Pomegranate x 5

The arresting beauty of a bejewelled pomegranate is enough to make it a temptation in itself, but the burst of sweet juice from each ruby seed is the real delight. Used largely in Middle Eastern cuisine, pomegranate adds both colour and flavour and is a quick and easy way to elevate the appearance of a dish.

A pomegranate can hold anything from 200 to 1,400 individual seeds. To separate these from the inedible rind and pith various methods can be used, but the easiest is to hold half the fruit over a bowl and hit the rind with a large spoon until most seeds are dislodged.