Have you ever seen this Colombian fruit, uchuvas? It’s called fruta del amor (love fruit) in Peru, which sounds intriguing. The English name is the rather more pragmatic Golden Berry, an apt name for this bright yellow fruit.
You’ll see small boxes of these cherry-tomato-sized fruits at food markets around Colombia. At times the fruit has a paper wrapping around it and you could ask yourself, did someone take the time to individually wrap those fruits?
No, that wrapping is natural. When uchuvas are harvested, they have a natural layer that dries out and takes on a papery look.
Although uchuvas are originally from Peru, Colombia exports a lot of these curious fruits. So if you’re tasting them outside the country, you might just be tasting uchuvas from Colombia.
How to buy uchuvas
Uchuvas are generally harvested unripe and allowed to ripen off the plant. At room temperature the ripe fruit can last for a few days, but store them in the fridge if you want them to last longer.
Don’t buy them if they’re unusually slimy or mushy. (We probably didn’t even have to tell you that one.)
In Colombia, you can purchase uchuvas at any local supermarket, large farmers market, or fruver. The price per pound is around $2,400 COP (US 76 cents), which makes them easily accessible on any budget.
How to eat uchuvas
Colombians generally eat their uchuvas fresh. Just wash them off and pop them in your mouth or add them to a fruit salad for a tart bite.
However, they’re also fantastic dried. Think of something like a raisin but with a huge flavor that goes pop in your mouth.
Or think of those dried uchuvas covered in dark chocolate, which is our favorite way to eat almost anything.
How to cook with uchuvas
With a moderate amount of calories and an indecent amount of nutrients, fiber and antioxidants, uchuvas are a fantastic addition to any diet.
A versatile fruit due to its distinctively sweet yet tart taste, uchuvas do well in many recipes.
Flavors of Bogota’s resident chef, Peter Corredor, likes to cook with uchuvas. He uses them in salads, juices, cocktails, sauces, marmalades, and ceviche.
Also, don’t forget the power of decoration – uchuvas in their outer papery layer look adorable as a garnish.
- Cut uchuvas in half and add them to lettuce, quinoa, or tomato salads.
- Make uchuva sauce by cooking the mashed fruit with panela, honey, or maple syrup) and hot peppers.
- Add them to your favorite gin and tonic recipe.
- Add some uchuvas to a jam recipe for a tart kick.
- Uchuvas go well with pork – top cooked pork with the above-mentioned uchuva sauce.
- Try this Shrimp Smoked Cheddar Golden Berry Salad with a light orange dressing.
