Physalis in the farmsteads of Ukrainian gardeners are not uncommon. Ornamental varieties of the American annual were loved by our gardeners thanks to exotic fiery red sepals with a small berry inside. And the vegetable and berry varieties of this plant were appreciated by local mistresses for the rich nutrient composition and balance between the constituent sugars and acids. During the year, a fertile bush can bring up to 200 fruits, so there was a need for winter harvesting. How to cook Physalis, we will tell in the article.
Harvesting for winter storage
Depending on the characteristics of the variety, Physalis fruits appear on the 80th - 100th day after seed germination. Ripe specimens can self-crumble and remain intact on the ground for about ten days. Harvesting takes place in stages: every week you need to collect the fallen boxes and pluck those that matured.
It is important that before the onset of frosts all the berries are removed from the bush, because they will soon begin to deteriorate in frozen form. Try not to damage them in order to keep as much useful elements and acids as possible in the pulp. In rainy or wet weather, it is better not to plan fruit picking. Wait for the sepals to dry up.
Learn more about harvesting apricot, apples, chokeberry, cantaloupe, dogwood, and gooseberry for the winter.If you want to leave Physalis for the winter in unprocessed form, it is also advisable to dry it before laying it in the storage. Watch the temperature in the room. It should be within 12 - 14 degrees of heat.
The crop needs to be folded in a thin plastic lattice box with the paper covered with the bottom. Ripe specimens lie about two months, and greens can live to March. Periodically inspect your bins for spoiled fruit.Did you know? In folk medicine, Physalis is used as a diuretic, analgesic and relieves inflammation, fever, and is also recommended as a preventive measure for cholelithiasis.
Vegetable and berry Physalis: what is the difference
All Physalis belong to the family of the nightshade. Externally, they are ornamental shrubs 50–100 cm high with very branched strong roots, straight stems and thin oval leaves with slightly toothed edges. Botanists counted about 117 species of these plants and only ten of them are fit for human consumption. Among the edible varieties distinguish vegetable and berry group.
All varieties of vegetable Physalis or, as it is also called, Mexican unite large orange fruit weighing up to 150 g with a low content of dry substances. Most often in private farms are cultivated "King", "Confectioner", "Gribovsky soil", "Tomatillo".
Important! The composition of the fruits of Physalis found 3 - 6% of sugars, 1 - 2.5% of proteins, tannins, pectins, citric, malic, succinic acids, steroid compounds, essential oils, vitamins of group B, C, PP, macro - and microelements.Berry (or Florida) pubescent varieties are distinguished by small light green berries the size of a pea, weighing about 3 g. Their advantage is a pleasant sweet taste and a pronounced aroma. Such samples contain up to 15% of fructose, which is equivalent to raspberries and strawberries. Popular varieties are "Philanthropist", "Sorcerer", "Surprise", "Columbus".
Sweet Physalis Recipes
Fruits of pubescent form, as a rule, are consumed fresh, as well as for the preparation of compotes, jelly, jam and other sweets. We offer you a selection of the best and affordable blanks from Physalis berry.
Did you know? The name "Physalis" is of Greek origin and is translated as "bubble". Obviously, the name of the plant was due to its specific sepals.
Jam
For the preparation of this delicacy you will need 1 kg of florid type Physalis.
It must be cleaned from sepals, rinsed in warm water and each needle pierced with a needle. Then prepare the syrup from a pound of sugar and half a liter of water. After the mixture boils, stand on the fire for another five minutes. Pour the finished liquid berries and leave for four hours. Then add another pound of sugar, stir everything and, stirring constantly, boil for about ten minutes. After the specified time, set aside again. 
After six hours, pour another pound of sugar into the saucepan and, stirring, put on the fire, cook until ready. Then pour the finished product into clean jars and roll metal lids.
Did you know? Tajiks use Physalis to prepare medicines for colds and stomatitis in children.
Candied fruit
This dish is made from fresh Physalis jam. It is necessary to remove the whole fruit from the syrup and dry it.
To do this, some housewives simply overturn the container with the jam in a sieve, drain the berries and spread them on a pre-heated baking sheet. Top cover with cardboard sheet or other thick paper and sent to languish in the oven at a temperature of 40 degrees.
Important! In the finished jam, the foam is going to the center of the pan, the berries become translucent and are evenly distributed in the syrup, the sugar syrup becomes thick.Some do not use the oven, and dried in room conditions, but this process takes much longer. When candied dried, on top of them are treated with powdered sugar, poured into a glass container and close the lid.
