Tomatillo

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Tomatillo
Tomatillos

Tomatillos

Systematics
Asterids
Euasterids I
Order : Nightshade (Solanales)
Family : Nightshade family (Solanaceae)
Genre : Bladder cherries ( Physalis )
Type : Tomatillo
Scientific name
Physalis philadelphica
Lam.
Physalis ixocarpa

The tomatillo ( Physalis philadelphica Lam. , Syn. : Physalis ixocarpa . Bread ex DC. , Physalis aequata J. Jacq. Ex Nees ), sometimes "the Tomatillo" is a flowering plant in the genus of jujubes ( Physalis ) within the family the nightshade family ( Solanaceae ). It is best known in Central America for its fruits used as vegetables . The lantern-shaped fruit shell is particularly striking. The tomatillo is related to the Cape gooseberry ( Physalis peruviana ), the edible Andean berry ( Physalis edulis ), the pineapple cherry ( Physalis pruinosa ) and the inedible lantern flower ( Physalis alkekengi ), which is used for decoration .

Plant description

Habit and leaves

Tomatillos are annual, herbaceous plants that reach heights of 1.50 to 2 meters. The stem is hollow, slightly angular and branched. In contrast to some other Physalis species, the Tomatillo is barely or not at all hairy. If the plant is not adequately supported, it will tip over and continue to creep on the ground. The leaves are elongated oval, with the exception of the younger leaves, the leaf edges are slightly serrated.

The seeds germinate after seven to ten days. The young seedlings of the plant initially develop only a relatively weak taproot , which, however, develops into a flat, widely branched root system in adult plants . In the further growth adventitious roots form on the stem axis . When these reach the ground, they grow into the ground and thus form a root system that is independent of the main root system. A single stem axis with three to five internodes initially grows above the ground within two to three weeks . The uppermost internode of this stem axis ends in a flower, a leaf and two laterally opposite branches. The next knot divides the shoot in the same way until the plant begins to age around 12 to 14 weeks. The exception and at the same time the end of the branch is a knot on which two leaves are formed.

blossoms

Blossom of a tomatillo.

The single flowers develop in the branches of the stem axis. The hermaphrodite, almost radially symmetrical flowers are five-fold and have a diameter of 8 to 15 mm. They consist of five yellow petals with a dark mark , five green, bell-shaped fused sepals , five blue-green stamens that are not fused with each other, but are each individually fused with a petal, and two fused carpels . The ovary is on top. During the day the petals are arched backwards so that they expose the stamens and the pistil, in the evening the flower closes when the petals are arched forward again. The plant is self-sterile , so it can only be pollinated by pollen from other plants. Pollination is mainly done by insects .

fruit

Harvested tomatillo fruits with their shell

The fruit of the tomatillo is a small, spherical, slightly flattened, green or green-purple berry , which is enclosed in a paper-like covering, the calyx. This shell is formed after fertilization by enlarging the fused but not completely closed sepals. The actual fruit is formed inside this shell. The diameter of the fruit can be up to 10 cm and is reminiscent of a green tomato. From pollination of the flower to its final size, a tomatillo fruit takes about 50 to 70 days. When the fruit ripens, in contrast to many other members of the Physalis genus, it fills  the shell and in many cases finally breaks it open. The skin then turns brown and the color of the fruit turns yellowish as it ripens. Inside the fruit there are a large number of small, round, flat seeds about one to two millimeters in diameter, which are surrounded by a pulp, whose consistency when chewed on apples and whose sweet and sour taste is most reminiscent of gooseberries.

Chromosome number

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 24.

Growing conditions

Tomatillos are sensitive to frost. The optimal growing conditions are similar to those of tomatoes , although the Tomatillo thrive better in a slightly warmer climate. Pre-cultivation should be done around the end of March by sowing in a warm place in seed trays. Prick young plants into pots when they are 5 cm high. Plant out in the open from May 20th at a distance of 80 × 80 cm and tie on stakes. Frost-free culture is a requirement. The ripe fruits are harvested continuously from August. Seed requirement: 2 g / a.

