pomegranates (a how-to)
November is here and with November comes peak pomegranate season. They (along with alphonso mangoes and guavas) are my absolute favorite fruit, despite the face that it takes an insane amount of work to free the seeds from their shell (because the pre-seeded stuff in the store is often slimy and awful). No, I don’t have a hack for you. It takes forever regardless of what you do (the popular “take the pomegranate and beat the shit out of it to get the seeds out” is really not for me). However, the act of gently coaxing the bejeweled seeds off the papery membranes of the fruit is one that I find extremely loving and meditative. What I’m attempting to give you here is a method that does it with as little mess and juice-splattering as possible (this juice stains anything and everything), which hopefully eases your mind so you can enjoy this top-tier food.
To choose your pomegranate:
Look for one that is very round, very deep red, and that feels heavy for its weight.
The inside of a pomegranate will look like its outsides. If there’s a bruise on the outside of the pomegranate, know that the seeds under the bruise will likely be crushed and kind of brown. The bruising isn’t a deal breaker, just know that you’ll have to discard the seeds of that area. If the pomegranate is a lighter pink or blush shade, the seeds are likely not quite ripe yet.
Store pomegranates at room temperature until you’re ready to seed. The colder they are, the harder they are to cut into.
To seed your pomegranate:
Place the pomegranate on its little bottom, with the stem end in the air. Cut a slit about 1/4 inch deep around the equator.
Grab the pomegranate with the equator facing you, stick your two thumbs into the cut, and pry the two halves of it apart using your hands.
Take one half at a time. Place your thumbs on the white leathery sponge that’s between the red peel and the seeds, and pry the half in two. Your pomegranate is now quartered. The pomegranate naturally wants to break into sections, so all you have to do is let it.
Using your thumb, gently coax each seed off the fruit and into a bowl, discarding any bits of the papery membrane or white leathery sponge that comes with it. This is the part that takes forever. There are more seeds than you can see immediately, and you should bend the skin of the fruit back and forth to get as much as you can out.
Eat the seeds as they are, unadorned and at room temperature. To me, one pomegranate serves one person, but if you’re less unhinged about the amount of fruit you eat, it’ll probably serve two.
Alternatively, pour a 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice in a large glass and top with sparkling water. Take a good scoop of pomegranate seeds and float them atop your drink, for the best natural popping boba experience of your life. Although I’m a fan of a very cold drink, ice does not belong here, since it’ll get in the way of you getting every last seed out of the glass, so make sure everything is very cold before you assemble the drink.
Ta-ta for now,
Nicki (from my teeny tiny kitchen)