jujube

1 spiny tree having dark red edible fruits [syn: jujube bush, Christ's-thorn, Jerusalem thorn, Ziziphus jujuba]

2 dark red plum-like fruit of Old World buckthorn trees [syn: Chinese date, Chinese jujube]

3 chewy fruit-flavored jellied candy (sometimes medicated to soothe a sore throat)

English

Etymology

From ζίζυφον.

Noun

jujube

1. The sweet and edible drupes (fruits) of several Mediterranean and African species of small trees.
2. a fruit-bearing tree, Ziziphus zizyphus

Translations

• Korean: 대추 (daechu)

For the chewy candy, see Jujube (confectionery).

Culinary use

The freshly harvested as well as the candied dried fruits are often eaten as a snack, or with tea. They are available either red or black (called hóng zǎo or hēi zǎo, respectively, in Chinese), the latter being smoked to enhance their flavour http://www.seasonalchef.com/jujubes.htm. In mainland China, Korea, and Taiwan, a sweetened tea syrup containing jujube fruits is available in glass jars,photo and canned jujube tea or jujube tea in the form of teabags is also available. Although not widely available, jujube juicehttp://www.tianjiaohong.com.cn/ecpjs/ZAOZHI.HTM and jujube vinegarphoto (called 枣醋 or 红枣醋 in Chinese) are also produced.

In China, a wine made from jujubes called hong zao jiu (红枣酒) is also produced.http://www.tianjiaohong.com.cn/ecpjs/ZAOJIU.HTM Jujubes are sometimes preserved by storing in a jar filled with baijiu (Chinese liquor), which allows them to be kept fresh for a long time, especially through the winter. Such jujubes are called jiu zao (酒枣; literally "spirited jujube").

In addition, jujubes, often stoned, are a significant ingredient in a wide variety of Chinese delicacies. In Persian cuisine, the dried drupes are known as annab.

Other uses

The jujube's sweet smell is said to make teenagers fall in love, and as a result, in the Himalaya and Karakoram regions, men take a stem of sweet smelling jujube flowers with them or put it on their hats to attract the opposite gender.

In traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, jujube and walnut were often placed in the newly wed's bedroom as a sign of fertility.

In Japan, the natsume has given its name to a style of tea caddy used in the Japanese tea ceremony.

In Korea, the wood is used to make the body of the taepyeongso, a double-reed wind instrument.

Pests and diseases

Witch's brooms, prevalent in China and Korea, is the main disease affecting jujubes, though plantings in North America currently are not affected by any pests or diseases.

Names in other languages

• Arabic - ennab (عنّاب) or sedr (سدر)
• Assamese: - 'bogori
• Bangla: - boroi
• Chinese - zǎo (simplified: 枣; traditional: 棗; Wade-Giles: tsao; also hóng zǎo (红枣), dà zǎo (大枣), hēi zǎo (黑枣), or zǎozi 枣子)
• Gujarati: bor (બોર)
• Hindi: ber
• Japanese: natsume (棗)
• Korean: daechu (대추)
• Marathi: bor (बोर)
• Persian - annab (عَنّاب)
• Thai Language - Bhud-Saar (พุทรา)
• Turkish - hünnap
• Tamil - elanthai
• Telugu - regu pandlu-(రేగుపండు)
• Urdu - ennab (عنّاب)
• Vietnamese - táo tàu

References

• Fruits in Warm Climates''. J. F. Morton, Miami, FL: 1987.
• Nutritional data for the jujube
• On the Medicinal uses of Jujube and its cultivation in Iran
• Photos of jujubes growing on trees
• Photo of a bottle of Taiwanese jujube wine
• Photo of a jar of Korean jujube tea
• Photo of a package of Korean jujube tea