What Are Golden Berries? The New Taco-Friendly Superfood!

Taco 2
Ally-Jane Grossan

A strange yellow fruit concealed in waxy leaves is about to take the health world by storm. Like the goji and açai berries before it, the golden berry, or Physalis Peruviana, is a nutrient-packed, odd-tasting berry. With a name like that and a mysterious origin story in the Peruvian and Colombian mountains, golden berries are well placed to become the next superfood.

Fresh golden berries are sold either in their tomatillo-like waxy husk or already peeled. Often labeled "inca berry" or "cape gooseberry," they've started to appear on North American grocery shelves. They resemble perfect, firm yellow cherry tomatoes, but familiar flavor references are hard to come by upon first bite.

The texture closely resembles a tomatillo, but the flavor is hard to pin down. Perhaps it's a mixture of kumquat, apricot and persimmon? A mash-up of sweet familiar flavors with a wrench of tartness thrown in. This strangeness makes the golden berry a surprising addition to much-loved classics. Balance its sweetness with cilantro and onion in a pico de gallo atop pan-fried tilapia for a cleaner take on the fish taco.

Fish Tacos With Golden Berry Salsa

Servings: 6 tacos

Ingredients

  • 1 pound white fish, such as tilapia
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • Cabbage
  • 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Salsa
  • 20 golden berries
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped poblano pepper (or jalapeño for more heat)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • Salt

    • Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the shredded cabbage, olive oil and salt together and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then use a spoon to mix and redistribute the cabbage. Continue to cook at 5-minute intervals and redistribute the cabbage until about 1/2 of it is browned.
  • Make the salsa by finely dicing the berries, and add to a small bowl with the finely chopped onion, cilantro and poblano. Toss with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Combine the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper together and sprinkle on both sides of the fish.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the fish for three minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 6 equal pieces.
  • Construct the tacos with a base of roasted cabbage followed by the fish and two tablespoons of golden berry salsa.

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