Systematics

The first botanical description of the Tomatillo dates back to 1651, when Francisco Hernandez mentioned two different plants that the Aztecs called tomatl . The word was probably used generically for round fruits or berries with lots of seeds and juicy pulp. Most likely it was mainly the tomatillo and the tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ). The genus Physalis was described by Carl von Linné in 1753 , and in 1786 by Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck the Tomatillo was assigned as Physalis philadelphica . The species Physalis aequata Jacq. (1844), Physalis violacea Carr. (1882) and Physalis ixocarpa bread. ex Hornem were classified as synonymous.

Since the species delimitation within the genus Physalis , similar to other Solanaceae , has not yet been clearly resolved, the nomenclature has been changed quite frequently, especially since the 1950s. After extensive cell biological and taxonomic investigations, MY Menzel classified the species Physalis philadelphica as a variety within the species Physalis ixocarpa in his publications from 1951 and 1957 . UT Waterfall initially confirmed this assignment (1958), but later revised it (1967) and assigned Physalis ixocarpa to the species Physalis philadelphica . In most cases today the name Physalis ixocarpa is used for the domesticated, Physalis philadelphica for the wild forms.

Origin, occurrence and cultivation

The original homeland of the Tomatillo is Central America and Mexico . There it is also extensively cultivated, but tomatillos are also grown in India , Australia , South Africa and the southern United States . Some specimens that have gone wild can also be found there. The plants grow both at sea level and in the mountains up to heights of 2600 meters.

Even in the time before the Europeans discovered America, the tomatillo was used as a food, and it was probably domesticated even more extensively than the tomato . In excavations near Tehuacán, traces of various Physalis sp. from the time from 900 BC Found that were used as food. When the Portuguese and Spanish sailors introduced many plants from America to Europe, the tomatillo also came to Spain. Although the plant was first successfully introduced in Spain, the tomato gained more and more importance, while the tomatillo was soon forgotten. The reasons for this were probably the stronger color and the higher resistance to rot of the tomato. In addition, the uses of the tomato are more versatile, as the tomatillo is usually only prepared together with chillies .

In America, too, the tomatillo lost more and more of its importance until the Mexican cuisine rediscovered the fruit in the 1970s and it soon became popular in the United States. In 2001 tomatillos were grown in 29 of the 31 Mexican states, with the main growing areas in Morelos , Puebla and Michoacán .

The wild forms often grow on the edge of agricultural land, mostly near corn , beans and pumpkin . These smaller-fruited plants are also harvested and marketed, but some cultivated varieties with smaller fruits are also sold as wild tomatillos, especially in Mexico.

During a survey of wild plants between 1998 and 2000 in the Turkish province of Şanlıurfa, a population of Physalis philadelphica var. Immaculata was found near cotton fields . How exactly the plants got there could not be determined, it is believed that the seeds were introduced from America together with cotton seeds.

Cultivated varieties

The cultivar 'Rendidora' makes up about 35% of the tomatillos cultivated in Mexico. It is characterized by a large fruit (5 to 7 cm), faster ripening time (up to 15 days less than other varieties) and a high yield (around 25,000 kilograms per hectare).

The Tomatillo 'De Milpa' stand out mainly because of their deep purple color and are slightly smaller than other varieties. Due to the lower water content, the fruits of this variety have a longer shelf life.

'Tomato Verde' is an early variety that produces large, slightly flatter, green fruits.

Different game species or feral cultivated species are grouped under the name 'Criolla'. Usually they have smaller fruits than the cultivated species. They are often found on the edge of agricultural fields. Typical yield figures for commercial cultivation of these varieties are around 15,000 kilograms per hectare.

use

Mexican salsas with tomatillos (left) and tomatoes (right)

The tomatillo fruit is mainly used in Latin American cuisine . It is particularly popular in Mexican cuisine , where it is mainly used as an ingredient in various salsas and stir-fries. The fruit is harvested before it is completely ripe, as it develops a sweetness when ripe, which is undesirable for most areas of use. The fruit is usually prepared in conjunction with chillies, because on the one hand the taste of both fruits complements each other and on the other hand the spiciness of the chillies is slightly softened. The fruit can be used completely except for the stem and the calyx. It is mostly cooked or grilled, but it can also be eaten raw.

