Everything about The Tomatillo totally explained
The
tomatillo (
Physalis philadelphica) is a
plant of the
Solanaceae (
nightshade) family, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple
fruit of the same name. Tomatillo plants are highly
self-incompatible (two or more plants are needed for proper
pollination, thus isolated tomatillo plants rarely set fruits). The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by a paper-like husk formed from the
calyx. As the fruit matures, it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest. The husk turns brown, and the fruit can be any of a number of colors when ripe, including yellow, red, green, or even purple
(External Link
). Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh and cooked
Latin American green sauces. The freshness and greenness of the husk are quality criteria. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green colour and tart flavour are the main culinary contributions of the fruit.
The tomatillo is also known as the
husk tomato,
jamberry,
husk cherry,
mexican tomato, or
ground cherry, although these names can also refer to other species in the
Physalis genus. In
Spanish it's called
tomate de cáscara,
tomate de fresadilla,
tomate milpero,
tomate verde ("green tomato"),
tomatillo (
Mexico [thisterm means "little
tomato" elsewhere]),
miltomate (Mexico,
Guatemala), or simply
tomate (in which case the tomato is called
jitomate). Even though tomatillos are sometimes called "green tomatoes", they shouldn't be confused with green, unripe tomatoes. (Tomatoes are in the same family, but a different genus.) Other parts of the tomatillo plant also contain
toxins, and shouldn't be eaten.
Fresh ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator. They may also be frozen whole or sliced.
Image gallery
Image:Physalis ixocarpa 11-6-2005.JPG|Young tomatillo plant
Image:Tomatillo flower.jpg|Flower of a tomatillo plant
Image:Tomatillo 01 cropped.jpg|Green tomatillo fruits
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tomatillo'.
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