Cookbook:Longan
| Longan | |
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| Category | Fruits |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Fruit
The longan, also called dragon's eye,[1][2][3][4] is a sweet, aromatic fruit closely related to the lychee.[1]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]The fruit is native to Southeast Asia,[1][4] where it grows on the tree in large clusters.[2][3] Each fruit is round and about 1–3 cm across;[1][2] its rough and light brown shell encloses a translucent, white, jelly-like flesh.[1][2][4][5] The flesh is sweet and delicately flavored,[2][4] with a very hard and dark seed at the center.[1][3][4] It is not considered as aromatic as its relative, the lychee.[3] Multiple commercial varieties of the fruit have been developed.[2]
The fruit may be dried,[1][2] whereupon it develops a smoky flavor.[4][5]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]If whole and unpeeled, the fruits will keep for about 1–2 weeks in the fridge when wrapped in plastic.[2][3] After peeling, they can be frozen.[2]
Preparation
[edit | edit source]Before consumption, the shell should be removed.[1] This is relatively simple, as it just needs to be broken (e.g. with a knife, teeth, nail, etc) and then peeled off.[2][3]
Use
[edit | edit source]The most common application for longans is simply eating them raw.[4] They may also, however, be cooked, canned, and packed in syrup for use in various desserts and even savory preparations.[1][2][3][4] When eating them out of hand, be careful to avoid biting into the seed, which is very hard.[2][3]
Substitution
[edit | edit source]If you can't find longan, rambutan and lychee make acceptable substitutes,[3] though their aromatic qualities are slightly different.[3]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Friberg, Bo (2016-09-13). The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-46629-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Longan". specialtyproduce.com. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Anne, Chef Jessica (2020-07-30). "What is Longan and How to Use It". Savory Experiments. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (2008-02-28). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
- ↑ a b Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.