Bush Tomatoes - pungent flavour and aroma
Bush Tomatoes (Solanum centrale) grow in the very arid desert regions of Australia. They prefer to grow on the red sandhills where the berries mature to the same colour as the sand. Also known by it's aboriginal name akudjura, it is closely related to the typical garden tomato, both being members of the Solanum family. It is a fast growing shrub that fruits prolifically the year after fire or good rains.
Bush Tomato has a definite pungent tomato flavour and aroma. Much stronger and less acid than sun dried tomato with other sweeter characteristics reminiscent of caramel and tamarillo. The flavour matures on standing or prolonged cooking.
Uses for Bush Tomatoes: can be eaten by themselves as a pungent flavour quencher similar to an olive - try them with your next cheese platter. Roughly chop or grind in a mortar and pestle to make your own fresh Bush Tomato Spice. Bush Tomatoes are great in salsa’s, relishes and chutney’s – their strong flavour teaming with red meats particularly well.
Proximate constituents per 100g edible raw bush tomato: Energy 1174kJ, Protein 8.5g, Fat 3.8g, Carbohydrate 67.3g, Dietary Fibre 23.4g, Vitamin C 17mg.
Bush Tomato has a definite pungent tomato flavour and aroma. Much stronger and less acid than sun dried tomato with other sweeter characteristics reminiscent of caramel and tamarillo. The flavour matures on standing or prolonged cooking.
Uses for Bush Tomatoes: can be eaten by themselves as a pungent flavour quencher similar to an olive - try them with your next cheese platter. Roughly chop or grind in a mortar and pestle to make your own fresh Bush Tomato Spice. Bush Tomatoes are great in salsa’s, relishes and chutney’s – their strong flavour teaming with red meats particularly well.
Proximate constituents per 100g edible raw bush tomato: Energy 1174kJ, Protein 8.5g, Fat 3.8g, Carbohydrate 67.3g, Dietary Fibre 23.4g, Vitamin C 17mg.