Compote
Prepare a delicious compote of exotic fruits is possible only by choosing ripe specimens with soft skin.
First of all, they must be cleaned, washed with running water from dust and dirt. There is no need to cut, because the healing juice and flavor must be preserved. Then put the prepared berries in a bowl and scald with boiling water, leaving for a few minutes in the same container.
Carefully remove the product from boiling water with a spoon or a slotted spoon and transfer it to another bowl of ice water. Blanching will relieve the product from mucus and a bitter aftertaste. Then sugar is dissolved to taste in water, berries are added and cooked over low heat. To improve the taste, you can add prunes, dried apricots or other dried fruits and citric acid at your discretion.
Ready compote is poured into jars and rolled. 
Raisins
For the preparation of raisins also need very ripe fruit.
As with all recipes, they should be cleaned, washed and planted. Then on the berries it is necessary to remove the thin transparent skin and spread them in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
Dry in the oven at a temperature of 60 degrees, occasionally turning. You can put prepared Physalis on a piece of cloth or thick paper and dry under the sun. This delicacy is used for baking, stewed fruit and puddings. 
How to procure vegetable Physalis for the winter
Vegetable species of this plant due to light bitterness in the taste are more suitable for pickling and pickles. But from their berries, you can also make amazing jam. Here are the recipes available to any cook from Physalis Vegetable for the winter.
Salty
At the bottom of each jar, place a clove of garlic, a piece of horseradish root and bitter red pepper, a sprig of dill, washed leaves of currants and cherries. You can also add tarragon, mint, basil, celery, fennel, parsley (count 50 g of spices for 1 kg of berries). Pour the peeled and washed physalis from above.
In the meantime, prepare the pickle. To do this, dissolve in 1 liter of hot water 60 g of salt, bring to a boil. Fill the contents of the cans with liquid and cover them with two-layer gauze or another not very thick cloth. Put in a warm place for fermentation for a week. 
Periodically remove the white foam that appears from above. The fruits will be ready when the pickle turns sour. Drain it and boil it, then pour it back into jars and roll it up with metal lids.
Important! After uncorking a jar of jam, the product can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 14 days..
Marinated
For canning 1 kg of Physalis vegetable in the form of a marinade, you will need peeled and washed fruits.
While water will be drained from a colander, we will prepare a marinade. Boil 1 l of water, add 50 g of sugar, 40 g of salt, 10 g of vinegar, bay leaf, a pinch of ground cinnamon, 4 peas of allspice and 5 carnations.
We put berries in jars and fill them with prepared liquid. Top it with a lid and sterilize another 15 - 20 minutes. After that, you can close the jars with a sealer key and, wrapped in a warm blanket, put to cool. 
Caviar
Delicious caviar can be prepared from a pound of ripe fruit. They must be removed from the sepals, washed with warm water and cut into four pieces. Then heat the pan and fry in sunflower oil each piece separately from all sides. Salt, pepper, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar, add bay leaf, chopped 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped dill and parsley, twisted onion and carrot in a meat grinder (200 g).
You will be interested to know that caviar is cooked from the squash as well.Mix all the ingredients, add chopped parsley root, pour into the griddle, add vegetable oil and simmer until ready. This dish can be prepared for the winter or served at the table instantly. In the case of canning cans should be sterilized and add half a tablespoon of vinegar to each.
Soaked
Washed fruits should be scalded with boiling water, then dipped in cold water. 
Then remove the transparent skin from each and pour into prepared jars. Content pour brine from 1 liter of water, 10 g of salt and 35 g of sugar.
Put oppression on top of each container, and remove it in a week and cover the cans with nylon covers. Keep refrigerated.
Did you know? In Asia, they believe that raisins should be dried exclusively in the shade. For these purposes, clay log houses with many holes in the walls are reduced there. This technology allows the product to retain its natural color.
Jam
In contrast to the berry vegetable Physalis, you will need not only to rinse with warm water, but also to flush out the bitterness in the taste and mucous plaque. While the berries dry in a colander, prepare the syrup. To do this, 1 kg of fruit will need half a liter of boiling water, in which you need to dissolve 500 g of sugar and keep on fire for no more than five minutes. Pour the prepared liquid into a pan with Physalis and leave for four hours. Then add another pound of sugar, gently stir, boil on low heat after boiling for another ten minutes. We stand for about six hours and again add 200 g of sugar, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Vegetable Physalis jam is ready. Pour into cans and preserve.
