How To Eat Star Fruit
The star fruit is a tropical fruit that is now cultivated in Florida, Hawaii, South America, Australia, and in most places in Southeast Asia. It has been cultivated in the Moluccas islands (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and Malaysia for hundreds of years. The star fruit is also known by various other names, such as carambola, belimbing, and bilimbi.
Appearance And Taste
The star fruit is pentagonal in shape. When it is sliced down the center, it has five points and resembles a star. This explains how it got its name. The outer skin is yellowish in color with a smooth waxy texture. The taste of the star fruit is a blend of several fruits like lemons, pineapples, and plums.
Step One: How to Pick a Star Fruit
To ensure that the fruit is fresh, buy the ones that have an even coloring all over. The skin should be shiny, and the feel of the fruit should be firm. Do not pick fruit that are turning brown and whose ribs are shriveled. You can ripen these fruits at room temperature, and after the ribs turn a light brown, you know that the fruit is ripe. It can also be eaten as a dried fruit, which is quite delicious.
Step Two: The Varieties Of Star Fruit
A tropical fruit, the star fruit comes in two varieties. One variety is sweet, whereas the other one is slightly sour. The sour, or tart variety, has narrower spaces between the ribs, whereas the sweet variety has ribs that are fleshy. The taste of the two varieties is very similar, as the tart variety is also fairly sweet.
Step Three: Benefits Of Eating Star Fruit
Star fruit is packed with vitamin C. It is an excellent fruit to have during the winter season, to avoid getting a cold or the flu. This is also a good fruit to have when you are trying to lose weight as it is low in calories and fat. There is no cholesterol or sodium content in the star fruit, which makes it suitable for people who are hypertensive or have heart problems. The star fruit is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, which are good for health and are anti-aging agents.
Step Four: How To Store A Not Quite Ripe Fruit
To store fruits that are not quite ripe or ready to eat, keep them unwashed in plastic bags either at room temperature, when it takes around 2 to 3 days to ripen, or refrigerated, when it takes a week to ripen. Turn over the fruits that are not ripe often, and do not leave them lying on one side until they ripen.
Step Five: Eating The Fruit
To eat this fruit, wash it, remove the blemished parts, and deseed it. You could either slice it or bite into it and eat it. Other options are to add it to a fruit salad, stew it, and make preserves or tarts. This fruit could also be used as a garnish for fish, pork, or chicken recipes. You could add it to a smoothie to make it a health drink.
