Figs have a sweet taste and aroma. Figs are usually eaten dry, but fresh figs are actually easy to eat. Figs are often eaten unaccompanied by any food, but can be paired with many other foods and flavors. The following are some guidelines on the best way to eat figs.
Step
Method 1 of 3: The Basics About Figs
Step 1. Eat dried or fresh figs
Figs are sensitive to cold temperatures and are difficult to transfer to other areas, so you may find it difficult to find fresh figs in cold climates, especially outdoors during the summer. While dried figs you can easily get in most supermarkets throughout the year.
Figs are a healthy food no matter how you eat them. A total of 50 grams of figs contain 37 calories, and the same amount also contains an average of 1.45 grams of fiber, 116 g of potassium, 0.06 mg of manganese, and 0.06 of vitamin B6
Step 2. Choose ripe figs to eat
The color and size of figs will vary depending on the type, but they will all be soft when they are ripe. Ripe figs will change shape when pressed and have a very strong sweet aroma.
- Do not choose figs that are hard, torn or bruised. A few scratches are still acceptable, as this will not affect the taste or quality of the fruit.
- Also avoid figs that look moldy on top or smell sour and rotten.
- Ripe figs can be green, brown, yellow or dark purple in color.
- You should choose fresh figs. These figs can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days after harvest, but will start to spoil after a while.
Step 3. Clean the fresh figs before eating them
Rinse with cold water and gently wipe with a clean tissue.
- Since figs are a very fragile fruit, don't scrub them with a vegetable brush. Remove the dirt on it by rubbing your finger.
- Remove the fig stems when you wash them by twisting them with your finger.
Step 4. Discard any sugar crystals you may have
Sugar crystals can be removed by adding 1 tablespoon of water to 1/2 cup of figs and placing them in the microwave on high for 1 minute.
Ripe figs often release a sugar solution that will crystallize on the surface. These figs are still delicious to eat, but the icing on top needs to be removed for a better appearance
Method 2 of 3: Eating Fresh Figs
Step 1. Eat whole
Figs have a slightly sweet taste and can be eaten fresh without being accompanied by other foods.
- The outer skin of figs is edible. That way, you don't have to peel it before eating it. Just twist the stem and eat the fig with the skin on.
- If you don't like the texture of a fig's skin, you can peel it before eating. After twisting the stem of the fig, use your fingers to gently peel the skin off starting at the open top.
- To enjoy the taste of the outside of the fig without peeling the skin, cut the fig in half. Hold a fig in one hand and use a sharp knife to cut it into equal lengths. After that, the sweet inside of the fig will open, so you can immediately enjoy the taste when you eat it.
Step 2. Serve the figs with the strong cheese
One widely used way of serving fresh figs is to enjoy them raw with a little cheese or a spread of cheese on top. The taste of the cheese should be sweet and strong but not sharp.
- Divide the figs into two halves and add the cream cheese to each slice. You can use unflavored cream cheese or flavored cream cheese. That way figs can be a simple snack or appetizer.
- Melt the blue cheese into the figs. Remove the stems and make an "x"-shaped wedge at the top of the fig. Put a little blue cheese in these slices and bake for 10 minutes at 204 degrees Celsius.
- Fatty dairy products such as mascarpone and creme fraiche will also go well with the taste of figs.
Step 3. Boil the figs
Figs can be boiled in a saucepan or slow cooker. Use about 2 cups of water for every 8 figs.
- You can use grapes that have been flavored with certain spices such as cinnamon, cloves, or star anise. You can also use sump juice or a flavored vinegar like balsamic vinegar.
- Boil figs for 10 to 15 minutes on the stove.
- Cook figs on low for 23 hours in a slow cooker.
- Boiled figs are often served with yogurt, fatty dairy products or frozen desserts.
Step 4. Preserve figs
Combine 450 grams of chopped figs with 250 ml of sugar in a saucepan. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes until thickened.
Step 5. Using figs in the grill
Figs can be added to bread dough, cakes, muffins and other flour-based foods.
- Mix with other fruit. For example, you can add chopped figs to your favorite juice recipe or add figs to your favorite raspberry, lemon or orange pie.
- Make figs as the main ingredient of food. You can also make a toast that relies entirely on the taste of the figs, and doesn't add any other fruit. You can make a fig tart or bake chopped figs into a yogurt cake.
- Use figs as garnish. Cut figs into halves or quarters to serve as cake garnishes or similar desserts. Figs are perfect for decorating cakes made with a fatty coating like cream cheese, or cakes with a nutty flavor like almond cake.
Method 3 of 3: Eating Dried Figs
Step 1. Enjoy the dried figs
Dried figs can be eaten without any accompaniments, such as raisins or other fruits. This is the easiest way to enjoy figs as a snack.
Step 2. Soak the figs in water
When using dried figs in a recipe, soaking them in water will make them softer to cook.
- You can soak dried figs in water or fruit juice overnight.
- Another way is to boil it for a few minutes in water or fruit juice.
- Whichever method you choose, be sure to add enough water to cover all layers of the figs.
Step 3. Use in baked goods
Both dried and soaked figs can be used in baked goods.
- Mix into breads, cakes, muffins and pies or tarts. Mix dried figs into this food mixture before baking.
- Replace other dried fruit with dried figs. You can replace your raisin cake with fig cake. Use dried figs to replace cherries in muffin batter.
Step 4. Add figs to oatmeal or porridge
Another easy way to enjoy figs is to sprinkle them in a bowl of hot breakfast cereal. figs will add a slightly sweet taste to it.
Step 5. Put some figs into the cottage cheese or yogurt
For a light lunch, you can mix some dried figs into cottage cheese or yogurt. This fatty, strong-flavored dairy product complements the taste of figs well.
