Dragon fruit
A striking fruit with bright pink skin and speckled white or magenta flesh. It tastes mildly sweet, like a cross between kiwi and pear.
Dragon fruit (Pitaya): Nakna06, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Dragon fruit grows on climbing cacti native to Mexico and Central America and is now grown in Vietnam and other warm regions. It is eaten fresh, blended into drinks and used to color desserts.
Explore the cuisine of Mexico, Vietnam.
Nutrition: A light fruit with fiber and vitamin C.
Fruit guide
Enjoying Dragon fruit
Ways to enjoy it
- Chilled and scooped with a spoon
- In smoothie bowls
- Cubed in fruit salad
- Blended into juice
- Frozen into sorbet
- Sliced with lime
How to choose, prepare and store
- Choose fruit with bright, even skin and slightly yielding flesh.
- Chill in the fridge before cutting.
- Cut lengthwise in half.
- Scoop out the flesh with a spoon or peel the skin away.
- Slice or cube the flesh; the seeds are edible.
- Store uncut fruit in the fridge up to a week.
Variations
- White-fleshed: most common, mild taste.
- Red-fleshed: sweeter and deeply colored.
Cook’s tip: Serve very cold; chilling brings out its subtle sweetness.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Dragon fruit (Pitaya): Nakna06, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)