Health food: Pomegranate

What is it?

Pomegranate is the world's most romantic, seductive fruit; revered and mythologised as the fruit of fertility (and a fount of antioxidants) by the most ancient of cultures from Iran to Northern India. It is an exotic, beautiful fruit with a leathery crimson rind, hiding a treasure-box of translucent, jewel-like, sweetly acid arils, divided by bitter white membrane. The Australian season starts next week and runs until early August, and chefs are consequently gearing up with new (and old) pomegranate dishes to celebrate.

Where is it?

At Mr Lawrence at the London in Port Melbourne, the Turkish kisir salad has never left the menu. "It's full of crunch and texture from raw cauliflower, cracked wheat, almonds, currants, parsley, mint and coriander," says chef/co-owner Ashley Richey. "But it's the pomegranate seeds that give it a real 'pop', with their sweet, tangy juices." His tip for removing the arils is to cut the pomegranate in half, massage the shell a little, hold it over a basin and lightly whack the shell, allowing the arils to fall into the bowl (see his how-to video on the restaurant's Facebook page.) "I think people order pomegranate when they eat out, because they're scared of doing that at home," says Richey.

Catalan chef Quim Hernandez Maluquer adores the pomegranate ("its one of the most beautiful fruits in the Mediterranean"), and makes the most of its vibrant tang in a dish of cured Tasmanian salmon with a citric salad of grapefruit, orange and pomegranate at Zahi Azzi's Kazbah Souk and Arabian bakery in Potts Point. He promises much more pomegranate action on the North African/Mediterranean menu as the season progresses, and urges us to buy the whole fruit and open it ourselves, rather than just buy the seeds. "That way, you get the real magic of the fruit and its beautiful juices."

Why do I care?

Because pomegranate adds sparkle and tang to pretty much anything from roast beetroot and lentils to hummus, tahini, breakfast yoghurt, roast lamb, pumpkin soup, rice dishes and chocolate cake.

Can I do it at home?

Look for large, heavy, fruit with tough, deeply red skin. One pomegranate equals roughly one cup of pomegranate seeds.

SOURCING

VIC
Mr Lawrence at The London, 92 Beach Street, Port Melbourne 03 9077 4992

NSW
Kazbah Souk, 9-15 Bayswater Road, Potts Point 1300 529 224

Warm cauliflower and pomegranate salad

Serve with yoghurt whipped with a little tahini and honey, to spoon on top.

600g cauliflower (half medium, or one small, cauliflower)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g fine white cracked wheat (burghul)

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses or red wine vinegar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

sea salt and pepper

½ red onion, finely sliced

1 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

½ pomegranate

2 tbsp walnut halves, lightly toasted

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Cut the cauliflower into little florets, toss in two tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

2. Rinse the cracked wheat, cover with 300 millilitres of boiling water, stirring, and leave for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and fluff up with a fork.

3. Whisk the remaining olive oil with pomegranate molasses or red wine vinegar, cumin, cinnamon, sea salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower, burghul, onion, parsley and mint, and lightly toss.

4. Hold the half pomegranate over a bowl, whack it lightly with a heavy spoon, and scrape out the seeds and juice with a teaspoon, discarding any pith. Scatter the walnuts and the pomegranate seeds (and any juices) over the salad, and serve.

Serves 4