Japanese persimmon recipes to make today! Japanese persimmon (kaki, 柿) is an incredibly delicious, nutritious and economical fruit for your family. You can find some great sweet persimmons at the Tokyo Farmers Market at the UN University on Saturday and Sunday in Omotesando. Also remember to cook with other in-season fruits and veggies like Nashi (pears), Japanese pumpkin, sweet potatoes,, Japanese mushrooms, and Ginko nuts. Cook something healthy and good tonight.
History and nutritional info of the Japanese Persimmon – Diospyros kaki is typically called Asian persimmon or Japanese persimmon. The Diospyros tree is native to Japan, China, Korea, Burma, and Nepal. In the 1800s the trees were exported to other parts of Asia, Europe, California, and Brazil. There are two main types of persimmons; Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu are squatty, round and crisp and can be eaten like an apple or pear. Hachiya are round, soft, and pulpy and are most often used in cooking and baking recipes. You will find Hachiya mainly in Japanese supermarkets. Persimmons have a high tannin level when immature which make them bitter and hard, however, as the fruit mature it becomes sweet and soft. Persimmon fruit is moderately high in calories with about 100-120 calories per fruit, but very low in fats. Its smooth textured flesh is a very good source of dietary fiber, with one Japanese persimmon providing about 10% of the recommend daily fiber. Persimmons are also rich in vitamin-A, vitamin-C, and many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin.
1. Ripe Room Temperature Peeled – Simple is best. Buy persimmons which are shiny and not bruised, firm but not too hard when squeezing slightly. Store at room temperature, then peel and slice. My kids can eat these all day. I love the texture and slightly cinnamon nutty flavour in the Autumn.
2. Arugula Persimmon Pear Salad – This salad is one of my favorite in the Autumn. The walnuts, persimmon, and pear with the dressing are the perfect combo. If you can not find pears this time of year, you can add pomegranate seeds. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/215494/arugula-persimmon-pear-salad/
3. Persimmon, Mushroom, Spinach and Tofu Side Dish – Don’t knock it
until you try it. This combination of ingredients go together wonderfully. This is a dish which is sold in high end Japanese restaurants in the Autumn months, however, it is quite easy to make at home. Healthy and hearty, great with a main dish of fish or meat. Give it a try. https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/168096-the-taste-of-autumn-persimmon-and-shimeji-mushroom-shira-ae?ref=search
4. Roasted Pork with Persimmons – Pork and Persimmons complement each other perfectly. Actually would be a good name for a kids clothing brands – sorry side tangent. You can make a whole roasted pork or just pork chops. Slice up some persimmons and potatoes and cook with the pork. Great for a Sunday dinner. Here is a good recipe from the Peanut Butter and Peppers blog. http://www.peanutbutterandpeppers.com/2014/11/07/roasted-pork-with-persimmons
Japanese Persimmon Recipes
5. James Beard’s Amazing Persimmon Bread Recipe – I love zucchini bread, banana bread, pumpkin bread so when I saw this recipe for persimmon bread I just knew I had to make it. The nutmeg, walnuts, and persimmons are a perfect combination. Enjoy a warm load on a cold Autumn morning. So happy I found a replacement for zucchini bread – persimmons are so much easier and cheaper to buy in Japan. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/persimmon-bread/
6. Chocolate Persimmon Muffins – Ok, so this is perfect a recipe with two of my favorite items – chocolate and persimmons. I advise cream cheese frosting if you are looking for a topping. Easy to make just buy some overall ripe persimmons on sale and mush-up. Great recipe here the Food52 website. https://food52.com/blog/2746-chocolate-persimmon-muffins-finding-the-perfect-fruit
7. Persimmon Sweet Potato Soup – Great combination of two of my favorite autumn fruits and veggies, also double bonus is that both are inexpensive in Japan from October – December. This soup can be made and served for days or frozen and pulled out when needed. My kids love the soup’s sweetish flavor. Perfect with a roasted chicken. An easy recipe from the Stetted blog.
For more info on the delicious fruit, check out Serious Eats’ explanation of different varieties!
Japanese Persimmon Recipes
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