Lovely Mangosteen Marmalade

Since our neighbour in Germany showed me how to make marmelade, I love to try it with some fruits. It was my first time to do it with mangosteen.

I found it very hard to remove the fruit flesh from the seed since it is very sticking to it. But you can get help with a sharp knife to do so.

At the end, when it is finish and you take the first taste... all worth it!

So, this is how I did it...

The ingredients:

320g of mangosteen pulp or mangosteen puree
70gr Sugar
4gr of Pectin (a gelling agent)
20gr of lime or lemon juice (even calamansi would work too!)
50gr water

(the recipe is good for a few servings only, but if you will have friends over, simply double the ingredients)

The preparation:

Take a pan and slowly dissolve the sugar with a small cup of water.

Then, filter the syrup after thought a fine cloth.

Take the mangosteen puree and mix it with the 50 gr. of water.

Keep the flame low and stir the mix.

Take the syrup and mix it with pectin (to make it a jelly-like consistency) and the lemon juice (or calamanasi)

It is important to continue stirring until the whole thing thickens.

At this point of time, you need to pour the thick jam into a glass (yes, while it is hot) and close it with a lid tightly. 

++++++ GOOD TO KNOW! +++++++

How much does a kilo of Mangosteen in Davao cost?

The high season of Mangosteen is during July and September. Prices might reach then 50 to 140 pesos. During off season, it is really hard to find that fruit, but if, expect a mark-up in price.

Where can you find Mangosteen in Davao city?

Basically, you can find at every market vendors selling those. Best to go and to negotiate the price is probably at Bankerohan market or at Magsaysay Park, where there are a lot. Take a look also at Torres street...

The Calamansi Juice

Thirsting for a freshy and repleneshing drink? Dry this easy Pinoy style of lemonade: The Calamansi Juice.

A refreshing juice made with Calamansis (photo)

Ingredients needed for a pitcher (6 glasses) Calamansi Juice are:

• 12 calamansi
• ice cubes
• cold water
• sugar or honey

Preparation time: less than 5 minutes.

Preparation:

cut the Calamansis into half and squeeze out
 the juice.

Cut the calamansi in half and squeeze the juice out of the lemon into a glass. Try to avoid that the seeds of the calamansi to fall into the glass (helpful: use a drainer or any other sort of net) Add the cold water to the Calamansi and add some sugar or honey to make the taste just right. Mix it all together and finally add the ice cubes into the pitcher! Et voila, a freshy drink with an energy booster of Vitamin C! 

Read about the health benefits of the calamansi, here!

Wondering about Mangosteen

At the Bankerohan market, baskets full of Mangosteen

I used to stay near the Bankerohan market, the biggest market place in Davao. On one day, being dismissed by class earlier, I went around the place looking for some bread. My attention was caught by two stands offering "round shiny kamote" (kamote, is some a purple sweet potatoe), I thought. 

To my amazement, when the vendor offered me one to taste, I didnt know if I am supposed to bite into it right away of peel it like an orange.

The opening of this fruit was quite a stunning presentation! The vendor squeezed firmly from both sides the fruit and opening it, in it where little white pulps!

The taste was a cross between a mandarin and a peach, a bit sour yet sweet - weird, but still impressive to me as a European.

The fruit I am referring to is named Mangosteen. Mangosteen is a tree fruit mostly found in the Pacific islands, Asia and Africa.

Mangosteen is said to have a couple of good health benefit. Many folks use this little fruit as a home remedy. 

I made some research and summarized the benefits:

Pain reliever. It has an anti-inflammatory effect which assist in reducing the inflammation, pain and joint damage (arthritis) or any other pain caused by sport and minor injuries.

Keeping blood vessels clean through decreasing free radical damage and inflammatory build up.

Maintains cholesterol level, protect heart muscle, lower high blood pressure.

Boost energy. The fruit cotains vitamin C, fiber, potassium and even some biologically active compounds like Catechins and Proanthocyanidins.

Anti-oxidant. Mangosteen has an antioxidant content mostly found in the rind. This unique antioxidant content is called Xanthones. In laboratory vitro study (test tube), mangosteen xanthones possess anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antioxidant properties. However, there is no proof that these xanthones have the same effect when taken orally as when tested in a laboratory setting so far.

Maintain intestinal health, which is needed to relieve diarrhea, constipation and helps to get a normal bowel health

For the beauty. What I have been trying to work on was my skin problems. It is said to fight against bacteria which causes some acne. And was positive about the result.

It is said to decrease blood sugar Type II diabetes by making insulin more effective.

It may help to manage weight and even to reduce body fat

Yet, Mangosteen is also controversial in its health benefit, labeled as "a fruit too good to be true" and and "not enough scientific proof". Despite the mangosteen controversy, you can decide for yourself what is in your best interests. At the end, it is a fruit and healthy to an extend, but maybe not the miraculous answer to healing sicknesses.