The pomegranate — whose name, incidentally, comes from the Old French words for apple and grain — is a fruit that has long symbolized marriage. The ancient Greeks had a myth that Hades gave Persephone a pomegranate to eat just before releasing her from the underworld.
Today, the fruit is as popular as ever, but many people prefer to eat it without the seeds, or they have to seed it for use in recipes. This process can be not only tedious but messy; you can get red stains on your hands and clothes. We will show you how to do the job without making a mess.
The fruit that you select should feel heavy for its size. Cut off the top part of it and then cut the pomegranate into four wedge-shaped pieces. Hold each wedge in a bowl of water while you remove the arils — the juicy sacs that surround the seeds. If any debris remains floating on the water, throw it away.
Use a colander to strain the water from the arils, which can then be used for a variety of recipes that call for pomegranate seeds. For instance, they can be used in salads as a substitute for croutons, which can be salty and unhealthy. The arils can also be used as a garnish on a main entree dish. Whatever the purpose for which you use the arils, they should be eaten whole, which includes the seeds.