Custard Apple, popularly known as sitaphal and sharifa in Hindi, is a seasonal fruit available in markets between August and November. The fruit has a hard rounded-ridge structure on the outside, but on the inside, it is delightfully creamy and fragrant with a unique flavour. The fruit in itself can be devoured as a dessert and eaten chilled, but it's also a perfect ingredient to elevate other dishes. Apart from its sweet and creamy texture and flavour, sitaphal is loaded with nutrients that are extremely beneficial to our health. The fruit is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium as well as iron.
Sitaphal contains no cholesterol or fat and is also known to combat age-related vision degeneration and help improve eyesight, as it contains vitamin C and riboflavin. It is also believed to be a natural mood booster as it is an excellent source of vitamin B6 — essential for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Both these hormones are known as mood regulators. Read more about the health benefits of sitaphal here.
(Also read : Custard Apple Benefits: From Improving Vision To Building Immunity And More!)
Here is a list of recipes you can make with Sitaphal at home:
1) Almond And Custard Apple Rabdi
Have some sitaphal lying around at home but don't feel like eating them as is? This quick dessert recipe is perfect for you. Delicious toasted almonds are ground and mixed with sitaphal pulp and cream. For best results, serve cold.
2) Almond Ginger And Custard Apple Smoothie
Begin your day with a glass of healthy, nutritious smoothie. Blend together a glass of almond milk or any other milk of your choice, with some fresh ginger, sitaphal, toasted almonds and some cardamom powder. This smoothie is perfect for a busy morning, as it can be made in less than 20 minutes.
This decadent dessert is very popular in north India. It's made using milk curdled with lemon and mixed with sugar, custard apple pulp, cardamom powder and is garnished with pistachios and almonds. It will melt in your mouth.
Add a yummy and fruity twist to regular kheer with this recipe. All you need is some sitaphal pulp, roasted green gram, that is softened in a cooker, jaggery and coconut milk. This kheer recipe is guaranteed to become a family favourite.
Custard apple can be enjoyed on its own as well
Try this easy and creamy recipe for some yummy ice cream at home. Whisk together milk, sitaphal pulp, cream and sugar, and leave it in your freezer to set. Scoop the homemade ice cream and serve garnished with fresh dry fruits.
Elevate your regular rice kheer with the unique and fragrant flavour of sitaphal. All you need is milk, soaked basmati rice, deseeded custard apples and sugar. Spice this rich and decadent kheer with cardamom powder and serve with crunchy cashew nuts and almonds.
7) Amaranth Ladoo And Sitaphal Cream
Try this delicious dessert that is popular in Mumbai's Haji Ali area. Tasty ladoos made using healthy and nutritious amaranth or ramdana topped with sitaphal cream made from the pulp of the fruit. It's mixed with cream and sugar.
(Also read : 5 Surprising Benefits of Custard Apple Leaves)
Let us know in the comments below which of these delectable custard apple recipes did you enjoy the most.