Today we are presenting a peculiar tropical fruit that is gaining followers in the kitchen as an ingredient, the Lychee.
Its pink and rough skin would not lead you to believe that inside a tasty white fruit awaits, similar to a grape fruit. In order for you to discover the number of Lychee possibilities, we encourage you to try any of these five great and distinct recipes.
Five ways to eat Lychee:
- Homemade Lychee Ice Cream
- Dried candied Lychees
- White Sangria with Lychees
- Lychee salad
- Baked Lychee
- Homemade Lychee Ice Cream
Servings: 8
Preparation time: 40 min. approx.
An ice-cream machine is required.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole milk (very cold)
1/3 cup sugar cane
1 small can of condensed milk (very cold)
3 egg yolks (pasteurized)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can of seedless Lychee fruits in syrup
Method:
- In a medium bowl, combine the milk, condensed milk, and sugar. Use a hand mixer to mix well until the sugar is disolved.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar until smooth. Slowly pour the entire egg yolk mixture into the milk mixture, stirring constantly.
- Drain the lychees, reserving 1/4 cup of the syrup. Place the lychees and the reserved syrup in a blender and blend until the mixture becomes a puree with some chunks remaining.
- Add the puree to the cream mixture until well blended.
- Prepare the ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions and pour the mixture into the freezer canister and let it mix until it thickens, about 25 to 30 minutes (the time may vary depending on the ice cream machine).
- Transfer the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and place it in the freezer for at least 3-4 hours, so it reaches a firmer consistency before serving.
Another common way to find the Lychee is dried, or candied, much like other fruits, and can be consumed as such or added to our range of dishes or salads. These can be found in some supermarkets in glass jars or cans.
- White Sangria with Lychee
Extremely easy to prepare, drink it cold to simultaneously freshen and sweeten your summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of chilled white wine (semi-sweet if possible)
- 1 cup lychee juice
- 1 can of lychees, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup lychee liqueur or, instead, a dash of white rum
- ice cubes
Simply mix all the ingredients in a large pitcher and then it’s ready to enjoy.
- Lychee summer salad
Here we recommend a fresh salad with a touch of crunch/crunchiness to eat on a hot summer day.
Ingredients for 4 people:
For the topping:
2 boiled eggs
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt
For the salad:
1 iceberg lettuce, julienned
1 packet of smoked salmon (100 gr)
1 can of lychees or about 8 fresh lychees.
For the dressing:
1 red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons Lychee syrup (reserved from the can)
1.5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1.5 teaspoon dried basil
pepper and salt
Method:
- Peel and chop the eggs; mix with parsley and chives. Season with salt.
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing. Mix the lettuce, salmon and lychees (cut into halves or quarters) and season.
- Spoon the topping over the salad.
- We recommend accompanying it with pieces of crunchy bread to add more texture.
- Baked Lychee
And to complete the options of ways to eat Lychees, we’ll end with a dessert recipe for those with a sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
50 g peeled and seeded lychees.
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Mix the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon.
Roll the lychees in the sugar mixture and then place them in a baking dish.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the sugar begins to carmelize.
We hope you try this new fruit. We are sure you will like it.