Calorie content and composition of medlar, its beneficial properties, harm and contraindications. How is the fruit of a loqua eaten, why is it worth including them in the diet? Recipes for dishes with berries.
Contraindications and harm of medlar
Of course, the berry's advantages outweigh its minor disadvantages. If you eat lokva in moderation, you will very soon feel the healing effect on yourself.
Like many other fruits and berries, lokva contains indigestible organic fibers in its composition. Fiber tends to absorb fluid, increasing in size, leading to discomfort, gas, stomach pain, bloating, and other unpleasant symptoms. Therefore, it is worth using the gifts of nature in moderation. In addition, they should be washed thoroughly to avoid insecticide poisoning.
Absolute contraindications to the use of medlar:
- Diseases of the stomach and intestines … People who suffer from gastrointestinal problems (especially those associated with high acidity) should beware of eating medlar. Due to the increase in acidity, the berry is able to aggravate the unpleasant symptoms of existing diseases.
- Allergy … In some people, the flesh of the loqua can cause a strong individual intolerance, which is dangerous to health. In order not to feel the harm of medlar on yourself, taste new fruits carefully, offer them to children in minimal doses.
How do you eat medlar?
It is unlikely that you will ask a similar question when you first see the fruit of a lokva. They look like a plum with a delicate fragrant pulp, from which you should first remove the seeds.
How to eat medlar, besides eating raw? Ripe berries are easy to add to almost any dish you like. Try to cook something according to our suggested recipes and evaluate the result personally!
Loqua is also dried and canned, added to sauces and cocktails. In fact, there are no restrictions on its use.
Loqua recipes
Lokva is a popular ingredient in many dishes. There are practically no restrictions on its use. The berry is used to prepare desserts and filling for baking, it is added to meat and fruit casseroles, canned and used to create exotic drinks. Dishes with it can be safely attributed to tasty and healthy food, since there is no fat, cholesterol, excess sodium in the loqua.
Delicious recipes with medlar:
- Lokva jelly … Take 2.5 kg medlar, 1 glass of water, half a cup of lemon juice, 1 bag of pectin and 6 glasses of sugar. The fruit should still be firm, but already orange in color. Wash them, remove seeds and parts of the remaining stalks. Fill with water so that it barely covers them. Simmer until the pulp is very soft. Strain and rub through cheesecloth. Mix with lemon juice, add pectin and stir well. Put on fire and bring to a boil. Add sugar and mix well again. Continue stirring until the next boil. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and pour into molds.
- Lokva cobbler pie … You will need 1 kg medlar, 7 tablespoons of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of almond extract, a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoons of lemon or orange juice, a teaspoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, half a glass of buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into pieces, a glass of flour. To make the filling, combine the sliced loquat, cinnamon and almonds, juice, a tablespoon of flour and let the mixture stand. Next, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and begin to cook the dough. Sift flour, put baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a container, mix with butter until coarse lumps. Combine with buttermilk and knead with a fork until smooth. Put the dough in a greased baking dish, put the fruit filling inside and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes.
- Spicy medlar … To make sweet and pickled pickles, prepare 1.5 kg locks, toss in syrup, cook until soft and tender. Then pour the mixture into the jars. For the marinade, prepare 3 cups of sugar, 1.5 cups of water, the same amount of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dried cloves, a tablespoon of allspice, one stick of cinnamon (bring the ingredients to a boil and place selected fruits in them). The same syrup can be used to preserve apricots, peaches, pears, apples, plums, and kumquat.
- Chicken with lobby … Take 6 large ripe medlar berries, half a glass of water, the same amount of orange juice, a third of a cup of brown sugar, a tablespoon of ground ginger, a teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of allspice, half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, a quarter cup of vinegar, a tablespoon of oil, 2 brisket, skinless and boneless. Place the medlar in a saucepan and boil in water with the addition of juice and brown sugar. When the liquid boils, add the spices. Reduce heat to low and simmer until berries are tender. Mash the fruit with a fork, turning the broth into a sauce. Leave the lokva on the fire, stir occasionally until the gravy thickens. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the chicken breasts until golden brown (5-8 minutes per side). Cut them into chunks and dip in the sauce.
Medlar drinks recipes:
- Lokva wine … Take 4 kg of fresh berries, 8 liters of water, juice of 1 lemon, 2.5 kg of sugar, a packet of wine yeast, half a teaspoon of pectin enzyme. Pour loquat into a large container and crush it, pour boiled water, add lemon juice, yeast, then stir. Cover with a clean linen cloth. Let stand in a cool, dark place, stir daily, for one week. After the indicated time, the mixture must be filtered, removing the pulp, and add sugar. Now the wine is left to ferment for another week. Then it is bottled and allowed to mature for 3 months.
- Bourbon cocktail … For one serving of the drink, we need 6-8 medlar berries, 4 mint leaves, half a teaspoon of lemon juice, 20 ml of medlar syrup, 40 ml of bourbon. Mushmula turn into mashed potatoes, removing the peel. Combine it with mint, lemon juice, and syrup at the bottom of your cocktail shaker. Add bourbon and ice, shake well. Strain into a glass, also half full of ice. Garnish with mint and serve.
- Medlar liqueur with seeds … For a drink you will need: 50 loqua seeds, 5 whole fruits, 400 ml of strong alcohol, 150 g of sugar. The seeds must first be ground using a pestle and mortar. Now in a glass container where the liquor will be infused, put all the listed components, close it with a lid and place in a dark, dry place, for example, a kitchen cabinet. Shake the vessel from time to time. The tasting will be available after 6 weeks.
Interesting facts about medlar
It is believed that the medlar comes from China, where it has been cultivated for several thousand years. After that, the tree spread to Japan, Georgia, Armenia, Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, got to Chile, Kenya, India, Iran and many other warm countries.
In China, more than 800 species of medlar are distinguished; such trees adorn gardens and city parks. There are varieties with white, yellow and orange flesh, more or fewer seeds, different skin densities and ripening times.
But at the moment, Japan is the leading producer of medlar, followed by Israel and Brazil. In Europe, loqua is grown by Spain, and in the mountainous regions of Central America, it is often found in the wild.
The blossoming lokva fruit tree cannot be overlooked as it emits an intense sweet scent that can be heard from afar. Cultivation of the Japanese medlar is not particularly difficult, which contributed to its penetration into new territories.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the pulp of the fruit is used to relieve sore throat, as an expectorant, eliminating phlegm and mucus. Lokva fruits have a mild sedative and laxative effect, which lasts up to 24 hours. In Japan, loqua leaves are brewed into an alcoholic beverage that is great for treating asthma and lung problems.
Lokva is great for making jams, jellies, beef, fish or poultry. It is added to salads and side dishes, candies and sweets, dried and canned. In Italy, medlar is an integral part of homemade wines and liqueurs.
Watch a video about the Japanese medlar:
Medlar is a fruit rich in valuable substances, widely used in cooking and folk medicine. Its sweet taste and delicate texture allow the chef to experiment with the preparation of new dishes, including vegetables, meat, side dishes, seafood, and various drinks. Lokva soothes pain, relieves stress, improves digestion, and eliminates skin problems. It is easy to grow in warm climates, so you should definitely plant it in your garden.
