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Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is a delicious fruit that's brightly colored and tastes sweet. To eat your fresh dragon fruit, there are a couple ways to remove the skin. You can cut the dragon fruit lengthwise into sections before peeling the skin off using your fingers, or you can scoop the flesh out using a spoon. Make sure all of the skin is off of the dragon fruit before enjoying it! Show
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Co-authors: 4 Updated: September 9, 2021 Views: 48,536 Article Rating: 72% - 5 votes Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
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Pitaya! Dragon Fruit! Whatever you call it, this tropical fruit can be mysterious. Let’s take a look at how to cut dragon fruit, and how to eat dragon fruit. We’ll also go over dragon taste, fruit varieties, and nutrition and benefits. At the local farmers market last week I noticed the most beautiful tropical fruit display. As usual, I picked up some avocados, passion fruit and dragon fruit for the kids. While you’re here, you might also be interested in How to Cut a Pineapple, Papaya, How to Eat a Kumquat, and How to Perfectly Cut an Avocado. Check out all our favorite Exotic Fruits here! What is Pitaya Fruit?Dragon fruit has a soft dragon-like spikes on the outside, and soft, juicy fruit with seeds on the inside. It grows on a climbing cactus called hylocereus, that grows in tropical climates. Indigenous to Central America, pitaya has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. It’s now available all over the world, and easier than ever to find, as it is sold fresh, frozen, and even in powdered form. It’s referred to by several names including strawberry pear, dragon fruit, and pitaya. What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?Dragon fruit has a very mild flavor that has been described as a tropical pear. It has a soft, sweet, yet crunchy (because of the seeds) interior, which is reminiscent of kiwi. Different varieties of dragon fruit taste different. My favorite is yellow dragon fruit, which I find to be sweeter and more flavorful. Types of Dragon FruitThere are several varieties of dragon fruit, and you may not know what’s inside until you cut one open. Let’s look at the most common varieties. Red Dragon FruitDragon fruit (pitaya) with red skin can have either red, pink, or white flesh. However, it doesn’t have much flavor. It’s great for adding to tropical smoothies that have flavorful ingredients like pineapple and mango. The white flesh variety is the most common and the least sweet. Pink Dragon FruitDragon fruit with pink skin (pictured at the top of this article) and light purple flesh is sometimes labeled as “American Beauty” in stores. It also has a mildly sweet flavor similar to the red pitaya. Yellow Dragon FruitYellow dragon fruit has yellow skin with a white interior with slightly larger black seeds. It’s sweeter than the red varieties, but harder to find. I find the yellow fruit to be the tastiest. How to Eat Dragon FruitYou can eat dragon fruit plain, like any other fruit. However, it has a very mild flavor, and I personally prefer it with a little lime juice squeezed over. How to Cut Dragon FruitStep 1: Cut in HalfWash and dry your dragon fruit and cut it in half lengthwise. It may have tough bits at the bottom that need to be removed first. Step 2: Peel the Dragon FruitTurn the fruit cut-side-down and peel the skin off. Alternatively, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out. Step 3: CutCut the peeled dragon fruit into slices or cubes. Dragon Fruit BenefitsPitaya fruit is a good source of energy. It’s low calorie, fat free, and provides important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Some studies also suggest it may support gut health.
To make dragon fruit balls, cut the dragon fruit in half lengthwise, but don't remove the skin. Use a melon baller to make balls of fruit and use in a tropical fruit salad, cocktails, or place back into the dragon fruit skin. How to Eat Dragon FruitEnjoy dragon fruit flesh straight from the skin, or add to salads, fruit salads, smoothies, pitaya bowls, juices, and cocktails/mocktails. |