Carobs: how to eat them, different uses of the fruit of the evergreen carob tree. Guide, tips and ideas!
Carobs are the fruit of the carob tree and belong to the legume family. They appear as pods about 15 cm long, inside of which are hard, slightly flattened seeds. They are a poor food, suitable for nutrition of both human and animal and which, in the food industry, find wide use as an additive.
In Italy it is particularly cultivated and used in Sicily. Yet, carob today belongs to the category of “forgotten fruits,” so it is important to find out more about it.
Carob: how to eat it?
As already mentioned, carob is characterized by rather long brown pods: on the outside they are rather hard, while they have a fleshy and soft pulp with a sugary taste. Then, inside are the seeds, which are characterized by a high concentration of tannins with an irritating effect, which is why it is not recommended to consume them in large quantities.
The seedless pods are intended not only for animal feed, but can be used in cooking either fresh or dried.
The fresh fruits including pod and skin can be eaten in their natural state and have a sweetish taste reminiscent of chocolate. From the pulp of the pods, on the other hand, flour is obtained, which is undoubtedly the form in which these fruits are most used in cooking.
Carob: recipes and uses in cooking
Carob flour (naturally gluten-free) is considered a good substitute for cocoa powder, so it is used in various sweet preparations.
The flour obtained from the seeds, on the other hand, is an excellent natural thickener and is used to prepare creams, ice creams, sauces and soups (especially of vegan cuisine lovers). Beware, however, of the sugar concentration: this flour has a higher concentration of sugar, which is why it must be dosed carefully.
Simple recipes that you can try: We can offer you some delicious raw carob truffles whose only ingredients are: 6 tablespoons of carob flour, 70 g of cocoa powder, 20 g of dark chocolate and enough almonds.
Those who like strong flavors, on the other hand, can try carob liqueur (if you are handy with digestives, the process is still the same). Finally, even the less experienced in the kitchen can try the mouth-watering carob pudding: so good it will leave you speechless!
