Page 15 - ARUBA TODAY

A15
LOCAL Friday 18 august 2017

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Kenepa
Bonchi’ Cunucu Ovoid green fruit that
A long, small bean, boiled grows in bunches on trees
for a side dish or snack. up to 30m high. The fruit is
Long beans have a chewy, related to the lychee and
crunchy texture–more so have tight, thin but rigid
than snap beans–and a fla- skins. Inside the skin is the
vor reminiscent of the dry tart, tangy, or sweet pulp
navy bean or asparagus. of the fruit covering a large
Besides stir-fry, soups and seed. The pulp is usually
salads, the long bean is a cream or orange colored.
good choice for stewing, Kenepa strengthens the
braising (to remain chewy immune system, and pre-
and firm), sautéing, shal- vents the reproduction of
low frying, and deep fry- bacteria and viruses in the
ing. With cooking, the long body. This fruit is highly rec-
bean’s bean flavor intensi- ommended to treat lung
fies. Long beans are low in infections and urinary tract
calories, about 45 calories infections. It also helps to
per cup, and rich in vitamin cure insomnia and rejuve-
A and also contain vitamin nates the nervous system.
C and potassium. Season: Season: the fruit typically
year-round. ripen during the summer.

Jambo
Family of Okra, also known
as ‘lady’s fingers’: a green
flowering plant. Okra be-
longs to the same plant
family as hibiscus and cot-
ton. A classic favorite dish
in Aruba is Sopi di Jambo.
It has long been favored
as a food for the health-
conscious. It contains po-
tassium, vitamin B, vitamin
C, folic acid, and calcium.
It’s low in calories and has a
high dietary fiber content.
Recently, a new benefit of
including okra in your diet
is being considered. Okra
has been suggested to
help manage blood sugar
in cases of type 1, type 2,
and gestational diabetes.
Season: year- round. q

Pompuna Tamarind
In the endless summer of A delicious, sweet fruit that
Caribbean living we only has a wide variety of uses
have to concern ourselves and applications, both for
with a wet season and a medicinal and culinary pur-
dry season. Still we do in- poses. It is a medium-sized
dulge heavily in the plea- bushy tree with evergreen
sures of pumpkin and enjoy leaves and fruit that devel-
Caribbean pumpkin reci- ops in pods characterized
pes year round. A popular by long, brown shells. In-
dish in Aruban restaurants side is a sticky, fleshy, juicy
is Sopa Di Pompuna, don’t pulp, which is the Tamarind
miss it. This dish is made of fruit. Both sweet and sour
pumpkin soup, and parsley. in taste, the fruit contains a
Pumpkins are rich in flavo- significant level of vitamin
noid polyphenolic antioxi- C, as well as vitamin E, B vi-
dants such as xanthin, lutein tamins, calcium, iron, phos-
and carotenes and also phorous, potassium, man-
contain vitamins. Pumpkin ganese, and dietary fiber.
seeds are a good source of There are also a number of
omega-3 fatty acids, vita- organic compounds that
mins, minerals and proteins. make tamarind a power-
Pumpkins are used to make ful antioxidant and anti-in-
desserts, breads and soups. flammatory agent. Season:
March.