Dragon fruit, also called pitaya, pitahaya, or strawberry pear, is native to Central and South America but is now grown in other tropical and subtropical regions in countries like India, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines. There are four different species of dragon fruit. Yellow-skinned and white-fleshed dragon fruits (Selenicereus megalanthus) only have one known variety. The remaining three species have skin that ranges from light to vibrant pink with white flesh (Hylocereus undatus), red or pink flesh (Hylocereus polyrhizus), or bright purple flesh (Hylocereus guatemalensis). There are many dazzling varieties like David Bowie, which has a bubblegum pink outside and bright white inside and Zamorano, which are rounder in shape and have beet red flesh. Most dragon fruits range in size from about four to six inches, but the Voodoo Child variety is smaller and egg-shaped, reminiscent of a prickly pear fruit.
Once you get your hands on one, you may be wondering how to cut dragon fruit, and what to do with the shell. This fruit is actually super easy to prepare; if you've cut an avocado before, you can cut a dragon fruit. All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board.
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An uncut dragon fruit will last for one to two weeks, but that time will vary, depending on how long the fruit was already sitting in the store before you bought it. Keep it on the counter if you want it to ripen a bit, or stash it in the refrigerator to slow the process down.
Once a dragon fruit is cut, it tends to go bad pretty quickly. The flesh can oxidize and turn mushy within just a couple days. If you have some leftover fruit that you plan to eat pretty soon, an airtight container is your best bet for storage. Otherwise, freezing freshly cut dragon fruit is a great way to keep it usable for months to come.
To try it, just cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces, and freeze the cubes in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. Once frozen, transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe resealable bag or container. The fruit will stay vibrant and flavorful for up to about six months. Use the pieces to make instant sorbets, smoothies, sauces, aa bowls, frozen cocktails, or even yogurt parfaits!
When ripe, dragon fruit smells pleasantly floral, with that characteristic honeyed tropical fruit funk, though not nearly as pungent as durian. Unripe dragon fruit has no discernable smell, but when they have gone bad, they smell rancid. While yellow and red-fleshed dragon fruits are sweeter, all dragon fruits have a pretty mild taste and can benefit from additions to give a little oomph. A drizzle of honey can make a world of difference. You don't need much, but the complex sweetness of honey dials up the subtle flavors of the dragon fruit. Using yogurt as a base for a dragon fruit-centric breakfast, snack, or dessert is another excellent way to enhance flavor. Yogurt adds creaminess, heft, and tang.
Large retailers like Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway, and Whole Foods Market sometimes carry fresh dragon fruit in the produce section. However, this is more of a specialty item, so it's worth double-checking the availability at your local location. You will probably have the best luck at a market specializing in Latin American or Asian products.
Dragon Fruit is native to Central American and its neighboring areas. It came to Southeast Asia about a century ago and is believed to have been brought to Vietnam by French missionaries. It is now very popular throughout Southeast Asia where there is an ideal tropical climate to grow this cactus-like green plant with its abundance of large flowers that become the red fruit. Because of its beautiful looks and auspicious name, dragon fruit is often seen in Thailand and Vietnam on ancestor altars or being presented to a friend as a gift. It is quite dramatic looking both inside and out.
This deep rich yellow-orange papaya is so delicious and creamy. I was careful to add it gently into the salad, mixing just enough so that the papaya flavors become well combined with the dragon fruit and Thai grapefruit.
Pomelo, the third ingredient in my salad, is also known as Asian or Thai grapefruit. It adds a citrusy sweet and sour flavor to the salad. In America, pomelo is available in the markets for many months beginning in September. Please check my blog post on Pomelo Salad with Crab to learn about Thai grapefruit and how to open them.
Som Tum Pollamai has become a trendy dish in Thailand over the last few years, even though it has been known for centuries. It is simply a fruit salad with an accent of Thai herbal flavors and aromas. Dragon fruit, papaya and pomelo make a great combination because they give you a great anti-oxidant boost and much more. My friend commented that this would make a great fruit dish for a holiday brunch as well as being fun to serve at a poker party because the cubed dragon fruit look so much like dice.
