How to Eat a Dragon Fruit

Try an exotic dragon fruit.

If its fierce, spiny exterior intimidates you, you'll want to know how to eat a dragon fruit before you get out your paring knife. Don't worry, though, because these harmless and delicious fruits don't breathe fire. Native to Mexico and South America, dragon fruits, also called pitaya, come with such exotic names as Lake Atitlan, Yellow Dragon and Dark Star. Frieda's, a specialty produce wholesaler, describes the taste as mellow and "slightly sweet, slightly earthy."

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Select a dragon fruit, or pitaya. In Mexico and South America, they are available fresh at many markets and stores. In the U.S., they are starting to pop up in well-stocked grocery stores during late summer and fall, and may also be found in ethnic markets.

2. Peel dragon fruit and eat it by the slice or scoop out the center and eat. The skin is not eaten, but the fleshy interior (which is generally white or rose colored) and black seeds are enjoyed much like a kiwi fruit.

3. Add dragon fruit cubes to fruit salad and surround the bowl with uncut fruits. Because of their exotic look, dragon fruits make excellent buffet table decorations.

4. Add slices of dragon fruit to a fruit pie or fruit tart, or float in a cocktail or sangria. Dragon fruit improves both the beauty and taste of fruit dishes and can serve as a palate cleanser.

Tips & Warnings

• Dragon fruit are good sources of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and minerals.

References

• Frieda's Inc.; Dare to Discover the Dragon Fruit; August 2009