The mild-tasting nutritional dragon fruit with its black seeds is a summer delicacy grown in tropical climates. Full of vitamins and iron, the tropical fruit is a must-have in fruit salads due to its mild taste and nutritional value.
The hard pink skin and white meat inside look great in a bowl with a blend of pink, white, and black and a rich texture. If you have ever looked at this strange-looking fruit in the grocery store and have wondered how to cut a dragon fruit, then keep reading.
The article will guide you about this wonderful dragon fruit. We will discuss the varieties of dragon fruit, how to cut it, its nutritional value, and all you need to know about this amazing fruit.
How to Pick the Dragon Fruit?
Some consider dragon fruit to resemble Kiwi fruit due to its similar texture, but it belongs to the Cactus family. It's a native fruit to South East America and is also called Pitaya or Pitahaya.
The fruit has a bright pink exterior that is hard to touch. It's a native fruit to central and south America. The inside flesh is tender with white skin and black seeds scattered like watermelon seeds. There are some varieties with yellow or magenta flesh.
Look for fresh and ripe dragon fruit with shiny pink skin. The skin should be tight and without any blemishes. It should look fresh, all riped with fresh green tips. Brown patches, wrinkled skin, or discoloration signify damaged or old fruit.
So, in a nutshell, ripe dragon fruit has
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A bright pink color. It may be old and not good if it has yellow skin or brown patches.
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On touching, it does not have a rock-hard texture. If you can press the skin a little, that means it's fully ripened.
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The dragon fruit may be overripened if it feels too soft or mushy. You can still consume it, but you can't store it for later use.
Are There Any Varieties of Dragon Fruit?
Though we commonly see white or pink Dragon fruit, some varieties, like Yellow dragon fruit and purple dragon fruit, are not as widely available as the pink or white varieties of dragon fruit.
How to Cut Dragon Fruit?
Dragon fruit is easy to cut if you know how to. remove its hard skin. You can remove the flesh nicely, so it does not get mushy and looks presentable on the fruit salad bowl.
Step 1. Use a sharp knife to cut the dragon fruit in half lengthwise
Step 2. Peel the skin - two ways:
Peel the skin method A: Use a spoon to separate the flesh from the hard skin on both halves
Use a large spoon to do this - a serving spoon works well here. Once you are done you'll get something that looks like the picture shown below. No worries if some pitaya is left behind. You can eat the flesh that's still on the peel with a spoon at this point if you want!
Peel the skin method B: Cut into wedges and peel with hands (it comes off really easily)
Step 3: Cut it into chunks or wedges with a sharp chef knife
Once you have scooped out the flesh, it's time to cut it into smaller pieces. If you scooped it with a spoon, flip it over so the flat side is lying on the cutting board.
You can cut it into cubes or any shape. The size should depend on other exotic fruits in your platter but having bite-size cubes is good.
You can cut wedges and triangles or use small sharp shapes to cut in different interesting ways. The slices in the shape of fruit also look great if you want to.
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How Does the Dragon Fruit Taste?
It tastes great, to put it in fewer words. It is neutral and may not taste too sweet if not ripe enough. But the delicious fruit has a mild sweet taste if perfectly riped. Due to its mild taste, you can combine it with so many other fruits like strawberry, pear, or watermelon. It pairs well with seasonal fruits and is a must-have in a tropical fruit salad. Dragon fruit flesh looks perfect with its black and white flesh.
Does Dragon Fruit have any Nutritional Value?
Like other fresh fruits, dragon fruit comes with a lot of health and freshness. The fruit has loads of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. It contains vitamins C and A, magnesium, calcium, and protein.
The good thing is that it is packed with omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which are great for the brain. Vitamin C and antioxidants give it anti-aging properties. Minerals make bone strong, while the fiber in it helps it digest easily and is also great for the skin. A 100-gram serving of dragon fruit gives you 2.9 grams of fiber. Also, the fruit is great for type 2 diabetics.
How to Serve Dragon Fruit?
The versatile fruit can be consumed in too many ways. You can make it part of your fresh fruit salad or serve it with a dollop of cream. Cut the white fruit into smaller cubes and put it in a skewer with other fruits like mango, pineapple, or watermelon. Or if you are eating as-is, put it back onto the half shell and serve!
Like the Avocado smoothie, you can also make a dragon fruit smoothie. If you are serving it to your kids, drizzle some honey on top to make it look more interesting. You can sprinkle some powdered sugar(though not necessary) to make it more appealing.
Final Words
Dragon Fruit is a tropical delicacy with a lot of nutritional value. Its mild flavor, rich texture, and perfect looks make it an essential part of any fruit bowl. A fully ripe dragon fruit is a bit soft on the touch. Though cutting dragon fruit may seem confusing due to its hard skin and soft interior, it is easier when you cut it in half and scoop it out. The flesh can be presented in many ways depending on how you serve it. The contrast of bright colors, black and white, looks appealing, and a great way to present it is to use the pink flesh and serve it in the same outer shell.
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