How to Seed a Pomegranate

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How to Seed a Pomegranate

Some fruits are delicious but seem to be more trouble than they’re worth because of complicated prepping techniques. Learn how to seed a pomegranate the simplest way.

I remember the first time someone offered me a pomegranate. I hadn’t tried one of its sweet, juicy seeds before and I was mesmerized. But I also looked at it and didn’t know how to go about trying it out. Granted, I was in middle school.

This red round fruit, which looks very similar to an apple, is in fact categorized as a berry. The skin is inedible and thick. But the hundreds of edible seeds in it are called arils. Thanks to their nutritional profile, pomegranates are one of the healthiest fruits out there. One cup of arils contains 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and plenty of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium. Pomegranates have anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, some of their compounds might help fight prostate and breast cancer, arthritis, joint pain and also lower blood pressure. But consume them with care, because they also have 24 grams of sugar in one cup and 144 calories.

After being seduced by the taste but also the cooking potential of the fruit, I decided to learn how to seed a pomegranate properly, to make the most of it. There are multiple solutions and techniques. Here is the one that works best for me. This one makes sure that you don’t waste the seeds by crushing them with a spoon.

6 steps on how to seed a pomegranate

1. Make the first cut

Cut the fruit with a knife around its midline. This will probably take a bit of practice because the cut must be deep enough to pierce the skin, but not too deep so it cuts into the seeds inside.

2. Break open

Or not exactly break. Once you’ve made the cut, use your thumbs into it and separate the two halves of the fruit.

3. Submerge

Fill a medium-sized bowl with water and put the two halves in it. Push the edges of the skin away, to expose the seeds as much as possible. The water’s job is to soften that white part, between the skin and the seeds.

4. Whack it!

Hit the skin of the pomegranate with a spoon or another similar utensil, with the seeds directed at the bowl. They should be able to loosen up now and leave the skin. Now turn your piece of fruit over and check to see if all the seeds are loose. If not, then resume the hitting with a spoon or break the arils off with your fingers, gently.

5. Check the product

After you’ve released the seeds into the water, check to see if there are any impurities, including parts of the white tissue.

6. Dry off

Drain the water and you’re left with a lot of tasty pomegranate seeds, ready for adding to recipes or just eating on the spot (I usually can’t help myself).

Now the challenge is to not eat them all right away, and leave some for your dinner recipe, for instance!

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