Dragon fruit is such a smooth tasting lush fruit which is easy to cut, eat and perfect to hold. In this article, we have provided everything in detail about dragon fruit such as how to cut a ripe dragon fruit with paring knife and chef’s knife, test a dragon fruit for materialization and many more.
What is Dragon Fruit?
Some people think that sliced dragon fruit looks like a kiwi inside, but it’s a warm-season fruit that is actually a form of prickly pear. The dragon fruit is basically native to central america but it is available throughout the world. The speciality of dragon fruit is its bright pink outer part and white from inside having black seeds dispersed throughout the fruit. But less common variations have lilac or yellow muscles.
How to Pick Out a Good Dragon Fruit
Always consider shiny looks and bright pink flesh having fresh green tips when you go for buying dragon fruits. And don’t buy wrinkles and have blemished or brown coloring dragon fruit.
When is Dragon Fruit is Ripe
Following symptoms of ripe dragon fruit:
How to Cut a Ripe Dragon Fruit with Chef’s knife
What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?
The taste of dragon fruit is very exciting and delicious, you can say that it has a slightly neutral taste. Most people think of it as a cross between a mild kiwi and a pear. Some people also think that it is a bit bland due to their mild taste. Because of its mild flavor, I like to mix dragon fruit with other fruits to make a big fruit salad or platter rather than eating it on its own.
Is Dragon Fruit Healthy?
Yes, dragon fruit is also healthy just like other fruits. It also contains fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Dragon fruit has an excessive amount of vitamin c and magnesium. This beautiful tropical fruit may seem curious— even a little scary. But once you learn more about it, you will see how easy it is to cut, eat and enjoy dragon fruit.
Way to Enjoy the Dragon Fruit
Aside from smoothies, as we’ve already discussed, there are several ways to enjoy this tasty steamy treat:
Nutritional Benefits of Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruits are considered to be one of the highly efficient vitamin c supreme fruits. A one-cup serving of this fruit gives 29g of carbohydrates, 3g of protein and 0g of fat. Moreover, it also has other flavonoids like betalains and carotenoids. Both antioxidants help to reduce the stress in the human body and fight against cancer. With 7 grams of fiber per cup, it’s a great choice for getting whole-food fiber. Beside all of these features, it is also a major source of iron such as one cup of dragon fruit has 8% of RDI. In the last, we would like to say, it is a great source of magnesium as each cup has 18% of RDI.
Knife Skills Needed
Many new chefs or home consumers are a little afraid of dragon fruit because it is so exotic in places like the United States, Great Britain, and Europe. However, once you get the initial half-cut of the fruit, you’ll soon learn that it takes a bit of skill to get the cut you want. The best knife skills for this job would be a soft draw for cutting lengthwise and if you need to cube the inner fruit. our recommendation for cutting a dragon fruits are Chef’s knife and Paring knife such as Wusthof Classic 8” Chef’s Knife and Henckels 4” Paring Knife.
FAQs
What is the Difference Between White and Pink Dragon Fruit?
White dragon fruit has a mild flavor while the pink dragon fruit has a sweeter and juicier taste. The vibrant pink color is the main factor that separates these two fruits, meaning more antioxidants! There is no major difference in surface between white and pink dragon fruits.
Can I Eat the Dragon Fruit Skin ?
Well the skin of dragon fruit is non-toxic, you feel a somewhat sour and leathery taste when it is fresh. It could be best for savory dishes such as oseng-oseng. You can also use its skin for making the tea after it dries.
Do I Have to Remove the Seeds?
No, there is no need of removing seed from dragon fruits as they are edible and have many healthy benefits.
Conclusion
Dragon fruit is a nice addition to a fruit smoothie, grilled chicken dip, or a charcuterie board. With a little patience and courage, you can learn how to cut dragon fruit using a standard chef’s knife and paring knife like the products we recommend above. Good luck and we hope you enjoy this delicious exotic fruit!