Pomegranate seeds are not only tasty, but also very useful, because this fruit contains the richest complex of vitamins and minerals. But before you get to the tart ruby kernels, you need to peel the pomegranate - and this is often difficult. Its peel is hard, and the grains burst during the cleaning process, splashing everything around with dark juice. But there are ways to clean the pomegranate quickly and without splashing.
"Dry" method of cleaning a pomegranate
Wash the pomegranate. With a sharp knife, make a circular incision in the upper part of the fruit, stepping back from the stalk by 2-3 centimeters - such as to completely cut through the peel, but not damage the grains hidden under it. Then, taking the pomegranate in your hand, pull the stalk. A ripe pomegranate "cap" will go away without much difficulty. However, if you are unsure of your ability to neatly separate the stalk, you can simply cut off the top of the fruit. If this is the case, cut the pomegranate on a flat plate or on a plastic or glass cutting board. It is better not to use wooden boards: during this operation, the pomegranate will "give away" a little juice, and it will be problematic to wash it from the tree.
Taking off the top, you will see that the pomegranate grains are separated from each other by light streaks. Make vertical cuts along these veins so that the skin is divided into slices. Do not go to the very bottom, leave 3-4 centimeters of the peel uncut.
Take a deep bowl, turn the pomegranate cut side down and, holding the fruit in weight, tap the skin of the fruit with a tablespoon. The pomegranate seeds will begin to separate from the membranes and fall into the bowl. Soon you will have only the empty rind in your hands.
How to clean a pomegranate underwater
Prepare the pomegranate in the same way as in the previous method - remove the top and make cuts along the membrane separating the grains.
Pour cold water into a deep bowl and immerse the fruit, cut side down. After that, use your fingers to divide the pomegranate into slices and separate the grains from the rind and membranes.
As you peel, the heavy grains will sink to the bottom, while the lighter pieces of rind and Membran will float to the surface. Remove the floating debris, then strain the water through a colander: only pomegranate seeds will remain in it.
If you clean the pomegranate under water, it will completely get rid of the risk of splashing the kitchen with pomegranate juice, but the likelihood of injuring delicate seeds in this case is still higher than with "dry cleaning".
