Indian Custard Apple Experiment

Living here in the Middle East, much of our produce comes from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Turkey and other parts of Asia and the Middle East. (Sometimes it is even longer traveled and comes from California, Ecuador....every now and then we even get some products such as berries which come from Canada too.) These exotic fruits and vegetables often leave me wondering "what on earth is that...and how would you eat it?" Today I happened to pass along a tray of Indian Custard Apples. Their unusual, wrinkly, textured, skin caught my eye and I decided to purchase one to test out. My husband recalls eating these growing up in Bolivia, where they were called Grenadillas.

So - how was the Custard Apple? There appear to be many varieties of these, but my experience was that it had a great flavor, but was mostly seeds. The flesh surrounded each seed and some of the inside of the skin. It was somewhat pear-like tasting, but I'd say custard is actually a pretty good description. Apparently in India, you can buy smoothies made from custard apple -not sure who deals with all the seeds in that case - but I have to say, they would make a very tasty smoothie for sure! Just a lot of work to prepare....

So, what does the Custard Apple offer in terms of nutrition? Custard apples are highest in Vitamin C, and contain trace amounts of copper, manganese, vitamin B, iron, magnesium, potassium and and phosphorous. Like many fruits, it is said to enhance digestion, be helpful for skin and hair growth, lower cholesterol, and aid in weight gain (for those who need that).

Will I be making this a part of my diet every day? No probably not, but it is fun to experiment and try new things!