What is a tamarillo?
The tamarillo is a small, duck egg-sized fruit in the nightshade family that grows on trees in warm climates. It's originally from South America and was first cultivated in Peru, Boliva, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina.
What does Tamarillo fruit taste like?
A tamarillo fruit has a unique aroma with a slightly bitter, sour, and astringent taste and a hint of sweetness. Its flavor is bold and complex, with the pulpy flesh around the fruit’s skin contributing to the bitter taste. Orange and yellow tamarillos generally have a sweeter flavor.
What can you do with Tamarillo fruit?
Check a few times a day if you can. Once harvested, you can make tamarillo chutney, poach them, or use them as a topping for chicken or salmon. Tamarillo trees are easy to grow and give your garden a tropical feel. The fruits are unique in appearance and taste and you won’t be disappointed.
How long does it take for a tamarillo tree to fruit?
If you want to plant by seed, it’s completely achievable, but it does take a while before you get a tree capable of fruiting. Tamarillos only fruit after producing 21 branches, which usually takes 2 or 3 years.
What do tamarillo taste like?
The flesh of the tamarillo is tangy and variably sweet, with a bold and complex flavor, and may be compared to kiwifruit, tomato, guava, or passion fruit. The skin and the flesh near it have a bitter taste and are not usually eaten raw.
How do you eat tamarillo fruit?
Wash the tamarillo under cool water.Cut the tamarillo in half with a paring knife, cutting the fruit crosswise.Sprinkle the tamarillo with sugar, then eat the tamarillo fruit directly out of the peel, using a spoon. Don't eat the peel, which is bitter and unpalatable.
Are tamarillos good for you?
Health Benefits Tamarillos are pleasingly low in calories. They have a substantial amount of dietary fibre (one will give you about nine percent of your daily intake), and contain decent amounts of potassium, vitamins A, C, E and pro-vitamin A, along with antioxidants.
What do you do with tamarillos?
It is usually eaten cooked and can be quite tart when raw, though a sprinkling of sugar can help. Avoid eating the skin, which is bitter, but use the flesh in ice creams or sorbets and serve cooked tamarillo with poultry or fish. You can also use tamarillos in the same way as tomatoes to make sauces or chutney.
Where do tamarillos come from?
Tamarillos (Solanum betaceum, formerly Cyphomandra betacea) are native to the northern Andes of South America. The trees are small (3–4 metres high), evergreen, soft-stemmed and frost-sensitive. The plant was introduced to New Zealand in 1891 by the Auckland nursery D.
How do you know when a tamarillo is ripe?
Quality and ripeness Once ripe, tamarillos feels soft. Unripe specimens are orange-yellow, once ripened the fruit turns red-brown. Unripe fruits can complete their ripening process at room temperature.
Is tamarillo a Superfood?
Tamarillo contains excellent antioxidants, which can reduce oxidative stress in organs such as the pancreas and the liver. Eating the pulp of tamarillo, or consuming its juice on a light stomach would ensure better results.
Are tomatillos inflammatory?
Word of Caution: Nightshade vegetables tend to have high levels of alkaloids, which can exacerbate inflammation of the joints if you already have certain problems with arthritis or inflammation. However, tomatillos possess relatively low amounts of alkaloids.
Is tamarillo related to tomato?
Tamarillo is related to tomatoes but don't let the name “tree tomato” fool you. They do not taste like tomatoes. And these fruits are not interchangeable in recipes! Except if you're making salsa.
Can tamarillo be cooked?
Tamarillos can be used raw or cooked but you shouldn't eat the skin as it can be bitter. To peel Tamarillos, you use the same approach as you would tomatoes - cut an x at the tip and plunge into boiling water. Let them sit for a minute, place in cold water and then just peel the skin straight off.
Where are tamarillos grown?
Origin: The tamarillo is generally believed to be native to the Andes of Peru and probably also, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia. It is cultivated and naturalized in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. It is widely grown in New Zealand as a commercial crop.
How do you peel a tamarillo?
To peel tamarillos easily, plunge them into boiling water for 30 - 60 seconds, then into cold water. Cut off the stem end, peel away the skin, then slice or chop the fruit.
Buying, Cooking, and Recipes
Linnea Covington has been writing about food for over a decade. From farmers' markets to award-winning restaurants, if the eats prove good, she's there, often trailed by her two young boys.
What Is Tamarillo?
The tamarillo is a small, duck egg-sized fruit in the nightshade family that grows on trees in warm climates. It's originally from South America and was first cultivated in Peru, Boliva, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. Now, this fruit has become popular in Africa, India, Nepal, China, Australia, United States, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.
How to Use Tamarillo
A tamarillo is sweeter and has more tang than a tomato but the texture is similar. Unlike a tomato, the tamarillo has a bitter skin that's best peeled before eating. This can be done by parboiling the fruit first. To eat the fruit raw, cut the tamarillo in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
What Does Tamarillo Taste Like?
