Persimmon are best eaten from October to December

Amarphal, ramphal or persimmon – call it by whatever name, but this fruit is delicious. As we enter the last month of the persimmon season in India, it is the best time to enjoy this fruit. While the fruits are found in the markets from September to December, they peak in November and December. It can be eaten on its own or made into various desserts like cakes, ice cream, jams and jellies. You can also chop it up and add it to your salads.

The production of this fruit used to be mainly done in China; however, nowadays, various parts of India are also growing it. It is produced in hilly regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Darjeeling, as well as in parts of Tamil Nadu.

A recent video by Sarthak Ahuja, a finance and business influencer on Instagram, shed some light on this new-to-India fruit. He said, “With production targets reaching 1400 metric tonnes this year, this fruit is fast becoming a favourite among Indians for its health benefits as it is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, dietary fibre, potassium and antioxidants.”

He added, “The whole of North India – Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir – is now growing this because of climatic reasons. There is a decline in profits from apple production because of rising temperatures, making apple production unviable in the foothills of the Himalayas. Profits from apples have fallen by 50%. But persimmons are resistant to temperature changes and don’t need as much of insecticides; they are organically more robust fruits.”

So while the persimmons floods the markets, here are 2 desserts you need to try where this fruit is the hero:

Persimmon Fruit Cake 

Ingredients:

• 3 – Persimmons thinly sliced
• 100 gms (½ cup) – yoghurt
•  2 – eggs
•  35 gms (¼ cup) – flour
• ½ tbsp – olive oil
• 1 tsp – baking powder
• 1 tsp – vanilla
• ½ tsp – cinnamon

Method:

• Slice the persimmons very thinly.
• Whisk yoghurt, eggs, oil, vanilla, flour, cinnamon and baking powder
• Fold in all the sliced persimmons.
• Pour into a lined loaf tin.
• Bake at 180°C for approx. 45 minutes until set. Cover the tin with foil if you see the top is starting to brown too quickly
• Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe by food content creator Anna & Jonny (@ajfoodie)

Persimmon Mousse

Ingredients:

• 4 – persimmons, preferably ripe
• 4 tbsp – cacao powder
• Optional, whipped cream, cacao powder or shaved chocolate

Method:

• Take ripe persimmons, cut them in half and remove the skin.
• Blend the persimmon pulp with cacao powder in a high-speed blender until smooth.
• Pour into dessert jars and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Take them out of the fridge and eat straight from jars, or flip them on a plate.
• Serve as mini cakes. You can add a dusting of cacao powder, whipped cream or shaved chocolate and enjoy.

Recipe by Paula Kigitovica (@paulakigitovica)