The orange-coloured Kei apple fruit is small, roundish, and one to two inches in diameter, and the flesh is yellow with a sweet flavour similar to apricots. Kei apples are an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and strengthens the immune system, and are a good source of potassium, a mineral that balances fluid levels within the body. The fruits also contain antioxidants to protect the body against external environmental aggressors.
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Kei apples are best suited for cooked applications and are frequently combined with sweeter fruits or sugar to develop a palatable flavour. The fruits can be eaten raw, but depending on how the fruits were bred, the flavour may vary from acidic and sharp to pleasant with a sweet-tart flavour. When acidic, the fruits can be sliced, sprinkled with sugar, and left to absorb the sugar before consumption. Once sweetened, the fruits can be eaten as a snack, dessert, or blended into a sweet beverage. Sugared Kei apple slices can also be used in fruit or green salads or incorporated into desserts such as cakes, puddings, tarts, and pies.
Uses and storage
The natural acidity and pectin content of Kei apples make them ideal for use in making jams, jellies, compotes, and syrups. Beyond jams, Kei apples can be simmered into sauces for meats, boiled and strained into a juice, used to flavour boiled grains, or dried into fruit leather. It is not recommended to cook Kei apples for extended periods as the fruits break down into a thick liquid when heated. Kei apples pair well with meats such as poultry, beef, and pork, fish, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, fruits such as strawberries, peaches, coconuts, and apples, vanilla, and caramel.
Whole Kei apples should be immediately consumed for the best flavour and will keep up to one week, depending on the degree of ripeness, when stored in the refrigerator.