Pomegranate juice

Sparkly, crisp and vibrant, are the buzzwords that instantly pop in my head when I behold a glass of freshly extracted deep red pomegranate juice. One of the most refreshing drinks, this sweet and tart juice is superbly satisfying and is a treasure trove of health benefits. 

My grandmother always said, that the best way to get your daily dose of essential nutrients, is by consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables in abundance. We were blessed. My father owns a large farm on which he grows top quality seasonal produce. He is particularly fond of growing pomegranates, and I have happy memories of running through acres of stunning pomegranate orchards blooming with the gorgeous fruit.

My dad would bring home crates of the freshly harvested plump pomegranates. He would then patiently de-seed them for us to enjoy. Needless to say, our winter days began with a glass of my moms best homemade pomegranate juice. My mom carefully stored the unused arils and used them to garnish quite a few dishes she cooked through the day.

Here are some of recipes that I love to garnish with pomegranate seeds, it makes any dish look colorful and festive:

• Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Yogurt Rice
• Aloo Chaat

Why would my moms pomegranate juice recipe must be the best, you may wonder? It is usually that one magic ingredient which sets a recipe apart from the other. In this case, it is the technique with which she juices the red arils and sprinkles just the right amount of salt, that defines and accentuates the refreshing flavor and color.

Pomegranate health benefits

• Reduces inflammation because it has very high levels of antioxidants
• Helps build immunity since it is rich in potassium, vitamin C and  E
• Is a great source of fiber
• Is low in calories

Easy way to peel a pomegranate:

step 1 : Wash the fruit and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut off the top crown and scoop out a bit of the yellow portion right below the cut crown area. Make 5 shallow slits on the bumpy portions of the fruit. With minimum pressure, pull apart each section. You will have the fruit apart in 5 sections photos (1 – 4).

step 2 : Pull out the outer peel from each section. Gently push the seeds/arils out with your fingers (and not nails) working on one section at a time. You will notice that most of the peel and extra membrane comes off easily and the arils start to fall out into the bowl with minimum effort photos (5 – 8).

Slitting the fruit in this manner separates the inner membrane from the arils and makes it easy to deseed the fruit

How to store pomegranate seeds/arils:

The best way to store peeled pomegranate arils is to keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto 8 days. I would recommend not washing the seeds, as water makes the arils turn soggy and brown.

Pro Tips:

• Best way to juice pomegranates is by pulsing the seeds in a blender just until the juce starts to seperate from the seeds. Make sure that the inside seeds do not get crushed.
• Best place to buy pomegranates is at a wholesale store like Costco or Whole Foods
• Best time to buy them is from October through December in the U.S
• There are lots of vidoes online showing how to peel pomegrantes in a big bowl of water. While this method works, you will have to consume the seeds right away as the wet seeds start to get bad quickly.

How to make pomegranate juice, step by step recipe:

step 1: Add 2 cups of pomegranate seeds to the blender. Pulse for 5-10 seconds. Do NOT pulse for too long as the seeds may start to breakdown. Pulse until the Juice starts separating from the seed. Pour the juice through a strainer. Using back of a spoon gently press the seeds down so all the juice is separated from the seeds photos (1 – 4).

step 2: Add 1 cup of water or 1 cup of seltzer water to the filtered juice. Add a pinch of salt and sugar. Mix well and enjoy (photos 5 – 6).

With the upcoming holiday season, I’d really love for you to try this juice and add it to your Thanksgiving spread. The pop color will go well with the autumn theme and this will be a well-loved family drink along with these delicious party starters.

Here are some of my other homemade fresh fruit drink recipes that you will enjoy:

• Fresh Watermelon Juice
• Homemade Ginger Lemonade
• Aam Panna
• Homemade Electrolyte drink

Want more fun recipes? Enjoy this collection of homemade beverages that include my favorite drinks for every occasion!

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How to make Pomegranate juice

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Homemade fresh pomegranate juice. 

Course: Energy drink

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: pomegranate juice

Servings: 2

Calories: 151 kcal

Author: Archana

Ingredients

• 2 cups pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup still water/seltzer water
• pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar optional

Instructions

1. Add 2 cups of pomegranate seeds to the blender. Pulse for 5-10 seconds. Do NOT pulse for too long as the seeds may start to breakdown. Pulse until the Juice starts separating from the seed.

2. Pour the juice through a strainer. Using back of a spoon gently press the seeds down so all the juice is separated from the seeds.

3. Add 1 cup of water or 1 cup of seltzer water to the filtered juice. Add a pinch of salt and sugar. Mix well. Serve chilled.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

How to make Pomegranate juice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 151 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Sodium 4mg0%

Potassium 387mg11%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin C 16.7mg20%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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