Today I want to write about a fruit that is popular in this part of the world but difficult to find in most parts of the United States. Khurma (persimmon) is easy to find and regularly eaten here in Russia, but many Americans have never tasted it.
According to Wikipedia, the English word "persimmon" comes from Powhatan, an Algonquian language related to Blackfoot, Cree, and Mohican, and means "dry fruit." Unfortunately, I do not know the origin of the Russian word "khurma," but I know that in Uzbek the word is very similar -- "xurmo."
"Dry fruit" is a good way to describe persimmon. It is a very dense, stiff fruit that looks a little like a tomato on the outside but is not at all as soft and watery as a tomato on the inside. In fact, you might say it is even dry, hense the Powhatan word. Being dry is not a common quality for fruits, so this makes the taste unusual. The consistancy is more like a potato than like most fruit, and the flavor is very sweet but in a dry way -- like dry red wine almost.
If you eat persimmon when it is too ripe or too unripe, it has a way of coating your mouth with a strange film. However, if it is eaten when perfectly ripe, it has a pleasant, rich, and deep flavor. Below is a picture of how I eat mine -- cut into slices. Dried persimmons are also fairly common worldwide, and some cultures such as Korean and Japanese make fruit punch using persimmons. Here in Russia -- as far as I can tell -- it is most popular just to eat persimmon raw like I do.
When I was little, we used to put unripe persimmon in the freezer. It sweetened the fruit but unfortunately ruined the texture - the defrosted persimmon was watery and the skin separated from the flesh. I now realize that this is why I never liked persimmon as a child.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to comment about freezing persimmons. Yes, my parents insist that you have to freeze the unripe persimmon for a while, and then let it defrost. Unlike Irina, I like this version--the flesh turns very soft and jammy. You have to eat it with a spoon.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I never would of thought of freezing them. Thank you for the idea. I will give it a try!
ReplyDeleteI just tried a persimmon for the first time the other. Apparently they grow in california, so I'll have to keep an eye out for them in the grocery store next time I go.
ReplyDeleteHad a fresh persimmon for the first time in the Czech Republic. Very tasty! Sweet like a mango, but not a mango. A familiar flavor but unlike anything else. Very memorable.
ReplyDeleteI have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thank you, I¡¦ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your web site?
ReplyDeletewhere can i buy dried fruit
The name probably came from Persian 'khorma' meaning 'dates'. In Persian 'aloo' means plum, and 'khormaloo' (date+plum) means persimmon.
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