History of dried apricots

There was talk years ago of the secret of the Hunza, one of the most long-lived peoples on earth.

Buffaloes and truths aside, there is no doubt that these sprightly old Pakistanis in their diet have always used a lot of cold-pressed fruit and vegetables, seeds and hazelnuts, preferring a type of vegetarian diet .

Among their 'secret ingredients' of longevity there are the apricots, which they use in many ways, fresh or dried, they put them in soups and even make a juice that often mix with ice or snow to create a kind of ice cream .

So we also see, in our modern and everyday life, how we can put apricots in our diet and make them a precious ingredient of the everyday diet.

How to use dried apricots

Dried apricots can be used in different types of dishes, both sweet and savory.

Particularly suitable for teas and biscuits, but also as a special ingredient in muffins or vegan tart dough - as a substitute for sugar for example - or as a natural muesli sweetener in the morning.

Dried apricots can also be rehydrated and used to enrich salads, season vegetables or mixed with bread and sweet buns .

Among the typical dishes and traditional recipes with dried apricots there are:

1. the Lebanese rice pudding, here is the original recipe by Nigel Slater from the BBC website;

2. the frugtsuppe, the Danish and Scandinavian fruit soup;

3. apricot kolaches, Christmas biscuits of Hungarian origin, which are eaten under Christmas also in Russia and the Czech Republic;

4. the plum cake with raisins and dried apricots typical of the island of Terranova, Canada.

Healthy diet: the benefits of dried apricots

In fact, dried or semi-dried apricots are a valuable source of beta carotene, a substance that protects against aging and the harmful effects of free radicals. They also have a sweet and intense taste and are rich in fiber .

Therefore, in addition to consuming them as they are, possibly dried naturally and free of sulphites or chemicals, dried apricots, as we have seen, can be inserted with a little imagination in many recipes of the daily diet, typical of the kitchen and Mediterranean diet but not only.

To prepare healthy recipes and dried fruit with children, read "The Mediterranean Diet for Children" by SlowMed.