HOW TO CUT DRAGON FRUIT
How to Cut Dragon Fruit
Learn how to cut dragon fruit to enjoy in or in recipes like fruit salad or pitaya bowls. Take fruit, cut it in half, remove the middle and slice or scoop it for your favorite fruit recipes.
This slightly sweet fruit is good to eat on its own, add to smoothies or drinks, or a meal on its own.
What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, strawberry pear or hylocereus, is a fruit with a mild and sweet taste. This unique fruit gets its name from its skin and spikes. Looking at the artichoke, the pointed “scales” around the oval fruit resemble those of a dragon.
Although it is native and grows in Central America, dragon fruit grows in many tropical areas, including the United States, Australia, South America, and Southeast Asia. Vietnam is one of the largest suppliers of dragon fruit in the world and dragon fruit is an important commodity in the Asian market.
Do you know? Dragon fruit is actually part of the cactus family; Hylocereus species proper. Dragon fruit grows on vines and the largest dragon vines can stretch up to 30 feet! They start as flowers and the final product is what you buy and eat at the store.
Health benefits of dragon fruit
Dragon fruit has many health benefits as it is rich in antioxidants, vitamins (especially vitamin C), and fiber.
Specifically, dragon fruit has been shown to promote heart health, reduce insulin resistance and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and improve gut health.
A form of Dragon Fruit
There are three main types of dragon fruit. Red-fleshed varieties tend to be tastier than white-fleshed varieties.
1. White dragon fruit:
This variety has bright pink skin and white flesh with small black seeds.
2. Red Dragon Fruit:
The variety has the same shiny, shiny skin, but the red flesh is bright red inside. This type of dragon fruit is usually found when you buy a bag of frozen pitaya at the grocery store. This type is sweeter than the white one and can easily damage your skin when cutting, so be careful about that!
3. Yellow Dragon Fruit:
The type has yellow skin and has different numbers of patterns, but has the same white flesh inside as the dragon fruit.
Picking ripe Dragon fruit to cut
1. Give it a squeeze:
Ripe dragon fruit will yield a little, like a ripe avocado.
2. Look at its color.
Ripe dragon fruit will have a bright pink color all around and a beautiful skin. The unripe dragon fruit will be green in color.
3. Look at the spots on the skin.
The “wings” (spotted parts of the leaves) of the ripe dragon fruit will have started to shrivel up a bit. If the feathers are still very bright (or haven’t started to color yet), they’re not ready to eat.
If only the dragon fruit in your store is unripe, you can always buy them and let them ripen at home by putting them in the under room temperature in your kitchen.
How to Cut Dragon Fruit
Cutting the fruit can be scary, like trying to cut the tough skin off a pineapple. If you’ve chosen ripe dragon fruit, it’s a stress-free process to completely harvest the fresh fruit. The skin on the surface is soft and easy to cut.
How to Cut Dragon Fruit
Step 1: Cut it in half
Start by placing your dragon fruit on a cutting board lengthwise (the wood should be facing the edge of the table). Cut the dragon fruit from top to bottom, leaving two halves that are similar in shape and size to a sliced avocado.
Step 2: Remove the skin
Next, you will need to remove the skin from the dragon fruit so you can easily slice the meat. Do your best to remove as much flesh as possible to get the most out of the fruit. Note that you don’t need to remove the skin if you plan to use a melon baller.
step 1: scoop out the flesh
Starting at the base of the dragon fruit, carefully place the tip of the spoon where the skin of the dragon fruit meets the flesh of the dragon fruit. Gently pushing a spoon into the fruit, separate the dragon fruit from its skin. If you already have a avocado, this is the process very similar.
Step 2: peel the skin
If your dragon fruit is ripe enough, you can remove the skin the same way you cut a banana. .
Step 3: Cut the Dragon Fruit (3 Ways)
Now that you have carefully removed the flesh from the fruit, you are ready to cut it. Decide how to prune your dragon fruit based on its purpose. The three most common ways to cut dragon fruit are into cubes, halves, or spheres.
Cut into slices
Place the dragon meat on a flat side and cut the dragon fruit into ½ to 1 inch slices. The dragon fruit centerpieces will be big and half-moon shaped, so turn the pieces on their sides and cut them in half again to make long, stick shaped pieces of the dragon fruit body.
Cut into cubes
Follow the above procedure to wash the dragon fruit, turn it on the other side and cut it into small pieces about ½ to 1 inch. Freeze cubes right away with enough water to add to those dragon fruit smoothies.
Scoop into Balls
Keep the skin of the dragon fruit while cutting it in half, then use a small melon baller to remove the spheres.
- Expert advice Always use a sharp knife! A sharp knife is better to use when working with food and provides a better cooking and cutting experience.
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Starting at the top of the dragon fruit as the skin here is a little thinner compared to the head where the stem is thicker.
How to store dragon fruit
Storing whole dragon fruit before cutting:
Whole (uncut) dragon fruit can be stored at room temperature. However, if the dragon fruit has ripened and you are not ready to enjoy it, store it in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. Storing Sliced Dragon Fruit: If you do not plan to use your sliced dragon fruit at once, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Fresh cuts do not have a long life, so it is important to use them quickly. If your refrigerated dragon fruit starts to turn brown or mushy, it’s rotten and you should throw it away.
How to Freeze Dragon Fruit:
Dragon fruit can also be frozen for up to six months. To freeze your dragon fruit, place fresh slices of breadcrumbs in your freezer. Once frozen, put it in an airtight container and put it back in your freezer. Frozen dragon fruit will be good for up to six months. Use it straight from the freezer in smoothies or bowls or let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator for a fruit salad.