Lychee

The lychee is a small round fruit, covered by a hard rosy brown shell which is easily removed, enclosing sweet and translucent white flesh, with a flavor similar to grapes, and inside is a brown seed that is inedible. Lychees are rich in Vitamin C, and very good for health. In Chinese cuisine, lychees are often used in many dessert and stir-fry dishes.

Lychee

Lychee nut.

Fresh lychees are available during the summer months, from June to September.Supermarkets also provide canned lychees throughout the whole year. But fresh lychees have a stronger flavor than the canned ones, so try to buy the fresh lychees if you can.

When choosing fresh lychees, select heavy lychees with deep-rose-colored thin skin, steer clear of dried-out ones.

Remove the skin with a knife, discard the stem, and remember do not eat the hard seed when eat the flesh. Lychees are also used in many dessert dishes in Chinese food.

Store fresh lychees in plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week. But when you have picked them, please wash them well under running water and seal in a container.

Lychees are rich in Vitamin C, and nine lychees would meet an adult’s daily Vitamin C requirement. Also they are low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium as well.