Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The green fruit is rich in pectin, which sets the sauce as it cooks. The figure is taken from USDA FoodData Central, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a food fact?

Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Salsa verde thickens because of tomatillos

The green fruit is rich in pectin, which sets the sauce as it cooks Tomatillos are husked fruit related to the tomato, with a tart flavour and a high pectin content. When they are roasted or boiled and blended, that pectin thickens the salsa and gives it body, so it clings to a chip rather than running off. Mexican cooks also char the fruit for a smokier sauce. It sits in Mondo's food collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

USDA FoodData Central

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Food & Cooking trivia

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Tags: salsa, tomatillo, pectin

Salsa verde thickens because of tomatillos: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The green fruit is rich in pectin, which sets the sauce as it cooks. The figure is taken from USDA FoodData Central, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a food fact?: Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.