In ancient times, the pomegranate is frequently depicted or mentioned in scriptures and works of art from Roman to Muslim to Christian to Buddhist texts. While the pomegranate isn’t exactly a very popularly consumed fruit, it symbolized birth and death and was often associated with maidens and goddesses.
Persephone who accidentally consumed the seeds of the fruit was tied in marriage to the king of the underworld, Hades for eternity while the Virgin Mary was also shown holding the fruit symbolizing authority over the death of her son. Even statues of the Indian god Ganesha, the man with an elephant head also holds the pomegranate with his trunk. There must be something so magical about this fruit that even the gods revere and hold it sacred.
On a medicinal aspect, the pomegranate is a miracle plant which various parts of it can be used to treat a variety of conditions such as breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s and can lower cholestrol and dental problems significantly. The high amount of antioxidants also makes it a desirable ingredient in many skincare products today.
Such is it prowess that it is now commonly featured in the coat of arms of numerous medical associations.
If you’ve always been clueless on how to down one of these “little rubies”, here are some tips on how you can incorporate the pomegranate into your meals!
Direct consumption
The seeds taste great on its own so just pop them into your mouth and let the sweet juice squirt around in your mouth! Naughty, we know! Plus they can get quite addictive.
Pomegranate & olive
It is said that pomegranate seeds go very well with olives so serve pomegranate seeds alongside olives with drinks.
Pomegranate bruschetta
Skip the boring tuna and tomatoes and add some crunch to your bruschettas by sprinking some pomegranate seeds with minced onion, parsley anc cheese. We call it, a wintery mouthful.
As a condiment
Like berries, you can use pomegranates for jams, jellies, and syrups.
Pomegranate drinks
Jazz up your champagne by dropping pomegranate seeds into champagne or sparkling cider for color and flavor. If you want to experience the raw goodness of the fruit instead, you can get pomegranate juice off the shelves (expect to pay a hefty price because you’d need plenty of fruits to make a bottle!) or make your own by throwing the seeds into a resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the seeds. Snip of a small end of the bag and strain the juice into a mug. Enjoy!
Salads
Add some color to your salads and sprinkle these little red rubies all over your greens!
Desserts
Add a handful to your favourite ice cream or yogurt to make it err, healthier?
Go hearty!
Serve your grilled meat dishes with a side of pomegranate seeds and your guests will thank you for it. The tangy taste of the fruit complements meat dishes and gives every bite an extra kick.
