What does dragon fruit taste like

What does dragon fruit taste like? Dragon fruit is another superfood also popularly called Pitaya. It is known to have an abundance of health benefits. Including loads of antioxidants, fiber prebiotics, vitamins, and a lot more. It can be incorporated into various dishes and smoothies.

In this article, we will be reading everything about dragon fruit. From where it originates, how to store them, how to consume them, and various other recipes.

What is a dragon fruit?

Mostly the dragon fruit comes from Mexico, Southern America, and Central America. However, it is grown in various other Asian countries also such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China.

Many people also call it strawberry pear Pitaya or pitahaya.

It looks very unique as compared to any other fruit and has bizarre features that you probably won’t get in any other fruit. Some of the features of this unique fruit contain decorative green skin along with its vibrant red rind.

This fruit originates from the cactus genus also known as Hylocereus. Many people also consider it a cactus, which is somewhat true.

The skin of the dragon fruit is green when it is in unripe condition and when it is in ripe condition. It is usually pink in color.

What does a dragon fruit taste like?

Dragon fruit after ripening usually has a mild sweet taste. That can be described as a similar taste when pear and kiwi or blended together. Its soft texture is kind of similar to ripe kiwi fruit.

Talking about an under-ripe dragon fruit it doesn’t have any flavors and usually is flavorless.

The dragon fruit plant is nothing but a cactus native to South America and Mexico. Before becoming a fruit it is in the form of a flower that is known to bloom in the dark.

These dragon fruits usually have a white flash inside them and hot pink in color from the outside. Similar to that kiwi seeds the dragon fruit also has tiny seeds that are usually edible.

The yellow variety of dragon fruit is known to have thorns that can be removed easily before eating. There are various other varieties of dragon fruit that we will be discussing further in the article.

How to know if the dragon fruit is ripe or not?

Usually, the pink-skin dragon fruit is the most common variety in the US. Which is harvested under the right conditions which are easier for shipping. Because of being under-ripe, it doesn’t spoil during the journey.

If we compare the white dragon fruit with the pink flesh dragon fruit. The pink flash category is considered to be sweeter.

When you are buying a dragon fruit from the market, always look for the one which is heavier in size. After picking it up you will realize which one is the heaviest. And then choose accordingly because usually the heavier the dragon fruit the juicier it is.

The dragon fruit should be pink from the outside and shouldn’t have any signs of bruises.

The best way to know whether the dragon fruit is ripe or not is to check if it is firm. Because usually, the ripe dragon fruit is firm.

You can use your thumb to apply some pressure on it while squeezing it. Similar to a ripe avocado the ripe dragon fruit has driving that turns yellow in color and brown on the tips.

How to cut and peel dragon fruit?

Take dragon fruit and wash it thoroughly before eating. Now cut it in half and slice it into pieces just like a baby watermelon slice.

You can also scope the dragon fruit from the inside with a spoon and slice it later.

You can find many YouTube tutorials for this that you can check for reference.

What is the best way to eat dragon fruit?

The best way to eat dragon fruit is when it is ripe as it is juicy and soft. Just as discussed above you can simply cut your dragon fruit in half and eat it right out of its peel. Which is considered to be the easiest way to consume it.

Even in a ripe condition, you can cut it into cubes or slices to blend in a fruit salad. These dragon fruits are most popular in drinks and smoothies. For example margarita and milk smoothie.

Is it possible to eat the skin of dragon fruit?

While there are many fruits that can be consumed along with its skin. For example grapes, apples, etc, many people might wonder if we can eat the skin of dragon fruit or not.

There are some people who believe that the skin of the dragon fruit is poisonous and harmful to one’s body.

However, there are other people who also say that both your mental and physical health is improved. If you consume the dragon fruit along with its skin.

We can’t be sure which of the above statements is true which is why we leave it up to your research.

Is dragon fruit good for health?

Well the name itself says that it is impeccably good for your health. And since it is a fruit and every fruit is healthy for the body.

Dragon fruit is rich in vitamin b and vitamin C. The flesh of the dragon fruit is known to be a rich source of fiber. And the seeds are also highly nutritious, unlike other fruit seeds.

