JUJUBE

• Common Name: Jujube
• Vernacular Name: Common jujube, Chinese date, Red date
• Scientific Name: Ziziphus zizyphus
• Specimens From: China
• Specimens Weight: 15 gm (Average weight per fruit)

Jujube has been cultivated in China for at least a few thousand years back, with several hundred of known cultivars. It is still immensely popular till the present day, especially for the traditional and medicinal purposes.

Depending on the various cultivars, it can be round, oval or elongated. It is usually olive-sized or slightly larger, with a single brown stone. Appearance somewhat like a wild crabapple. As you can see from the above photo, the immature jujube is green, ripens to yellowish-green with red spots appearing. It will turn fully red when mature and starts to wrinkle at the last stage.

It can be eaten whole, minus the stone, at any of the ripening stages. Crisp and mildly sweet when green to red but soft and sweet when in the wrinkled, dried stage.



Red Dates [Dried, big and small]

The dried fruits, which are commonly called "red dates" even though it is not a true date but it looks one. It is very popular and often use in Chinese/Korean soups, drinks and desserts.

The bigger the dates, the quality is better and hence it is twice as expensive compare to the smaller dates.






Red Dates Drink

Try a red date drink. Pour boiling water and let it cover and simmer it for about fifteen minutes or so. It will be better to cut the dates into half, so as to let the pulp of the dates to immerse into the drink. It may taste only slightly sweet but that is enough for a good, healthy drink with no sugar added.  

Jujube may look small but it is extremely high in vitamin C. It is a fruit that can heal sore throat. Excuse me, I think I need one now.


Fruit: Jujube; Ziziphus zizyphus; Rhamnaceae. 

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