The small, spherical, strawberry-like lychee fruit, which is native to Asia, has rough, reptilian-appearing skin. Since the fruit is largely grown in the warmer states of Florida and Hawaii, lychees, which have been eaten in China for over 2,000 years, are rare in the country.
However, specialty Asian supermarkets have lychees in fresh, tinned and dried forms. What should one do with lychees once they have them? Fresh lychees can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or canned and frozen to extend their usage.
Cooking with Lychees
Lychee fruit can be used as an ingredient in a variety of cuisines because of its sweet flavour, which is reminiscent of a cross between strawberries, melons, and grapes. Lychees are frequently used in desserts, such as mousses and cakes, fruit salads, and stuffed with cream cheese or cottage cheese.
In order to prevent discoloration, lychees are frequently canned along with sugar syrup and a tiny amount of tartaric or citric acid.
It is also common to buy dried lychees, sometimes known as lychee or litchi nuts, which may be kept for up to a year. They are frequently added to fruit or green salads or used as a snack.
Lychees are a wholesome dietary option that are rich in potassium, thiamin, niacin, folate, and copper. They are also high in vitamins C and B. By blending yoghurt, honey, sliced lychees, fresh lime, powdered cardamom, and ice cubes until smooth and frothy, they can also be used to produce a tasty and nourishing smoothie.
Medicinal Uses of Lychee Fruit
Due to its high content in dietary fibre and vitamin C, lychee fruit has been used medicinally for a long time. Dried lychee is frequently used in China in place of sugar to sweeten tea. Lychee fruit seeds are pulverised in India to alleviate stomach aches, while the fruit's skins are occasionally used to make tea to treat smallpox and diarrhoea.
To soothe sore throats, a decoction made from lychee blooms, roots, and bark is utilised. According to some research, lychees may be useful in the treatment of tumours, stomach problems, swollen glands, and coughing. Before utilising lychee to cure medical concerns, you must, however, speak with a qualified medical expert.
