Pomegranates are the star of Yalda Night, the longest night of the year, when families gather with fruit, nuts and poetry. They are also famously messy: a splash of red juice on a white shirt is almost a tradition. The good news is that opening a pomegranate takes about five minutes once you know the method, and there is no need to hit it with a spoon. With Yalda about nine weeks away, now is a good time to practise.
Choose a good pomegranate
Pick a fruit that feels heavy for its size, with firm, taut, slightly glossy skin. A fruit with a flattened, angular shape usually holds fully ripe seeds. Small scars or a rough, leathery skin are fine; soft spots, mould or cracks that leak juice are not.
The water bowl method (least mess)
- Cut off the crown (the flower end) about 1 cm deep, then look for the pale ridges running down the fruit.
- Score the skin lightly along each ridge from top to bottom, without cutting into the seeds.
- Submerge the fruit in a large bowl of cold water and gently pull it apart into sections.
- Rub the seeds loose with your thumbs. The seeds (arils) sink; the white pith floats to the top.
- Skim off the pith, drain the seeds in a colander and pat them dry on a clean towel.
Working under water means the juice stays in the bowl, not on your clothes or counter.
The dry method (fastest)
Cut the fruit in half across its middle. Hold one half cut side down over a bowl, seeds facing your palm, and tap firmly on the back with a wooden spoon. Seeds fall out in a few taps. Turn the half inside out slightly to release the stubborn ones.
Tips
- Wear an apron or dark colours; pomegranate juice stains fabric and some cutting boards. A plastic or dark board is a good choice.
- Rinse the seeds only if you see bits of pith, and dry them well so they stay crisp.
- One medium pomegranate gives roughly 1 cup (150 to 200 g) of seeds.
Variations: how to use the seeds
- Serve them plain in a bowl with a little sugar or a squeeze of lime, a Yalda classic.
- Scatter over yogurt, rice dishes, salads or roasted vegetables for colour and a tart crunch.
- Stir into a fruit platter next to watermelon, persimmon and dried fruits.
Storage
A whole pomegranate keeps for several weeks in a cool place and up to two months in the refrigerator. Loose seeds keep 4 to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge, or up to six months frozen on a tray and then bagged. You can prepare the seeds a day ahead for your Yalda table.
Serving ideas for Yalda Night
Mound the seeds in a glass bowl at the centre of the table, surrounded by sliced watermelon, ajil (mixed nuts and dried fruit) and tea. Add a few seeds to a plate of fesenjan or to a simple salad, and keep a small bowl of seeds for children to snack on.
Who should be careful: people taking blood-pressure or cholesterol medicines, or with a known fruit allergy, should check with their doctor about eating large amounts of pomegranate or its juice.
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