Tomatillos

                   

Ola! I met I new vegetable today and its name is Tomatillo. The name, I have encountered in my food and recipe browsing but never really got the chance to eyeball or use it as a cooking ingredient.  It stood out amongst the rest of its cousins in the fruit and veggie section of the supermarket because the  fruit is shrouded  by a husk or a calyx. In fact, its other name is Husk Tomato(Physalis ixocarpa).                   

To have a glimpse of the vegetable you have to tear a portion of the husk. What  you will see, if it's a good one, is a firm globule bathed in a sensual green satin sheen. In selecting a perfect Tomatillo,according to Marita Cantwell of the University of California Davis Post Harvest Harvest Tech Research and Information Center, " the fruit should be firm, bright green as the green color and acidic flavor are the main culinary contributions of the tomatillos".  It is used as pangpaasim by the hombres. They call it tomates verde for their salsa verdes.

                   

The Tomatillo is as ancient as the Aztecs who propagated them early on. Legends abound about this interesting veggie. It is touted to have medicinal qualities and is believed to have the power to ensure longevity.

I am just contented to enjoy it as salsa .Tonight.

Comments

[Ceendy]

Wow,
I was having a hard time to find these enlarged version of gooseberries =)
Do you know where I can find them?
I was going to use them for salsa verde with my fish taco.

[angelo]

ceendy,

i found a lot of tomatillos in the produce section of Canadian Superstore. i assume you are blogging from canada.right?