that is white or slightly pink and has the consistency much like a grape.
Often referred to as “The Kind of Fruits,” lychees have a flavor that is sweeter than a grape and is wonderfully refreshing. The lychee is filled with vitamin C, more than is found in oranges and lemons, and is loaded with potassium. It also has as much dietary fiber as an apple with the skin on. One cup of fresh lychee fruit has only 125 calories.
They are grown in tropical climates. In the U.S., lychees are best grown in South Florida California, Texas and Hawaii, with the primary growing season being June and July.
When not in season, the lychee fruit can be found in dried or canned form, as well as in syrup and jam. The dried form is referred to as a lychee nut (litchi nut), although it is not technically a nut.
The lychee can also be found with a green skin. Like its red counterpart, the green lychee is aromatic and delicately sweet, delivering a burst of flavor.
Lychees are highly perishable, and begin to ferment with age. It is best to consume them as soon as possible, within a week. Store lychees in the refrigerator, wrapped in a paper towel and placed in a perforated plastic bag. If they are not to be consumed within a few days, freeze them in a zip lock bag. Place them in the freezer with their skins on. The skins may turn brownish in color, but the flavor will remain the same. The frozen lychee can then be enjoyed throughout the year. Frozen lychees are wonderfully refreshing and taste like a sorbet. They are ideal on a hot summer day or taken to a party during the holidays.
Peeling a fresh lychee is easy. If the fruit is very ripe, tear off the skin at the stem end then simply pinch the lychee towards the other end and it will slide right into your mouth.
Lychees are tasty when used in a fruit salad or fruit skewers and mixed with papaya, pears, apples, oranges, and mangoes. There are also many lychee drink recipes that are quite refreshing when made with fresh lychees. Lychee syrup is also easy to use especially when creating a lychee martini recipe. They can also be used to create anything from dips to glazed meatballs.
