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Ambri Apples
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
The Ambri apple is an attractive variety with a distinctively oblong/conical shape, often flattened at the base. Some fruits also have some ribbing. Ambri apples are medium to large in size, and the skin of this variety has a reddish pink blush and some faint striping overlaid on a greenish-yellow background. The Ambri apple’s white flesh is creamy, crispy, aromatic, and sweet. This variety is not particularly juicy. The Ambri apple trees are fairly vigorous, tall, and broad. The trees produce a large number of fruits.
Seasons/Availability
Ambri apples are available year round.
Current Facts
Ambri apples are unusual in that they are India's only indigenous apple (botanical name Malus domestica). Although other apples have been introduced to India in more modern times, Ambris have been growing in the Himalayan regions of India for much longer. This variety should not be confused with the Lal Ambri, a newer variety that was developed from a cross of Ambri and Red Delicious. Other hybrids resulting from crosses with Ambris include Sunehari and Amred.
Nutritional Value
Apples such as the Ambri contain mostly water and carbohydrates. They are particularly high in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, good for immune and digestive system functioning. Other minerals such as potassium and antioxidants such as quercetin are also found in apples. One medium sized apple has about 95 calories.
Applications
Ambri apples are considered a good dessert variety because of their sweetness. Make them into sauces, pies, or other baked goods, or simply eat fresh out of hand. Pair with western flavors such as peanut butter and caramel, or with Indian ingredients such as ghee and cardamom. One of the selling points of the Ambri apple is that the variety has a very long shelf life under the right conditions. Store them in the refrigerator for a month or more, on the counter for a week or two, or even in cool dry conditions in a basement for up to a year.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
This apple was long popular in India, but fewer Ambri trees are now grown in the country. Starting in the 1960s, imported apples replaced the Ambri variety. Red Delicious has dominated the Indian apple industry for several decades. Today, there is a movement to reintroduce the Ambri back to Kashmir in northern India, to regain its former popularity.
Geography/History
Ambri apples have historically been grown primarily in the Himalayan regions of India, and today can be found in the Jammu and Kashmir region. Some apples are also grown in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. Other than the Ambri variety apples reached India primarily through the British during the middle of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. India exports only small quantities of apples, so Ambris are rare in the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Ambri Apples. One
is easiest, three is harder.