This fruit’s seeds are amazing for your health. Natural bacteria in the fruit help in breaking down The fibrous shell by unlocking the prebiotic benefits.

In a Gist following are the benefits of dragon fruit –

Rich in antioxidants
Has flavonoids
contains vitamin C hydroxycinnamates
helps boobs your heart health
prevent cancer
good for your brain health
power pack of magnesium
contains minerals
reduces the risk of heart stroke and heart diseases
considered as a super fruit
helps control chronic illnesses like colon or best cancer and type 2 diabetes

Dragon fruit recipes

Following are the top three easy-to-make recipes from dragon fruit that you can definitely try –

Dragon fruit salad

Ingredients required –

Two tablespoons mayonnaise
half lemon juice
1 by 3 Cups 2% Greek yogurt
1 large ripe dragon fruit
one teaspoon honey
iceberg lettuce
One by three cup cashews that should be roughly chopped
half a cup of fresh cilantro leaves that should be freshly chopped
half a cup of red seedless grapes
one small Granny Smith Apple that should be cut into half-inch pieces
half a teaspoon of Kosher salt
half a teaspoon of freshly grated Ginger
one teaspoon honey.

Method –

Peel your dragon fruit and cut each quarter into one by 4-inch thick triangles.

Now take some mayonnaise, lemon juice, Ginger, honey, yogurt, and salt in a large bowl and whisk them together.

Now add some grape apples, 3/4 of the dragon fruit bases, and your cilantro and cashews to this bowl. Toss all these ingredients vigorously and refrigerate them for approximately one hour until they are chilled.

Now take your lettuce leaves and add a scoop of this salad on each of your lettuce leaves and garnish them with the remaining dragon fruit, cashews, and cilantro.

And there you go, you have an amazing dragon fruit salad ready for consumption.

Dragon fruit smoothie

As we discussed above, the most popular recipe made from dragon fruits is its smoothies. And we can bet that this smoothie will become your favorite once you try and taste it.

It is also very easy and simple to make which makes it even more favorite all.

Ingredients required

One peeled and sliced Red dragon fruit, you may also use the white dragon fruit
Two tablespoons flax seeds
One banana
One cup of unsweetened plain plant-based milk

Method –

Just take a small blender and pour all your ingredients in it and then blend them together until it becomes a smooth inconsistency.

This is American cuisine and takes approximately 5 minutes to get prepared.

It is the easiest recipe to make as you just need to blend all the ingredients together to make it into a smoothie or it into glasses and enjoy it as it is!

Dragon fruit ice cream

Yes, you heard that right!

You can also make dragon fruit ice cream at home. And trust me it is one of the most delicious recipes made from dragon fruit. And once you eat them there is no going back.

We will be sharing with you the easiest dragon fruit ice cream recipe.

Ingredients required-

One teaspoon vanilla
half cup sugar
one can of unsweetened coconut milk
3 by 4 cups of almond milk
2 dragon fruits that should be halved

Method –

Firstly get an ice cream maker and prepare it by following the instructions mentioned in the manual. Now take all the ingredients along with the dragon fruit and blend them together until they get smooth.

Pour this blended smoothie into the ice cream maker and use it if the mixture gets frozen completely.

Take a freezer-friendly container and pour your mixture into that container and freeze them for a few hours until this mixture gets firm.

Remove this mixture from the freezer just 10 minutes before eating.

How delicious is dragon fruit?

Dragon fruit is one of the most expensive fruits available yet the tastiest which is why it is good enough to buy it.

Its delicate and mildly sweet flavor makes it one of a kind. The flesh that you get inside the dragon fruit is usually creamy in texture and the seeds are usually crunchy.

Types of dragon fruits

There are majorly 5 varieties of dragon fruits.

White dragon fruit Hylocereus undatus

Among the various varieties of dragon fruit available in the market. The white dragon fruit is known to be the most prevalent variety of all.

If you ever go to the supermarket to buy dragon fruit white dragon fruit is the variety you will see the most.

The white dragon fruit has pink skin and the flesh is white in color when it is in ripe condition and tastes sweet.

However, it is also the second least sweet variety of dragon fruit among all the other five varieties that we will discuss.

