NATIVE to Mexico and Central Americas, guava is a tropical fruit that has unique flavor and taste, and health-promoting qualities. Because of its high-profile nutrients, it is often called a “superfruit.”
The fruit is soft when ripe and its flesh varies in color, depending up on the cultivar (white, pink, yellow, or red). Ripe guava has a rich flavor with a sweet-tart taste. Each fruit contains many tiny, semihard edible seeds. Because of its high pectin level, guavas are used to make candies, preserves and jams.
Guava is low in calories and fats. It contains vitamin C, minerals and the antioxidant poy-phenolic and flavonoid compounds that play a vital role in cancer prevention and antiaging. It is also a good source of soluble dietary fiber, which helps protect from cancer-causing chemicals in colon. Guava is also a very rich source of potassium—more than any other fruit like banana—that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
Guava-glazed Ribs
Ingredients:
1 kg pork or beef ribs (slab)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
cilantro leaves, for garnish
For guava glaze:
1 cup guava jelly
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tbsp water
Procedure:
Marinate ribs with cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper for at least 2 hours in chiller. Prepare glaze by mixing all in a small sauce pot, simmer in low heat until reduced to 3/4. Set aside.
Preheat griller, and place ribs on top. Grill both sides and just before you are ready to remove meat from heat, liberally spread the glaze on all sides of the slab and grill for another minute or two.
Remove from griller and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with guava-papaya salsa. To make guava-papaya salsa, combine 1 cup of papaya cubes and 1/2 cup sliced guava (scrape off seeds). Squeeze 1/2 lemon.
Chef Day Salonga / Photographed by Michael Anthony Sagaran