Pomegranates are in season and you should consider adding them to your diet as often as possible. The fruit comes with so many health benefits that I decided to write an article about it. I will share it with you when it it ready, but now I would like to introduce you to the easiest and cleanest method of de-seeding pomegranate.
I often see people in grocery stores staring at pomegranates and moving on without even touching the fruit. I sometimes suspect that it is not the price that puts people off, but the lack of knowledge about pomegranate. Many people do not know how to open it and what to do with it. I would love to change this. If you are one of the shy shoppers or believe that opening a pomegranate is a very messy affair, here is a tutorial that will forever change your relationship with a pomegranate. This is probably the easiest, the fastest, the cleanest and the most efficient way to de-seed a pomegranate. Enjoy!
~ Tutorial ~
1. Wash the pomegranate and remove all the impurities from the skin. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and the bottom exposing the airls and the membrane just a bit. Do not cut off too much, though.
2. After cutting off the both ends you will see a white, almost circular, portion of the membrane. It looks like a "plug" of sorts. Insert a tip of your knife at the edge of it and move in a circular motion to cut it out. Gently remove the "plug" and discard it.
3. Using you knife make a few (3-4) incisions on the skin of your fruit. Proceed as if you were marking meridians on a globe. Do not cut too deep. Pull the fruit apart into a manageable chunks.
4. Pour purified cold water into a large bowl. Take one of the pomegranate segments and immerse it upside down in cold water. The arils should be facing the bottom of the bowl. Using a slight pressure bend the segment so that the arils start popping out. Use your free fingers to free all the arils. Some of the arils will come out with the membrane attached to them, some of them will break, but since this happens under water there will be no mess on your shirt or apron, and your counter-top will remain immaculate.
5. Repeat this action until you deseeded all remaining segments of the pomegranate. You will notice that the chunks of white membrane are floating on the surface. Remove and discard them. Also remove all the membranes that are still attached to the arils. I do it under water and allow the membrane float since it is so easy to remove from the surface.
6. After all the membranes are removed use a sieve to discard all water. Rinse the arils with purified water and check if the are fragments of the membrane in the sieve. Remove and discard them. Your arils are now ready to eat. Enjoy!
In radiant health - passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2015
P.S. Before the pomegranate season is over I will share with you a few of my favorite pomegranate recipes. Until then check the label pomegranate to see what I have already posted. This tutorial will show up again. Simply scroll down to access the recipes.