Any time you’ve got scrolled by way of a meals influencer’s Instagram web page, you’ve probably come throughout these hard-to-miss shiny pink smoothie bowls lined in a rainbow hue of toppings. The fruit behind these masterpieces? It’s typically dragon fruit—also called pitaya—which is the fruit of a cactus plant boasting a creamy white flesh and flecked with small edible seeds, says Krista Linares, RDN, founder and proprietor of Nutrition con Sabor. Whereas initially indigenous to the Americas, primarily Mexico and Central America, it’s now additionally cultivated in a wide range of tropical areas in Asia and Australia. Many People in sizzling climates even develop it of their yard!
In case you haven’t tried dragon fruit but, you’re significantly lacking out. It has a fragile, delicate taste that Linares describes as a cross between a kiwi and watermelon. It pairs properly with extra powerful-tasting tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, she says, however you may as simply embrace it in vegetable-centric salads for a splash of sweetness.
To seek out your splendid dragon fruit on the grocery retailer, take into consideration the way you’d select an avocado. “You need to really feel the dragon fruit and select one which has slightly little bit of give to it, however just isn’t extraordinarily comfortable,” says Linares. Making ready it’s tremendous easy, too. All it’s good to do is reduce the fruit in half and peel the flesh proper out of the rind. To your comfort, although, many manufacturers like PitayaPlus, Foraging Organics, and Pitaya Foods promote useful packets of pureed, frozen or freeze-dried powdered dragon fruit which might be able to go the second they arrive at your door.
Dragon fruit is finest eaten uncooked. “Search for recipes that use uncooked dragon fruit like smoothies or sorbets,” Linares says. “A easy fruit salad would additionally make an important alternative for dragon fruit.”
Able to whip up one thing deliciously refreshing and dragon fruit-forward? Begin with these 10 delectable, candy (and even some savory) dragon fruit recipes.