Mix sugar, lime juice and salt together in a small bowl and stir well. Place the mixed fruits in a large salad bowl, then sprinkle the liquid mixture over the fruit; toss gently but thoroughly until the dressing and fruits are well combined. Chill in the refrigerator for at least a half-hour to let it sit and develop flavor. Before serving, add lemongrass, Kaffir lime or lime peels and mint and mix gently. Garnish with mint leaves or short stalks of lemongrass as desired.
Dragon fruit are native to Mexico, Central America, and South America (Crane & Balerdi, n.d.). Many species of Hylocereus have been recognized, but there are still issues about correct identification. The main two species grown for commercial production include Hylocereus undatus, which has fruit with bright pink skin and white flesh, and Hylocereus sp., which has fruit with bright pink skin and varying hues of pink flesh. Both have multiple varieties. Selenecereus megalanthus is another dragon fruit grown for commercial production, which has fruit with yellow skin and white flesh (Lobo et al, 2013). All dragon fruit have black tiny edible seeds that are similar in appearance to kiwi seeds. The texture of dragon fruit is similar to kiwi or watermelon, and the flavor is mildly sweet with subtle earthy notes. The cultivars with deeper pink flesh are said to have the most flavor (McEachran, 2015). Dragon fruit are roughly the size of a baseball, but oval shaped.
The summer (June through September) is the main season for fresh dragon fruit. August and September are the peak months for most varieties; however, varieties of Selenecereus megalanthus produce fruit during the winter months of November through February (Lobo et al, 2015).
The fruit also has good potential to be processed into many products, thus adding value. These processed products include energy and fruit bars, ice cream, jelly, marmalade and preserves, juice, pastries, pulp, and yogurt. The juice of the red varieties can also be used as a natural food colorant and dye, and, when unopened, the flower bud can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable (Crane & Balerdi, n.d.) (Lobo et al, 2013).
Many other countries commercially produce dragon fruit, including but not limited to Nicaragua (primary producer of Hylocereus sp. in Central America); Colombia (primary producer of Selenecereus megalanthus); Ecuador (producing Hylocereus sp. and Selenecereus megalanthus); Vietnam (primary producer of Hylocereus undatus in Southeast Asia); Thailand; Malaysia; and Israel (Lobo et al, 2013).
In 2016, California was in its fourth year of a severe drought. This had made producing certain crops within the state more challenging (Ross, 2021). Fortunately, dragon fruit plants are quite drought tolerant, thus the plant is being grown in certain areas to replace traditional crops such as citrus and avocados (McClurg, 2015). Dragon fruit require anywhere from 25 to50 inches of water per year, and too much irrigation must be cautioned to avoid flower drop and fruit rot.
Dragon fruit plants are considered a climbing cactus, and commercial orchards need to use some form of trellising to support the plant. Dragon fruit plants can produce fruits after one year of establishment and can stay in production for approximately 30 years (Harrington, n.d. 2018).
Another important note when establishing a dragon fruit orchard is the pollination requirements. Many cultivars are self-pollinating, however, some happen to be self-incompatible, and thus need cross-pollination to develop fruit (Crane & Balerdi, n.d.).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.
Exotic fruits have surged in popularity in recent years. Acai Berries, for example, have become a staple in juice shops and smoothie bars across the country. On a recent trip to my local Hannaford supermarket, I came across red bananas, a petite variety of the elongated staple, but with a dark red outer peel. I excitedly bough a whole bunch and ate them obsessively. I was astounded by the fact that bananas can be red. Who knew?
Passion fruit, cherimoya and pepino melons have also made regular appearances, all of which I assume were impossible to find in neighborhood supermarkets twenty years ago. Among the most visually dazzling fruits that I have come across is the pitaya, also known as dragon fruit.
As you may have predicted, these fancy fruits have a rather hefty price tag. A single specimen will run you about five or six bucks. So, in my opinion, is dragon fruit worth the investment? I tried a fresh ripe fruit (the magenta exterior and white interior type) to find out. 152ee80cbc
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