Table of content A-Z
Lulo
Synonym: Quito orange
botanical name: Solanum quitoense
The lulo originated in the northern Andes of South America. It requires a subtropical, humid mountain climate for growth. The main areas of cultivation today are Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica.
Availability
In Germany, the lulo is only rarely found in specialty shops.
Appearance, taste, characteristics
Outwardly, lulos resemble tomatoes. Their skin is green at the beginning and turns gold-orange as they ripen. Then the fruits look like small oranges, and this has given them their synonym, naranjilla, which means 'little orange'.
At an early stage of ripeness the skin is covered with small woolly hairs. These drop off, however, when the fruit is completely ripe.
Inside, the fruit is divided into four segments. The pulp is light-green, gelatinous and filled with numerous small seeds. The lulo is classed as very aromatic. Its tart taste reminds one of strawberries and pineapple.
Ingredients
Lulos are very rich in vitamin C; 100 g supply more than half of the daily requirement for an adult.
100 g contain:
|
|
Lulo, fresh |
|
Energy (kcl) |
49 |
|
Water (g) |
87 |
|
Protein (g) |
1 |
|
Fat (g) |
<1 |
|
Carbohydrates (g) |
10 |
|
Fibre (g) |
1 |
|
Vitamin C (mg) |
67 |
|
Vitamin A (RE) (µg) |
22 |
|
Folic acid (µg) |
24 |
|
Potassium (mg) |
180 |
|
Calcium (mg) |
14 |
|
Iron (mg) |
0.5 |
Quality criteria, optimal storage conditions
If you should ever see a round fruit the size of a tennis ball with a firm, orange-to-red skin, help yourself!
Lulos are very sensitive and should be consumed without delay. Cut-open fruit in particular quickly turns brown when exposed to air.
Only ripe fruits should be eaten, as unripe ones are less aromatic.
Form of consumption, use, processing, practical tips for preparation
You can cut the fruit in half and spoon it out like a kiwi. The seeds are edible as well.
To obtain the delicious juice it is best to press the pulp through a sieve. It is good added to cocktails or for sweet desserts. Curd cheese or yoghurt acquires an exotic taste when mixed with a small amount of pulp. In the other hand, the sour juice of the fruit will cause milk to curdle.
In the countries where lulos are grown they are used industrially mainly for juice.
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