Cookbook:Lychee
| Lychee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Fruits |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Fruit
The lychee or litchi is a fruit related to the longan and rambutan.[1][2][3]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]Native to China and Southeast Asia, the fruits grow in clusters on trees.[1][2] Like the longan, lychee is a few centimeters across and rounded,[2][4][5][6] though the lychee skin is bumpier than that of the longan. When ripe, the inedible skin is a reddish orange color.[2][5][7] The flesh inside is translucent white, juicy, and sweetly aromatic.[1][2][3][8] It contains a single large, dark, inedible seed,[1][8][7] though some lychees have an undeveloped seed and are referred to as "chicken tongue".[3][4] When cooked the flesh may get a pinkish undertone.[3]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]When procuring fresh lychees, look for those that feel plump and have a good red color.[8][9] Store in the fridge, loosely wrapped in plastic, for a couple weeks.[1][9] They will not ripen further. Note that the skin will turn brown after several days,[4][7] but this in itself does not indicate a loss of quality.[1]
Preparation
[edit | edit source]Fresh lychees should have the skin removed by hand, starting at the stem, to expose the flesh.[1] To remove the seed, halve the fruit and pop the seed out.[8]
Use
[edit | edit source]Lychee may be eaten on its own, be it fresh, canned, syruped, or dried;[1][2][7][9] in the latter case, the dried fruit is referred to as "lychee nut".[1][4][3][9] Lychee flesh may also be cooked into preparations both sweet and savory, such as sauces, preserves, mousses, and more.[1][3]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Labensky, Sarah; Martel, Priscilla; Damme, Eddy Van (2015-01-06). On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, Updated Edition. Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0-13-388675-7.
- ↑ a b c d e f McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d 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.
- ↑ a b 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.
- ↑ The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2015-02-25). Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-92865-3.
- ↑ a b c d Resources, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural. "Lychee". ceventura.ucanr.edu. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ↑ a b c d Gisslen, Wayne (2016-09-21). Professional Baking. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-14844-9.
- ↑ a b c d Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.