Along with heat waves and sweating, summer also brings a variety of delicious and juicy fruits. This season is all about enjoying pool parties or relaxing at home with some refreshing summer recipes. Mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, muskmelon, and berries are some of the common fruits of this season. Apart from being enjoyed directly, these fruits can also be transformed into many delectable dishes, such as smoothies and ice cream. Guava is another fruit that is popularly available during the summer.
This fruit is an incredible source of antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and fibre. According to Healthline, consuming guavas can help keep your heart and digestive system healthy. This tropical fruit is also good for boosting immunity and supporting weight loss. Usually, we eat guava with salt in India, but it can also be used in making many different dishes that are very delicious.
From curry to chutney, here are five guava dishes you must try during summer:
Guava Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup pureed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 3-4 green chillies, slit into half
- 2 teaspoons of coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons of dry mango powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup plain yoghurt
- 300 g guava (cut into ½ inch wedges, large seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Method
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the asafoetida and cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add tomato puree, ginger, and green chillies and cook for a minute.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, dry mango powder, fennel powder, and salt, and cook until the oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes).
- Now add the yoghurt and cook for a minute. Keep stirring continuously after adding the yoghurt to prevent it from curdling.
- Add guava and a cup of water.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 6–8 minutes on medium heat until the guava is slightly tender. Do not overcook them; otherwise, they will get mushy.
- Add lime juice and mix well. Check for salt and add if required. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve hot.
Guava Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 kg of guava
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Sugar as required
Method
- Cut the ends off the guavas, cut them into four, and slice off the seeds. Cut it into small pieces. Place chopped guava in a pan and add water to cover.
- Cook until soft, then strain through a cloth, squeezing and keeping the pulp for the cheese. Make jam with the pulp, using a ratio of 4 cups pulp to 3 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring to avoid scorching, till it leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
- Spread on a greased plate to set. Cut into squares and store in an airtight jar. Guava cheese can be eaten simply as a dessert or with sandwiches and toast.
Guava Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 175 ml of freshly squeezed guava juice
- 125 ml of low-fat plain yoghurt
- 1 banana, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup of chopped pineapple
- 4 strawberries
- Crushed ice
- 1 milk
Method
- Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend on high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add some milk if the smoothie is too thick for your liking.
- Pour into a glass and garnish with a strawberry and guava slice.
Guava Mojito
Ingredients
- Handful of mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 9.6 ounces of guava nectar
- 2 ounces of white rum
- Splash of sparkling water
Method
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle together mint, sugar, and lime.
- Add the guava nectar, rum, and some ice to the shaker. Shake the shaker to mix everything up.
- Evenly divide the liquid between two glasses, add a splash of sparkling water on top, and serve.
Guava Chutney
Ingredients
- 250 g of guava
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 teaspoon of roughly chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon roughly chopped green chillies
- ½ teaspoon of black salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lime juice
Method
- Rinse the guavas and wipe them with a kitchen towel.
- Cut the guavas into small pieces. Remove the large seeds if there are any. You can keep the small seeds. There is no need to peel the skin.
- Add guava, cilantro, ginger, green chillies, black salt, cumin powder, lime juice, and 2-3 tablespoons of cold water to a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Scrape the sides a few times while blending.
- Check for salt and lime juice, and add more if needed.
- Transfer the chutney to the serving bowl. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