If you are following a specific diet and want to cut down on your extreme sugar levels. Then the white dragon fruit variety can be the best choice for you.

Pink dragon fruit aka Hylocereus polyrhizus

The pink dragon fruit, majorly the second variety of dragon fruit, is pink in color from the outside as well as the inside just as the name suggests. The flesh of this variety of dragon fruit appears more attractive as compared to the white category of dragon fruit.

Talking about the sweet flavor, the pink variety is considered the sweetest and is usually used for making smoothies and cocktails because of its taste and the gorgeous pink color that it gives.

Even if you don’t add any sweetener or additional sugar this category of dragon fruit is the most loved dessert in Asia. People usually like to slice it in half and eat the flesh inside using a spoon.

Red dragon fruit Hylocereus Guatemalensis

The third category is the Red dragon fruit which is slightly different from the above-mentioned two categories. The flesh color of the Red dragon fruit is different as it changes from red to a darker red color.

This variety of dragon fruit is the sweetest when its skin turns into a deep red color. Just like the pink dragon fruit, even this variety is popular in the category of deserts. However, it is very rarely found and the most difficult to buy as compared to white dragon fruit.

Yellow dragon fruit Selenicereus Megalanthus

The fourth category which is the yellow dragon fruit is mostly grown in Central America and it is the most difficult to find as it is not widely distributed for commercial activities.

The color of this dragon fruit is self-explanatory Just like The other varieties it has yellow skin and the flesh is white in color. The size of the yellow dragon fruit is comparatively the smallest but it’s the sweetest of all.

Sour dragon fruit Stenocereus

Reading about the above categories you might think that dragon fruits are usually sweet, however, let us tell you that dragon fruits can be sour too. Yes, you heard that right! There is a category of dragon fruit which is known as the sour dragon fruit and it is rarely seen.

The sour category of dragon fruits is usually consumed in America and even grown in America. The appearance of sour dragon fruit is similar to that of the white dragon fruit; it also has a white color flash and pink skin. Also to mention these are the dragon fruit category which is considered to be juicier as compared to the white category of dragon fruit.

Be it any variety of dragon fruit we can bet that the taste of any dragon fruit will surely make you crave for it even more.

Which is the effective method for storing dragon fruit?

Storage for dragon fruit is similar to bananas and avocados and it also stays fresh under all storage conditions.

Storing the dragon fruit at room temperature –

If you plan to leave your dragon fruit in a dark and cool place for approximately 2 to 3 days the ripe dragon fruit will stay at room temperature for a shorter duration.

However, if it is an under-ripe condition you can keep it at room temperature till the time it returns and is ready for consumption.

Just keep in mind to avoid keeping it near any other smelly fruit since its flavor and smell might get affected.

Storing your dragon fruit in the fridge –

If you are planning to store your dragon fruit in the fridge, keep it only under under-ripe conditions because, under unripe conditions, fruit does not perform well when kept under low temperatures.

Before keeping your dragon fruit in the fridge it is better to peel it beforehand. If you eat your dragon fruit and then keep it in the fridge it can stay up to weeks just make sure to wrap it in a plastic bag or any other container and then keep it inside your fridge.

If you have already sliced your dragon fruit into various portions then it is better to store them in an airtight container and then refrigerate them. Also if you coat them with some lemon juice on top it helps to keep them fresh for a longer time. Also, note that if your dragon fruit is already peeled then its shelf life decreases and it is better to consume it as soon as possible.

Storing your dragon fruit in the freezer –

Well if you want to store your dragon fruit in the freezer then its shelf life increases by up to 3 months roughly. However, it takes more effort and steps to store them in the freezer.

Firstly you need to dice your dragon fruits in even smaller cubes.

Once done now you have to take a baking sheet and arrange them on it and just leave some space between every cube.

Now you have to place this baking sheet in your freezer and wait for a few hours until they are completely frozen.

Once you notice that your dragon fruit cubes are frozen properly you take them out from the freezer and then transfer them into any plastic container lastly put the container that has frozen dragon fruit cubes inside the freezer.

Well, this process definitely was a bit more elongated but it helps to store your dragon fruit for a longer duration.

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