Like dragon fruit, another pretty, popular tropical fruit is starting to gain in popularity. Star fruit is often used to garnish dishes due to its resemblance to tiny stars when cut. However, this fruit does not only look good, it tastes good too.
Star fruit has a taste that is both sweet and sour. Its flavor is somewhat of a mix between a pear and a grapefruit. It’s fleshy, juicy, and due to its edible peel, has a bit of crunch.
While there are two main types of star fruit, finding them can be a challenge. And even if you do find the less common variety, it’s not incredibly different from the common variety.
Types of Star Fruit
Basically, there are two types of star fruit, sweet and sour. However, the sweet variety is also fairly tart and the tart variety can be ripened enough to become sweet.
Size is a fairly easy way to gauge between the two types. Generally speaking, larger star fruits are milder and sweeter. The smaller star fruit tends to be tarter, and tangier.
Ripeness
Similar to other types of fruit, star fruit tastes best when it is perfectly ripe.
If you get an unripe star fruit, it will be much more sour and tart. It may also have some citrus flavor to it. It will also be much less juicy than ripe star fruit.
A ripe star fruit will still have a bit of tang to it, but it will also be much sweeter and juicier. It has a somewhat sharp flavor and sometimes a bit of a floral taste.
Unripe Star Fruit
While ripe star fruit is sweeter and juicier, unripe star fruit has a place too.
It’s commonly used in salsas and salads and has a nice bright bold flavor. Unripe star fruit goes particularly well with cilantro. It can also help to tone down some overly sweet dishes
Texture
Star fruit has a waxy skin that is crunchy and crisp. This skin is completely edible and meant to be consumed with the flesh of the fruit.
The seeds inside the star fruit are also edible. However, they are quite hard and often difficult to chew so it is common to remove them before eating.
Star fruit is commonly referred to as having a texture that is similar to a kiwi.
Choosing a Ripe Star Fruit
If you are looking for a sweeter, juicier star fruit, you’ll want to get a ripe one.
Look for a fruit that is almost all yellow. If it has some tiny hints of green, it might be okay, but you want yellow.
The skin should be shiny and smooth with no bruising or marks.
You want a fruit that feels heavy which likely means it’s juicy. In addition, you should be able to smell a bit acidic or citrusy.
Final Thoughts
Star fruit is sweet, sour, and tangy with juicy flesh. Its waxy skin is nice and crunchy.
If you like your fruit sweet, look for one that is perfectly ripe. However, if you’re a fan of a tart and tangy flavor, try to get one that is still slightly green.
