If you’re thinking of adding a cactus-like appearing fruit (you guessed it right! Dragon Fruit) to your fruit bowl, then you must know how to cut a dragon fruit.
Cutting a dragon fruit can seem like a daunting task by merely looking at that. But once you go through this article, you’ll be thrilled to know how easy-peasy this task is. On top of it, the benefits of this fruit will make you feel like how come you didn’t know about this tropical fruit before.
Apart from the white pulp, dragon fruit also comes with purple pulp. But that’s its inside story for which you need to be skilled in how to cut a dragon fruit. Before that, you must know how to check if a dragon fruit is ripe so as not to bring home an unripened one.
What Is Dragon Fruit?
Also known as pitaya or strawberry pear, dragon fruit is a fruit natively found in Southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. It is a good source of calcium and vitamin C. You can find it in yellow and red skin, whereas the pulp can be white, magenta, and red. Some people find its color quite intriguing whereas others enjoy its bittersweet taste, and crunch and get swayed by its health benefits.
What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?
Dragon fruit bears the sweetness of a pear and the mild bitterness of a kiwi. Typically, dragon fruit comes with inside fruit of white color in pink and yellow shells. It also comes in a covering of red shells with reddish, white, or purple pulp inside.
How To Tell If Dragon Fruit Is Ripe?
Before you proceed with the learning procedure, you must know if your dragon fruit is perfectly ripe or not. So here are a few things that you must check to know whether you’ll get the right taste or not:
- If the skin of your dragon fruit is bright and shiny pink and its tips have a fresh green color, then you can have it. In case the color of its skin or tips is pale or discoloured, consider it as a red flag which means it is not good to consume now.
- Dragon fruit that is just right ripe will give you a smooth feel on touching from the outside.
- If you feel a tender texture (but not too mushy) on firmly pressing the dragon fruit, congratulations, you’ve found a healthy and ripened one.
- Always look for wrinkle-free dragon fruits because their smooth outside covering is a sign that it is fresh.
- If you see a dragon fruit with brownish stems, it is double ripe, I mean, overripe.
NOTE: Dragon Fruit also comes in yellow and red coloured shells. Whichever color you have, just make sure it is shiny from the outside, smooth to touch, not too mushy on pressing, and has fresh-looking stems.
How To Cut A Dragon Fruit?
You’ll find numerous articles on the internet regarding how to cut a dragon fruit be it red, yellow, or pink. But it depends on you which method seems most convenient to you. So let’s proceed:
1. Scoop It Out With A Spoon
Here is another way for those who wish to know how to cut a dragon fruit:
- This time, we’ll first cut the dragon fruit into two equal halves from top to bottom (vertically).
- Then, take a spoon, and exert a little pressure with it along the sides of the fruit. This way, you will get the skin separated from the inside fruit.
- Now take a half, turn it upside down and chop the dragon fruit. Do the same for the remaining half.
- What’s next is nothing, just put it into a bowl, grab your fork, and dive in.
2. Take The Peels Off First
Here comes one more alternate way to get the dragon fruit out of its shell:
- Peel off the skin with a little force right from the stems of the dragon fruit.
- Gradually, do the same rotating the dragon fruit once you’re done with each part.
- Then cut it into two halves (vertically or horizontally). You can even cut it into small quarter-sized bites.
3. Cut It Into Circles
One of the easiest of all the ways on how to cut a dragon fruit is to cut it into a circular shape. But how? Let’s see…..
- To begin with, cut out both the tails of the dragon fruit.
- Then cut circular portions of the same width.
- Remove the skin in a circular motion moving your hands and knife around the shape.
Chef’s Tip
Let’s Do It Chef Kunal Kapoor’s Way
- Firstly, keep the dragon fruit on a plate or chopping board, and hold it with one of your hands.
- Hold the knife in your free hand (right or left whichever you’re comfortable with).
- Cut down both of its tail ends.
- Then hold it upside down with one of your hands and mark a cut on one side of the fruit.
- Then peel off its skin with your hands.
- Again hold it upside down with one hand and cut it into two halves.
- Then slice it up as if you’re slicing an apple.
Catch the chef doing a live session on how to cut a dragon fruit for you here.
How To Eat Dragon Fruit?
We’ve just discussed how to cut a dragon fruit. Now let’s learn some interesting ways to consume it:
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Have It Alone
You can have dragon fruit all by itself only without any pairings. It is a party-fancy healthy fruit that can be used as a starter on the menu. Just slice it up or cut it into cubes and enjoy. Or if you want to add something, relish it with a cup of yogurt.
