Pomegranate Molasses: What, why, and 5 things to do with it!
My favourite ingredient revealed!
Guest Post: Vie Activist Katrina Loop from Honey HNY
As a nutritionist and food lover, I am asked from time to time what my favourite ingredient is. For me, this is a tough one. I love so many different foods for different reasons. Some for their flavour, others for their texture, and others still for the way they can unexpectedly change a dish from ‘ho-hum’ into ‘yum-yum’ with the stir of a spoon. But my favourite ingredient (if I had to choose) is one that I stumbled upon in a Middle Eastern grocery store close to a decade ago.
After my first taste of the ruby-red, sticky-sweet combination of pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice that makes up Pomegranate Molasses I was hooked.
Here’s why:
- It’s wow factor. Pomegranate molasses can literally transform a simple dish into one that is dinner party worthy in a matter of seconds. It is sweet but tart quality leads to a flavour explosion for the taste buds.
- It’s multi-purpose nature. It can be used for savoury meals such as roasted vegetables or chicken, but equally so for sweet desserts.
- It’s mysterious factor. Many people have not heard of pomegranate molasses, which earns bonus points when hosting a dinner party and someone asks what is in the dish!
However Pomegranate Molasses is not only a hit with the taste buds. It also has multiple health benefits if included in your diet.
- Immune: Pomegranate molasses contains antioxidants. These fight off free radicals that if left unchecked can lead to tissue damage and diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
- Cholesterol: Pomegranates contain a high amount of polyphenol antioxidants. These can reduce low-density lipoproteins in the blood (this is the bad cholesterol that can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries).
- Vitamin B: Pomegranate Molasses houses several B vitamins including Thiamin which helps your body produce energy, Niacin which helps maintain skin, nervous system, and digestive system health, Pantothenic acid which promotes normal growth and development, and Pyrodoxine which helps break down proteins and promotes blood cell health.
Now you know WHY pomegranate molasses is the leader of the pack when it comes to the race for favourite ingredient in my house, here are five ways to include it in your cooking!
- As a glaze over roast chicken.
- As a component of salad dressing (it works really well with either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil)
- Stirred through Israeli cous cous, a rice dish, a stew, or tagine for an instantaneous zing in flavour.
- Drizzled over ice cream (vanilla or chocolate work quite nicely)
- Add 1 teaspoon to jazz up soda water, or if you are drinking alcohol, gin and tonic or champagne.
So there you have it! The secret of my favourite ingredient has been revealed for all to indulge in and enjoy!
So.... What is your favourite ingredient?
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