Have you ever tried the Pinkish-red or yellow-looking fruit with the texture of kiwi and flavour of a pear? It looks like something that Jabba the Hut from star wars would eat wouldn't you agree? :)
That said, dragonfruit is a distinctive fruit originating in Mexico, Central & South America from where it found its way to be cultivated in southeast Asia and became very popular. It flourishes abundantly mainly during summer and early fall. It also has a more exotic name called Pitaya. Pitaya is a name related to a cactus species with a flowering fruit that only blooms from evening till night ready for bats, moths, or hand-pollination, and by morning it wilts. Talk about high maintenance!
It reminds me a lot of kiwi for its texture of flesh, seeds and its juiciness with is a range of sweet & sour flavour based on its ripeness. There are two main varieties; the ones with pink skin and yellow skin. The yellow dragon fruit is smaller with a much sweeter exotic tropical flavour and more juice than the dragon fruit with pink skin. The pink skin dragon fruit is known to be more expensive and less popular as it is known to be more acidic.
Dragon fruit has been part of Indigenous people from Central & South America as well as in South Asia for centuries. Most commonly served as a garnish, in salads, paired with seafood or blended into a refreshing smoothie or cocktail.
Here is a recipe I like to wake up to:
Jabba the Hut Smoothie
1 Large dragon fruit, peeled and cut into pieces
5 Strawberries cut into halves
1 banana cut into pieces
200 ml plain greek yogurt
2 teaspoons of honey (add as for your preference)
A little bit of ice
1. Blend it all together and pour it into cups.
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