Think of a sweet tomato, then add a sharp tang, citric bite, and bitter undertone, and that's basically what a tamarillo tastes like. The texture is similar to a tomato, including the small, edible seeds. The color of the fruit can affect the taste—the smaller amber-colored tamarillos have the sweetest flesh and are best in desserts.
Tamarillo Recipes
There aren't a plethora of recipes for this unique fruit, but a tamarillo can be used similarly to a tomato. It can even be the star of a dessert if cooked properly. Try substituting or adding tamarillo in these recipes.
Where to Buy Tamarillo
Despite the popularity of tamarillo in some countries, it's not an easy fruit to find, especially fresh. Latino groceries or markets that carry Latin American foods most likely have bags of frozen tamarillo pulp which can be used in smoothies or cooked applications.
Storage
Most of the tamarillo available is frozen and should stay that way until ready to use. If the fruit is fresh, store it like a tomato—on the counter out of direct sunlight. Whole tamarillos can also be kept in the fridge to preserve the freshness longer, but won't last more than a couple of days.
Step 2
Cut the tamarillo in half with a paring knife, cutting the fruit crosswise.
Step 3
Sprinkle the tamarillo with sugar, then eat the tamarillo fruit directly out of the peel, using a spoon. Don't eat the peel, which is bitter and unpalatable.
Step 1
Rinse the tamarillo. Place the clean tamarillo in a heat-proof glass or ceramic bowl.
Step 2
Pour boiling water over the tamarillo. Use enough boiling water to cover the fruit.
Step 3
Allow the tamarillo to remain in the hot water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the hot water and replace it with fresh water to cool the tamarillo.
Step 4
Use the tip of a paring knife to grab a bit of the peel. Slide the peel off the fruit.
Tamarillo has anti-obesity properties
Obesity is a pressing concern across all populations and a significant source of disease today. It often occurs due to the intake of a high-fat diet. However, research shows that tamarillo fruits have protective effects against excessive weight gain.
Tamarillo reduces cardiovascular disease risk
Generally, tamarillo fruits have high antioxidant activity. They specifically have high ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and carotenoid (β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and antheraxanthin) concentrations. Usually, the purple-red variety has a significantly high content of β-carotene, vitamin C, and α-tocopherol than other cultivars.
Tamarillo protects against cancer
The different phenolic compounds and anthocyanins found in tamarillo fruits have potent antioxidant activity. They generally confer protective benefits against free radicals, which play a significant role in cancer development. For instance, flavanols have anticancer properties.
Tamarillo improves eyesight and promotes eye health
The lutein and zeaxanthin in tamarillo fruits play a crucial role in promoting eye health and boosting eyesight. These pigments specifically build up in the eye lens and retina and help to block the sun naturally. They usually absorb the excess light and keep the eyes safe against harmful blue light.
Tamarillo prevents and treats anemia
Iron is vital in ensuring an adequate supply of healthy red blood cells. Lacking sufficient iron in the body often contributes to iron deficiency anemia. However, taking tamarillo helps manage this problem or prevents its onset because this fruit is a rich source of iron.
Tamarillo is good for diabetes
Generally, tamarillo fruits benefit people with diabetes because they have a low glycemic index. As a result, diabetic patients can safely take them as part of the diet without spiking their blood sugar levels.
Tamarillo is good for the skin
Tree tomato is a fitting addition to a daily diet for persons desiring healthy skin. Its skin benefits come from vitamins A, C, and E in this fruit. In addition, tamarillos supply phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, which contribute to youthful skin.
Cooking uses
Tamarind pulp is widely used for cooking in South and Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. The seeds and leaves are also edible.
Home uses
Tamarind pulp can also be used as a metal polish. It contains tartaric acid, which helps remove tarnish from copper and bronze.
How to Grow Tamarillo
Tamarillos really are easy to grow as long as you follow a few basics.
Caring for Tamarillo Trees
Use a fertilizer of NPK 5:6:6, and apply it around the dripline in spring, summer and late winter. I apply a good handful every 4 feet or so.
Companion Planting for Growing Tamarillo
Tansy does well around the base of tamarillo. The beauty of tansy is it attracts bees and that is a benefit to the tamarillo flowers.
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Tamarillo
There are a few issues you’ll need to deal with when growing tamarillos. Generally, you’ll go season to season without too many problems, but there are a few things to look out for.
Harvesting Tamarillo
Tamarillos are best left to ripen on the tree. If you harvest too soon they’ll be sour and not pleasant at all to eat fresh.
Tamarillos Deserve More Attention
Tamarillo trees are easy to grow and give your garden a tropical feel. The fruits are unique in appearance and taste and you won’t be disappointed. There are so many culinary uses that once you grow one tree, you’ll start looking for more varieties, just like I did.
