Carb Solutions: Rambutan Ceviche
Over half of the U.S. adult population, some 154 million, qualify as being overweight or obese. Another 29 million of us have Diabetes, many as a direct result of being overweight. Then there are the 23.9 million overweight children who are dutifully following the example of their XXL adult role models. Diabetes and these extra pounds cost this country billions annually in both medical and economic resources, not to mention the effect these weight-related maladies have on a person’s overall mental well-being and happiness. However, both diabetes and being overweight are very manageable, even preventable, with a few lifestyle tweaks. By maintaining a sensible diet in conjunction with some consistent exercise, no matter how minimal, we can all be in total control of our own weight. One easy way to start taking that control is to make decisions about the foods we eat based on the glycemic index [GI] and glycemic load [GL].
Simply put, our bodies convert all foods into sugar calories that provide energy to the body via the bloodstream. The Glycemic Index assigns a score of 1 to 100 to all foods based on how speedy the body converts that food into sugar. Foods that break down slowly enable the body to assimilate these calories of energy more efficiently without overwhelming the body with more sugar than it can process. While this is especially important for diabetics who process sugars more slowly than others, everyone can benefit from eating foods that have low glycemic scores since they also reduce appetite and encourage the metabolism to burn body fat. Conversely, a diet of foods high on the glycemic charts has been proven to actually increase appetite and impede effective fat oxidation.
A QUICKIE GLYCEMIC PRIMER:
- The glycemic index of a food compares its effect on blood sugar level to that of pure glucose, which has a score of 100. White breads, which are made of processed white flour, are at the top of this scale, scoring a “perfect” 100 on the glycemic index. For perspective, a score of 55 or below denotes a low glycemic index food; 70 or above is considered very high. Serving size is not a consideration in arriving at a food’s Glycemic Index number.
- The glycemic load, on the other hand, focuses on how much digestible carbohydrates (sugars) a food contains in a typical single serving, which is defined as approximately 3.5 ounces. For glycemic load, a score of 20 or more is high, while 10 or less is low.
In November, you can watch National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) – all demanding low-carb finger foods if one is a serious watcher of sports and one’s waistline or following a doctor’s orders. For those unaware of what “ceviche” is, here’s the Webster definition: "A dish made of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice often with oil, onions, peppers, and seasonings, served as a snack or appetizer dip. The acid in the citrus denatures the proteins in the fish, causing it to become opaque and producing a firm texture." The process of “cooking” with citrus acid instead of a flame has always fascinated this writer. Ceviche is a very simple dish to prepare, using very basic fresh ingredients, though the results produce a multitude of flavors.
It is widely accepted that ceviche originated on the coast of Peru nearly 2,000 years ago. The Moche civilization, which inhabited the area, prepared fish with the juice of a local passionfruit known as “tumbao”. The preparation of ceviche as it’s known today, developed after the Spanish arrived. They began importing the Mediterranean ingredients of lime and cilantro to the region about 400 years ago. Thereafter, lime or orange replaced the tumbao, topped off with fresh cilantro. The recipe below is a further twist on that formula, trading out the traditional fish for Rambutan fruit, native to the region of Malaysia and Indonesia in Southeast Asia, without skipping a beat in the flavor department – in fact, sweetening it just a pleasurable bit.
Rambutan is a tropical plant and fruit of the soapberry family. Its name comes from the Malay word meaning “hair,” referring to the spikey hair-like spines that cover the whole fruit’s exterior. The interior fruit is translucent, whiteish or very pale pink, with a mild sweet flavor and texture reminiscent of lychee fruit, a close cousin, or grapes. The fruit’s exterior size is about that of a golf ball, its interior an oblong globe that looks like a giant skinless grape! Once treated with lime juice in this recipe, the fruit firms and whitens up to resemble fish pieces.
The rest of the ingredients are very traditional, plus some smashed avocado that really makes this chip dip straddle the ceviche-guacamole line, depending on how much avocado is used. I found that one-half of a large avocado was just the right proportion to the rest of the mix and retained more ceviche characteristics than “guac”. The results were delicious in any case.
There have been several low-carb chip options over the years in this blog. Admittedly, I got a little lazy as well as curious for this one, with a trip to the local health store to see what I could find. Not a lot of truly low-carb choices, or they were low-carb but extremely high in salt content. However, taking the time to study labels did produce a low-sodium, extra-thin corn chip that brought down the carb count considerably. A blood sugar test after the taste test confirmed the low impact these chips had on the metabolism. Enjoy the games with this fruit-instead-of-fish ceviche and an ice-cold libation that is NOT beer, or a so-called margarita made with store-bought mixes or fruit juices. Be as creative in bartending choices as low-carb food menu planning, and your metabolism will be smiling all the way to the TV room for the games, whatever sport. Enjoy.
Rambutan Ceviche
Ingredients
20 rambutan fruits
1 half of a red onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeño, fine dice
Salt & pepper to taste
½ Hass avocado, diced small/smashed
Corn tortilla chips
Preparation
Peel, de-seed the rambutan.
Combine the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, & jalapeño with the rambutan and let marinate for at least 30 minutes but l marinate overnight.
Just before serving, add the diced & smashed avocado. Serve with low-carb tortilla chips and a cold drink. Enjoy the games!
