Take A Sweet and Tangy Bite Out Of Nergi Kiwi Berries...

Have you seen these fruity cuties? Nergi is a healthy snacking kiwi berry that just arrived to the Canadian marketplace, grown and imported from Southern France and Portugal.

Looks like a grape, inside like a kiwi, tastes sweet and tangy, not only are they fun to explore but highly nutritious! Categorized as "super fruits", I am also calling them wonder berries cause they are packed with goodness- rich in vitamin C for energy, source of vitamin E to fight against free radicals contributed to aging, dietary fibre to aid in digestion and a host of other vitamins and minerals. 

Nergi (pronounced energy) has been around for a thousand years originating from Asia! So how fitting is it to showcase these wonder berries in a refreshing Japanese-style pork and pear salad in my Asian cooking class with seniors? Thin slices of pork are sauteed with garlic serving as a base for this lovely fresh salad that keeps piling up! Layering with crunchy juicy Asian pear and red pepper matchsticks, a host of aromatic Shredded Asian herbs such as shiso, cilantro and green onions and fresh strands of pea shoots and alfalfa sprouts scattered about. Round Nergi kiwi berries then adds the counter to the tendril textures and delivers the pretty kiwi centre pop! Simple splashes of soy sauce and fresh lemon juice ties all the flavours together! #nergi #partnership

Served alongside Ginger Pork (Shoga yaki) with cooked bean sprouts and steamed rice & green peas, what a satisfying home-cooked Japanese lunch cooking session with the addition of trying something new with my senior learners in our community kitchen!

Rice with Green Peas, Ginger Pork (Shoga yaki) and Pork Aromatic Salad

Just pop & eat, no need to peel!

The learners having their first taste!

My lovely students and friends slicing up Asian pears for our refreshing salad!

The salad ingredients spread.

Putting it all together in the plating demo!

voilà!

The round kiwi berries adds a texture counterpoint to this tendril and strand heavy salad!

Itadakimasu! (Bon Appétit in Japanese)

Rice with Green Peas, Ginger Pork (Shoga yaki) and Pork Aromatic Salad

So I was first introduced to these wonder berries at Nergi's private tasting media launch party at Ricarda's on Peter Street, Toronto.

Five chefs. Five inspirational dishes from savoury to sweet including a Nergi shooter to start things off at this mingle cocktail-style venue.

Chef Pascal from France showcasing his Nergi profiterole creation (see below).

We were treated to various ways Nergi can be prepared, and they dialed it up several notches for sophistication. You can cook them and serve as a sauce, slice to top as a garnish cause it's kiwi-esque is so pretty, blend to make a cool sorbet with the addition of beer, and much more. 

Sit back scroll and relish in the deliciousness you can haute with Nergi!

Scallop Ceviche with Coconut and Nergi

I love foie gras, and this was the "station" for me that night! 

Chinese star anise added a nice Asian spice to the Nergi pan sauce. 

How about Nergi beer sorbet to cleanse the palate before moving onto to somethin' somethin' sweet? Apparently this flavour profile is very indicative of that in Trou Normand, France.

Tangy and refreshing, the beer and Nergi infusion works!

These sweet Nergi mini eclairs were very popular that evening

Doesn't the cross section of kiwi berries pop as the ultimate garnish? 

Crispy Profiteroles with goat cheese and Nergi.

Hearing the delightful remarks from seniors on my Japanese-style pork and pear salad with Nergi, I'd say this dish is a great contender in the line up of delicious offerings for these kiwi berries. Give it a try (recipe below)... your taste buds will thank you for it 😋 Check Nergi out for more tasty inspiration.

But hurry, they are only available for a very short time- from now until Mid-November, you can get them at Loblaws, Longos and Sobeys!

Full Recipe:

Aromatic Pork, Pear and Nergi Salad
Makes 4 servings

1 Tbsp. oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb. finely sliced pork (use freeze technique above to make slicing easier)
salt and pepper

1 Korean or Asian pear, sliced into thin sticks

red pepper, thinly sliced

1 pkg. (125 g) Nergi, sliced in half  
a bunch cilantro leaves
green onions, thinly sliced on an angle
perilla or shiso leaves, thinly sliced into strips
alfalfa sprouts
pea shootssplashes of lemon juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic for 15 seconds, then add the pork. Stir-fry until cooked through about four minutes. Remove onto serving vessel.

Cover generously, layered with the pear, peppers, Nergi and herbs or toss ingredients together and scatter over the pork. Give a few squeezes of lemon, drizzle soy sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.