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Mix It Up In Salads
Fruit salads are always a treat for the taste buds. You can add dragon fruit slices to salads.
But be thoughtful of which fruits can be mixed with it. Its subtle taste combines well with apples, grapes, and bananas and you can add cashews, nuts, and lettuce for crunch.
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Try Dragon Fruit Sorbet
Dragon fruit sorbet is one of the easiest-to-make desserts in the world. Just blend dragon fruit pulp, 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice, and powdered sugar (as per taste) together. If you think the puree has become too thick, you can add some water, but less than a cup. Then churn this mixture in an ice cream maker or blend it in a mixer/blender and enjoy your sorbet.
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Enjoy It As A Dip
There are ‘n’ number of recipes for dragon fruit dips on the internet. You can savour it with nachos, tacos, or chips.
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Make A Smoothie Bowl
People prepare dragon fruit smoothie bowls and enjoy them as breakfast. Nevertheless, you must be thoughtful of which fruits can be mixed with it. You can combine dragon fruit with frozen bananas and blueberries to make a nice smoothie bowl and add some Macadamia nuts on the top.
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Sip It
Dragon fruit juice is a good choice for balancing blood sugar levels and improving stomach functionality. You can add a little lemon zest or juice and sugar to it for an added punch of flavor’s.
How To Store Cut Dragon Fruit?
So far we’ve seen various ways on how to cut a dragon fruit and tips to enjoy it. Now, you must know how to store and preserve it.
Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit with a short shelf life. That’s why it must be consumed within 2 to 3 days and it should be cut down only when you’re going to eat it. However, if you’ve already diced it up and now want to know how to store dragon fruit after cutting, here you go-
- Transfer the dragon fruit cubes to a plate or baking tray, seal it tightly with plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer.
- Leave it in the freezer overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- Then take out the dragon fruit and transfer it into a zip lock pouch or an airtight container (ensuring there is no way for air to enter), and store it in the freezer.
This way, you can preserve the dragon fruit after cutting for a month or two. Make sure to check the texture, color, and smell of the dragon fruit before using it in any of your recipes.
In case the color of dragon fruit has changed and gone dull, it has gone bad and is not healthy to consume.
Uncut dragon fruit can be stored in a fridge vegetable basket to preserve it for a week. Make sure it is kept in a plastic bag to not let its odor mix with milk and other eatables.
Health Benefits Of Dragon Fruit
Consuming dragon fruit is beneficial for a number of reasons:
- Good For Gut Health: Dragon fruit is said to have probiotics that improve gut health and support good bacteria.
- Helps In Weight Loss: It is rich in fiber and makes you feel full for longer so can help in weight loss also.
- Protects From Free Radicals: Although free radicals are responsible for quite a number of beneficial chemical reactions in our body, their reactive tendencies have the potential to harm one’s overall health. Dragon fruit keeps a control on their release.
- Keeps Vitamin C Levels Intact: Dragon fruit is enriched with Vitamin C and antioxidants that keep impaired body reactions at bay.
- Strengthens Bone Health: It is a well-known source of calcium. Thus it fosters bone health and any related problems such as Osteoporosis.
NOTE:
Although dragon fruit is a health-replenishing fruit, some people might feel some strange reactions after eating it, for example- itching, swelling, irritation in the mouth, etc. This can happen to people who are allergic to this fruit, although the cases are rare. Nevertheless, if you have any doubts, you can check with your doctor first.
People often get puzzled thinking about how to cut a dragon fruit. The above blog states four different manners to cut a dragon fruit. Do mention in the comment section which option worked the best for you.
Frequently Ask Questions
Q1: How should I select a ripe dragon fruit for cutting?
Ans: When choosing a ripe dragon fruit, look for one with brilliant, even-coloured skin that is unfastened from principal blemishes. It ought to provide slightly while lightly pressed, just like a ripe avocado. A candy aroma is also a great indicator of ripeness.
Q2: What tools do I want to cut dragon fruit?
Ans: To reduce dragon fruit, you may need a sharp knife and a reducing board. A spoon will also be reachable for scooping out the flesh as soon as it is cut open. Make certain your knife is sharp to make the system simpler and more secure.
Q3: Can I eat the skin of a dragon fruit?
Ans: No, the skin of a dragon fruit is not normally eaten. It is typically difficult and inedible. You should peel the pores and skin to get right of entry to the sweet and juicy flesh interior, that’s suitable for eating part of the fruit.