A decoction of the infused fruit cases is used for the consistency of the Tamale to do something spongy dough used. The brew is also used to season white rice and as a tenderizer for red meat. In Mexican folk medicine , this brew is used as a remedy for diabetes mellitus . In a laboratory test, parts of the plant were effective against various infection-causing bacteria .

When buying, the freshness and the green color of the case are a sign of quality. The fruit should be firm and light green, because the color and the tart taste are the most important culinary advantages of the fruit. Fresh, ripe tomatillos can be stored at room temperature for about a week, at 5–10 ° C and a humidity of 80–90% the fruit can also be stored for a long time. However, the first cold damage occurs after approx. 3 weeks at 5 ° C and after approx. 4 weeks at 10 ° C.

Home-grown green tomatillos are ready for harvest when they almost fill the shell, but not quite yet. If the shell is dry or cracked, or the fruit is yellowish, it is past the best time. Purple tomatillos do not completely fill the shell, even when fully ripe.

Other parts of the plant can be poisonous. The tomatillo should also not be confused with the unripe, green tomato (although it is sometimes called that) because unripe tomatoes are poisonous because of their solanine content.

ingredients

Ingredients per 100 g (raw)
Calorific value 131  kJ (32  kcal )
protein 1.0 g
fat 0.7 g
carbohydrates 4.5 g

The uncooked fruits of the tomatillo consist of 93.0% water. With a citric acid content of 1.11%, they have a relatively low pH value of around 3.83, which is also reflected in the sour taste of the fruit. In smaller traces (<0.06%) malic acid and lactic acid are also contained in the fruits. Various aldehydes , alcohols , esters and carotenoid- related terpenes have been detected in tomato fruits . For the typical Tomatillo taste, aldehydes and alcohols such as ( Z ) -3-hexenal , ( E , E ) - 2,4-decadienal , nonanal , hexanal , hexanol and ( Z ) -3-hexen-1-ol are especially important responsible. The substances found in Tomatillo also include a larger number of substances that are also found in tomatoes and are in some cases determining the taste there. These include various esters, C 8-12 - aldehydes , capric acid and di- and sesqui terpenes and as a major steroid the Withanolide Ixocarpalacton A.

Heat, e.g. B. when cooking, changes the composition of the aroma-influencing substances in tomatillos. As the total sugar content increases, the composition between the individual sugars also changes. Simple sugars increase during cooking, which is due to the breakdown of complex polysaccharides . The relative proportions of fructose and sucrose are also greater in cooked tomatillo than in raw fruits. These changes in sugar content can change the taste of the fruit by participating in Maillard reactions .

Other ingredients of the tomatillo fruit are calcium (18 mg / 100 g), iron (2.3 mg / 100 g), magnesium, vitamin C, nicotinic acid and vitamin B1.

etymology

The term "Tomatillo" is derived from the Spanish diminutive of tomato , which in turn is derived from the word tomatl from Nahuatl , the Aztec language . There it was used for both the tomato and the Tomatillo, so that this word was also used partly for both plants among the European explorers. It is often not possible to determine exactly which plant records from this time refer to. The actual Aztec word for the tomatillo was miltomatl , while the tomato was called xitomatl . The use of language in Mexican Spanish still differs from other Spanish-speaking regions, where the tomato is often referred to as a jitomate , the tomatillo as a tomato or a miltomate .

Other Spanish names are tomato de cáscara , tomate de fresadilla , tomate milpero , tomato verde ("green tomato"), in English the tomatillo is also called husk tomato (shell tomato ).

In German usage, the grammatical gender of Tomatillo, based on the tomato, is mostly female, but sometimes also male, as the ending on -o suggests this for a loan word recognized as Romansh . In Spanish, where Tomatillo comes from, it is actually called el tomatillo , ie "the Tomatillo". The change in gender from male to female is the same as in the case of the tomato ( el tomate in Spanish with male gender), the name of which has probably moved from French to German, where la tomate and la tomatille have already become female.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Physalis philadelphica at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis

Web links

Commons : Tomatillo  - album with pictures, videos and audio files
This article was added to the list of excellent articles on September 23, 2006 in this version .