Exotic Fruits 101

What to do with all those odd-looking fruits in the grocery store

Photo: sweetadditions.net

On a recent trip to the grocery, I couldn’t help but notice a large number of odd-looking fruits boldly displayed in colorful array in the produce aisle. While some looked relatively familiar, others seemed brand new to me. I decided to investigate.

It turns out that while odd-looking, many of the store newcomers are not only delicious, but versatile as well. Some taste like blends of familiar fruits, while others have flavors that are almost unrecognizable to our American palates. The fruits can, of course, be consumed as snacks and desserts but they also taste great sprinkled over meats, pureed into sauces and soups and even blended into salsas and cocktails.

Here’s a list of six of the more popular varieties, their characteristics and some ideas (follow links for recipes) on how to enjoy them:

Dragon Fruit, or Pitaya, is perhaps the most well known. It’s a sweetly flavored fruit with bright white or shocking pink flesh and tiny black edible seeds. Ripe fruit can be eaten right out of the skin. Dragon fruit tastes great when added to smoothies, pastries and preserves, even pizzas! Or, thread it onto skewers, grill over medium-high heat and serve with sugar for a delicious dessert.

Cherimoya is a green, grapefruit-sized fruit

with a reptilian-looking exterior and sweet flesh with a creamy texture. Bake, broil or sauté it for a delicious snack or side dish, puree it with lemon juice, olive oil and cilantro for a salad dressing or add slices on top of granola, vanilla yogurt or oatmeal.

Rambutan is otherwise known as “Messy Hair” in Vietnam due to its red hairy outgrowth on the shell.  Don’t let it dissuade you from enjoying this sweet and juicy fruit in curry or as a jam over ribs. I also found a great recipe for dragonfruit/rambutan mojitos.

African Horned Cucumber, also known as Horned Melon or Kiwano, is a cross between a melon and a cucumber. Its bright green flesh with soft edible seeds tastes like a blend of banana, kiwi and not surprisingly, cucumber. Try it as a sauce over grilled beef , slice it into squares or rounds for salads or use it as a substitute for vinegar in salad dressing, whisking the flesh into a little olive oil.

 

Mangosteen, also known as the “Queen of all tropical fruits,” is a mandarine-sized, purple skinned fruit that tastes like a blend of citrus and peach. It has a delicious floral taste and is usually best served simply. Try it in a fresh fruit salad or drizzle it with lemongrass syrup, chamomile or lemon juice for an added punch of flavor.

Starfruit, known for its 5-sided star-like shape has a paper-thin, glossy skin and a crisp and juicy flesh ranging in taste from tart to slightly sweet. In the United States the variety “Kary” is sweet and the varieties “Star King” and “Golden Star” are tart. Use it as a garnish for cheese platters, bake it into candied star-shaped chips  or try it as a steak marinade.

Happy shopping!

Posted by Carole Funger

#exotic fruits, #odd-looking fruits, #fruit recipes