tomatillo

1. A species of ground cherry (Physalis ixocarpa) native to Mexico, widely naturalized in eastern North America, and having an edible, yellow to purple viscid fruit.
2. The fruit of this plant.

[American Spanish, diminutive of tomate, tomato. See tomato.]

Or ground tomato, husk-covered fruit of Physalis ixocarpa; resembles a small, green tomato.

[tohm-ah-TEE-oh] This fruit, which is also called Mexican green tomato, belongs to the same nightshade family as the tomato. In fact, it resembles a small green tomato in size, shape and appearance except for the fact that it has a thin parchmentlike covering. The papery husk is a clue to the fact that the tomatillo is also related to the cape gooseberry. Although tomatillos can ripen to yellow, they are generally used while still green and quite firm. Their flavor has hints of lemon, apple and herbs. Tomatillos are available sporadically year-round in specialty produce stores, Latin American markets and some supermarkets. Choose firm fruit with dry, tight-fitting husks. Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to a month. Remove husk and wash fruit before using. Cooking enhances the tomatillo's flavor and softens its thick skin. Tomatillos are popular in Mexican and Southwest cooking for use in a variety of dishes including guacamole and many sauces. They can be used raw in salads and salsas for a more acidic taste. Canned tomatillos are available in ethnic markets. Tomatillos are rich in vitamin A and contain a good amount of vitamin C. The tomatillo is also called jamberry.

The noun has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: Mexican annual naturalized in eastern North America having yellow to purple edible fruit resembling small tomatoes
  Synonyms: miltomate, purple ground cherry, jamberry, Physalis philadelphica

Meaning #2: annual of Mexico and southern United States having edible purplish viscid fruit resembling small tomatoes
  Synonyms: jamberry, Mexican husk tomato, Physalis ixocarpa

Meaning #3: small edible yellow to purple tomato-like fruit enclosed in a bladderlike husk
  Synonyms: husk tomato, Mexican husk tomato

Tomatillo
Fresh harvest of German tomatillos
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Genus:	Physalis
Species:	P. philadelphica
Binomial name
Physalis philadelphica Lam. (1786)
Synonyms
Physalis ixocarpa Brot.

The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) is a plant of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, related to the cape gooseberry, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos, referred to as green tomato (Spanish: tomate verde) in Mexico, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are grown throughout the Western Hemisphere. Some may think it is a tomato but it is not.^[1]

Contents 1 Description 2 Names 3 Image gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Description

Young tomatillo plant

The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by a paper-like husk formed from the calyx. As the fruit matures, it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest. The husk turns brown, and the fruit can be any of a number of colors when ripe, including yellow, red, green, or even purple. Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh and cooked Latin American green sauces. The freshness and greenness of the husk are quality criteria. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green colour and tart flavour are the main culinary contributions of the fruit.

Other parts of the tomatillo plant contain toxins, and should not be eaten.

Tomatillo plants are highly self-incompatible (two or more plants are needed for proper pollination; thus isolated tomatillo plants rarely set fruit).

Fresh ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator.^[2] They may also be frozen whole or sliced.

Names

The tomatillo is also known as the husk tomato, jamberry, husk cherry, mexican tomato, or ground cherry, although these names can also refer to other species in the Physalis genus. In Spanish it is called tomate de cáscara, tomate de fresadilla, tomate milpero, tomate verde ("green tomato"), tomatillo Mexico (this term means "little tomato" elsewhere), miltomate (Mexico, Guatemala), or simply tomate (in which case the tomato is called jitomate). Even though tomatillos are sometimes called "green tomatoes", they should not be confused with green, unripe tomatoes (tomatoes are in the same family, but a different genus). In Assamese it is called pokmou.

Image gallery

Flower of a tomatillo plant

Green tomatillo fruits

See also

• Latin American sauces or salsas

References

1. ^ Marketing Division. "Tomatillos" (HTML). North Carolina Fruit and Vegetable Shippers Directory. North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. http://www.ncagr.gov/freshconnect/shipperdirectory/tomatillo.htm. Retrieved 7-Dec-2008. 
2. ^ "Tomatillo: a green sourpuss with a sweet side". Los Angeles Times. Latimes.com. 2008-05-14. http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-tomatillo14-2008may14,0,1107342.story. Retrieved 2009-08-03. 

External links

• Physalis names
• Mexican Husk Tomato

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