Pomegranate

About

Pomegranate cultivars are generally classified as sweet, sweet-tart, or tart: Spain's popular Mollar de Elche is sweet, the American Wonderful variety is sweet-tart, and India's Daru variety, used for dried arils (anardana), is notably tart. Pomegranates do not continue to ripen after picking, though they can taste sweeter after time in storage as they dry out slightly. Among more than 500 known cultivars, Asmar (white seeds, dark purple-black skin) and Parfianka (prized for flavor) stand out where available; elsewhere, cooks typically rely on whatever cultivar is sold locally, along with juice, concentrate, molasses, or anardana.

Pairs well with pomegranate

• EaPotatoAloo anardana, popular in the Punjab, combines cooked potatoes with dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), chili, onion, mint and cilantro; a…
• CiOrangePomegranate is thought to have arrived in the US via a shipment of oranges from Spain to Florida.
• FrTomatoA salsa of chopped cherry tomatoes, pomegranate arils, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and parsley works well with roasted cauliflower,…
• FrAppleApple desserts like crumble or cake are already well served by vanilla custard or ice cream, but a drizzle of pomegranate molasses is…
• ChCheesePomegranate molasses, tart and fruity on its own, takes on a brighter, more delicate fruit character when paired with sharp Cheddar.
• RoSesamePomegranate molasses and tahini together taste more like a rich cream-tea pairing than a dessert, tahini's earthy fudginess tempers the…
• GrParsleyPomegranate arils mixed with chopped parsley, mint, diced cucumber and tomato, dressed with olive oil and lemon, make a tabbouleh-like…
• SuCauliflowerPomegranate molasses has a stronger caramel note than fresh pomegranate juice, which complements the charred flavors of roasted…
• EaChickpeaPomegranate supplies the sourness chickpea lacks, and its faintly savory fruitiness makes the match distinctive.
• EaLentilPomegranate molasses lifts the earthy flavor of brown lentils, as in rummaniyeh, an Arabic dish of lentils cooked with garlic, cumin,…
• EaEggplantPomegranate arils add color and a fresh contrast to eggplant.
• GrGreen teaA common combination in commercial teas and cold drinks: pomegranate's tannic dryness helps mask the tea's own tannins, and its mild berry…
• WoPistachioScattered together over Greek yogurt, pistachio's green and pomegranate's pink create a striking visual pairing as much as a flavor one.
• EaKidney beanKidney beans' flavor has been compared to cold-pressed peanut oil, and pairing them with mild, non-jammy pomegranate gives a savory take…