The Tree Tomato – or tomato tree, or Tamarillo as it is also known – is not a tomato at all, but its egg-shaped red fruits are reminiscent of the tomatoes that we know and love. Tamarilloes are generally used in sweet dishes – although they can just as easily be used in savoury dishes too.
Can you eat tree tomato?
Inside the flesh is orange, with small dark, edible seeds. The tree tomato has an intense flavour with a hint of sweetness. You can eat the skin, but it has a very bitter taste.
What are tree tomatoes called?
Origin and characteristics of the tree tomato
The fruits of the tamarillo tree (Solanum betaceum) look very similar to tomatoes, which is why it is also called the tree tomato. In fact, the tree tomato, like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae).
Is tree tomato fruit or vegetable?
Tomatoes are fruits that are considered vegetables by nutritionists. Botanically, a fruit is a ripened flower ovary and contains seeds. Tomatoes, plums, zucchinis, and melons are all edible fruits, but things like maple “helicopters” and floating dandelion puffs are fruits too.
What do you do with tree tomatoes?
The fruit contains small, tender, edible seeds (similar to a tomato) and can be eaten fresh, although the peel is usually avoided. Tamarillo is used in chutney, mixed into sauces, made into a dessert topping, pressed into juices, baked, and pickled.
Can tree tomato be eaten raw?
Consumed raw, sprinkled with herbs or in the form of salads, the juice of tree-tomato acts as a detoxifier when consumed. Its acidic properties help cut down fat.
What does a tamarillo fruit taste like?
The flesh of the tamarillo is tangy and variably sweet, with a bold and complex flavor, and may be compared to kiwifruit, tomato, guava, or passion fruit. The skin and the flesh near it have a bitter taste and are not usually eaten raw.
What are the benefits of tree tomatoes?
Tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea) is appreciated for its excellent nutritional qualities, being considered a good source of antioxidants compounds, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, sugars, organic acids, pectins and flavonoids.
Do you eat the skin of tamarillo?
Avoid eating the skin, which is bitter, but use the flesh in ice creams or sorbets and serve cooked tamarillo with poultry or fish. You can also use tamarillos in the same way as tomatoes to make sauces or chutney.
Can you cook tree tomatoes?
Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Cut a small cross at the bottom of the tree tomato and place inside a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the tree tomato until fully submerged. Leave it for 3-4 minutes.
What is tamarillo good for?
Health Benefits
Tamarillos are pleasingly low in calories. They have a substantial amount of dietary fibre (one will give you about nine percent of your daily intake), and contain decent amounts of potassium, vitamins A, C, E and pro-vitamin A, along with antioxidants.
How can you tell when a tamarillo is ripe?
Quality and ripeness
Once ripe, tamarillos feels soft. Unripe specimens are orange-yellow, once ripened the fruit turns red-brown. Unripe fruits can complete their ripening process at room temperature.
How many fruits can a tree tomato produce?
The tree usually forms a single upright trunk with lateral branches and flowers and fruits hang from the lateral branches. The leaves are large, simple and perennial and have a strong pungent smell while the flowers are pink-white and form clusters of 10-50 flowers. They produce 1 to 6 fruits per cluster.
How long do tree tomatoes take to mature?
If you are planning on eating the fruits, you can harvest them once they have fully matured (usually 25 weeks following fruit set). Newly planted trees may take up to two years for fruit production to occur.
Can you blend tree tomato?
Instructions. Divide the tree tomatoes in half, remove the pulp from the fruit with a spoon and add it to the blender glass. Blend for about 30 seconds, use a strainer to remove the seeds from the fruit.
Is tamarillo a Superfood?
It has a good source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin. Other nutrients in tamarillo are carbohydrates, protein, fat, calcium, potassium and sodium (2) (3). It also contains minerals such as, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron.
Can you freeze tree tomatoes?
To store tamarillos, refrigerate for up to two weeks or they will keep in your fruit bowl for about one week. They can easily be frozen – either whole (remove the skins first) or pureed.
Do you eat the seeds of a tamarillo?
Don’t discard the seeds. They are also edible and are very similar to tomato seeds. The juices from the tamarillo will stain clothing, so be careful when scooping out the pulp.
How do you prune tree tomatoes?
When the plant has aged, it is essential that you carry out this type of pruning. You should cut 30-40 cm from the base stem in order to allow the growth of new branches, a new productive top, and in same way, the lengthening of the productive life of the crop.
How big does a tree tomato grow?
Tamarillos are very quick growing and will crop in 18mths reaching a height of 2-3 meters. They require well drained soil and protection from wind and frost.
How do you peel a tamarillo?
Ripe tamarillos “give” when pressed and are sweeter at this stage, and may be eaten raw or cooked. To peel tamarillos easily, plunge them into boiling water for 30 – 60 seconds, then into cold water. Cut off the stem end, peel away the skin, then slice or chop the fruit.