Dragonfruit (dragon fruit) or Pitaya
Between the hotel and moving my residence I have had no time to write about anything. I was shopping at 99 ranch the other day and saw, much to my surprise one of my all time favorite fruits…Dragonfruit. Either by not paying attention when I am shopping or just some bad luck/timing I have not see these types of Dragonfruit (white flesh) since I left Vietnam. I have run into plenty of red and sometimes yellow fleshed varieties but the white ones have escaped me…until now.
The Dragonfruit, or Pitaya as it is more commonly known is a fruit from the Hylocereus undatus cactus and is native to Mexico and central America. Sometimes these cactus’ can produce 5-6 harvests a year, depending on water and other climate conditions.
The white fleshed fruit have a very sublime flavor to it, slightly honeyesque, crisp and a bit crunchy…kinda like a kiwifruit but not really. Besides the Rambutan & Pomelo, the Pitaya is one of those things that when I see in a store I act like a little kid. I raid the store and make special trips just to get my hands on these until the season is over, contemplating when the next season will arrive…
Pitaya or Dragonfruit are best when consumed fresh. They have a decent shelf life and once cut will last a couple of days before they start to degrade. I most enjoy these fruits alone, peeled of their magenta outer skin and with a cup of tea. One could make a miang with these, or a small amuse bouche if you cut in a small dice. Thai basil, mint and cilantro are some of the herbs that best compliment this fruit, so one could make a ceviche and sprinkle this along with the fresh herbs on top or it may find its way into a fruit salsa or as garnishment on a chilled soup. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination, just remember to keep the seasonings and dressings to a minimum so you do not overpower and lose the unique flavors of this great fruit.
Best,
chefRob
Jan 31 2009
Jaqueline,
I did a bit of research into your question and found the following information on the nutritional value of Pitaya.
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Est. Percent of Calories from:
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Tags: asian food, dragonfruit, food photography, Fruits
Bom, primeiramente, gostaria de dizer que adorei esta fruta (pitaia). Tem um sabor excepcional, diferente e delicioso. Mas gostaria de conhecer os benefícios que ela traz para o organismo.Tal como seus nutrientes, minerais…
Se for possível tal informação, agradeço atenciosamente…
hi, could you recommend a recipe for dragon fruit drink?
Val,
Hi and yes, I think I can offer up some tips for a dragon fruit drink. I prefer the white flesh ones, the red ones taste like regular cactus fruit that we see around San Diego, where the white ones are sublime and have a slight hint of honey…
Since the flavor is pretty mellow, I would simply add some palm sugar to the flesh, with a bit of water (or mirin, skipping the palm sugar) and puree it. Add a bit of soju for some kick or keep it non-alcoholic…
I have made sorbet with it while oversees, but to be honest have not experimented with it too much on the beverage side. Next time I see some at 99 Ranch I’ll use a couple and see what I can come up with…hope this helps!
masih kurang. perlu ditambah dengan kontra indikasi dari konsumsi buah pitaya ini. Tapi yang sudah ada sangat bermanfaat. thanks.