Plums, Peaches, Apricots (Aloo Bukhara, Aaru, Khubani): How to Pick (Video)

Transcript

Stone Fruit Basics

Ever wonder how to pick the perfect plum, peach, or apricot? I’ll share quick checks, storage tips, and a few easy recipes.

Quick Picking Checklist

Look for a sweet stem scent, a slight shoulder give, and no green at the stalk. Choose fruit just before they’re soft, then ripen in a paper bag for a day or two before refrigerating. Skip the kernels.

At a Glance

At a glance: pick with sweet stem, slight shoulder give, deep colour; avoid green shoulders, wrinkles, bruises, splits; ripen in a paper bag one to three days; store ripe fruit in the fridge for three to five days.

Season Calendar

Apricots arrive first, from May to July, in Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh and Himachal. Peaches follow from June to August across Swat, Peshawar valley and Kashmir. Plums share the June-August window in similar regions. The season is short, so grab the best fruit before it passes.

Stall Picking Tips

Check the shoulder colour, it should be yellow, orange or deep red, not green. Smell the stem; ripe fruit has a clear, sweet aroma. Press the shoulder lightly with your thumb, a tiny give means it’s ready. Smooth, taut skin is best; wrinkles signal drying.

Peach Ripeness

A peach is ready when its background has no green, it smells sweet, and it twists off easily. If it resists, leave it. To finish ripening store-bought fruit, place firm pieces in a paper bag on the counter, check daily, and let ethylene do its work.

Storage Secrets

Stone fruit bruises if piled. Lay peaches, plums, and apricots in a single layer on a plate or wide tray, spacing them apart. Keep ripe fruit in the fridge for three to five days; avoid chilling unripe fruit, which can become mealy.

Prep Steps

Wash each fruit under running water, rubbing gently for twenty to thirty seconds, no soap. To peel a peach, score the base, dip briefly in boiling water, then peel. To stone, run a knife around the seam, twist halves, and lift the stone out.

Nutrients Overview

A medium peach offers about sixty calories, vitamin C, vitamin A and two grams of fiber. Two fresh apricots give roughly thirty-five calories and beta-carotene for vitamin A. Two small plums also provide sixty calories, vitamin C and sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol that helps keep stools soft.

Simple Recipes

Plum chutney: chop ripe plums, add sugar or jaggery, salt, roasted cumin and a pinch of red chilli; simmer fifteen minutes. Peach lassi: blend a ripe peach with plain yoghurt, cold water and ice; no extra sugar needed. Khubani ka meetha is a simple apricot dessert.

Skin & Kernels

The skin of apricots, peaches and plums is edible and fiber-rich; some dislike peach fuzz and may peel. Skip the kernels, bitter ones contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide. Dried apricots may be treated with sulphur; brown ones are untreated.

Old Book Wisdom

In Unani tradition, plums and apricots are considered cooling. Dried plums are soaked and their water given for thirst, fever and sluggish bowels, though a fever over three days or above thirty-nine degrees needs a doctor. Sweet-kernel oil is a local practice, but bitter kernels remain unsafe.

Myths Debunked

Kernels do not cure cancer; the claim has been disproved and can be poisonous. A green-shouldered peach never becomes fully sweet, no matter how long it sits. A nectarine is simply a smooth-skin peach, and all these fruits belong to the same plant family.

Quick Take

Eat the fruit. Leave the kernel. Enjoy the flesh, avoid the stone.

Health & Safety

No kernels for children or as a supplement. Fresh stone fruits have moderate sugar; one peach or two plums with a meal is a sensible portion. Dried apricots are more concentrated, so count three to four halves as a serving. People with kidney disease should watch potassium, and anyone with a peach allergy needs urgent care if swelling occurs.

Thanks for Watching

For more details, read the full post on thecareonline.com. This guide is for general information and not medical advice.