BUSH TOMATO

Bush Tomato, also known by its Aboriginal name akudjura, is a small, round fruit with a strong flavour and smell. Initially distinctively raisin or caramel in flavour, bush tomato has a strong spicy aftertaste. Rich in antioxidants and minerals, including selenium, bush tomato is considered one of the most important of all the Central Australian plant foods.

USES

While the mature yellow fruit can be eaten fresh, bush tomato is usually used in its dried form. It is ideal for use in sauces, chutneys, curries and salsa, and is a great complement to red and white meat. Ground into a coarse or fine powder, it can be used in bread and savoury muffins, frittata, pasta sauces, relish, and salad dressings.

Bush Tomatoes pungent tomato flavour and aroma makes it a delicious addition to slow cooked meats and tagine style dishes.

Add whole Bush Tomatoes to your next antipasto platter alongside olives, pickled vegetables, salumi and your favourite cheese. Roughly chop or grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to make a tomato flavoured dukkah or combine with other dried herbs and spices to make a delicious spice blend for seasoning barbecue meats. Their strong pungent flavour pairs particularly well with red and game meats.

Add flavour to oil and vinegar based marinades and salad dressings, meat based sauces and egg based condiments. Also complements fish, seafood, chicken, pork, and lamb and pairs perfectly with most vegetable varieties.

Spice up a Virgin or Bloody Mary with a native twist by adding a pinch or two of freshly ground Bush Tomato to the mix and garnish with whole or chopped Bush Tomatoes.

HEALTH BENEFITS

• Bush tomatoes are rich in antioxidants. They have significantly higher antioxidant capacity than blueberries, which are considered one of the richest sources of antioxidants among fruits.
• The bush tomato is one of the few native foods containing selenium, a rare mineral which plays a key role in the metabolism. It also provides a rich source of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, iron, copper, folate, zinc, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
• The bush tomato has a high potassium:sodium ratio which may help to reduce blood pressure.
• Bush tomatoes are high in dietary fibre and provide 10.3g of protein per 100g, compared to the average Western fruit, which has 0.73g of protein per 100g.