This is our latest fruit-ilicious discovery! We always like to share whenever we find a new fruit of outstanding deliciousness and boy-o is this fruit delicioso!! I'm sure y'all have seen the red dragon fruit before as it has been quite popular for many years now. But to be honest we've been avoiding the red skinned dragon fruit for a while now, finding that the taste is quite 'meh' nowadays. Maybe from over production? Don't know, just know that it doesn't taste as nice as it used to.
We found these yellow skinned fruit in the sale bin the other day and decided to try them, not even knowing that they were related to the red dragon fruit at all. Upon consuming we found that the white flesh of this yellow dragon fruit 麒麟果 so refreshingly sweet and juicy that we actually went back to the store for more the next day and the next... Nom, nom! It's soooo good!
This yellow dragon fruit is also known as yellow pitahaya or pitaya. In Chinese they call this fruit the 麒麟果, which translates as "qilin fruit" or "kirin fruit". The quilin (kirin) 麒麟 is the mythical Chinese unicorn chimeria, part horse, part deer, part ox and the only one horned creature in the Chinese pantheon of legendary animals. Quite the big name for a little fruit to carry, eh? But now that we've tried the fruit I realize why it can carry such a weighty name...
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| (S. megalanthus cactus with fruit, photo by Jnn, CC by 2.1 JP DEED) |
The most interesting thing that I found out when I was researching this yellow dragon fruit is that it is actually the fruit of a cactus! Can you imagine that? I had no idea that the fruit of a cacti could be so big, let alone so damn sweet and juicy. It makes those stories of desert travelers surviving on cactus way easier to believe in, that's for sure.
But don't be thinking that these luscious fruits are for the easy plucking. These fruits are protected by lotsa long prickly thorns! You can see them sticking out in the photo above. These thorns must be cut off the fruits before shipping to the markets.
When buying look for nice heavy fruits with unblemished skin except for the tips of the raised bumps that will have a scab from where the thorns have been cut off. The color should a sunny yellow color and the flesh quite firm. At home keep it at room temp for a couple of days to ripen into a darker yellow with the flesh having a slight give when pressed. That will be the perfect time to eat the fruit.
Here is the yellow dragon fruit after a few days of ripening at home. See the color has deepened and is more saturated. And the scabs are drier compared with the photo two above which shows the freshly bought yellow dragon fruit.
To prepare for eating is simple. Just slice off a bit at the two ends.
The peeled yellow dragon fruit looks like this. A pale globe of succulence.
You can slice up the fruit however you like. Dice, rounds, etc. You can actually even just use a spoon to scoop it right out! The white flesh has a soft texture rather like kiwi fruit and is super juicy, not like water melon where the juice is easily squeezed out but still just as juicy. The taste is a delicate but not subtle sweetness that just shouts "refreshing!" This is one of those tastes that you will remember and long for.
And you see the black seeds inside the white flesh? Those will crunch most delightfully as you eat the fruit. Ooooh yeah, I am in food love with this sexy yellow dragon fruit!
Fruit-ilicious at The Hong Kong Cookery:
You mention the flavor of the dragon fruit does not have the same taste as you remember. It is normal for some foods to not taste the same as your own taste buds change over time. By the time you are about 60 years of age, you will have lost the use of about 50% of your taste buds. The result is that foods will not taste the same as you remember. The loss of taste buds is a constant process of growing older. The fruit will produce the same flavors as always, but your ability to taste them changes with the loss of taste buds.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's an interesting food fact! I'm pretty sure, however, that the once delightful red dragonfruit has declined in flavor, at least the ones we can buy here in HK. Maybe it has to do with where it is grown?
ReplyDeleteYes these yellow dragonfruits are absolutely delicious! Do take note that they’re great for *ahem* smooth bowel movement so don’t overeat 🤭
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh that's hilarious 😂! I will inform my family of this immediately. Thanks for the heads up. ~ellen
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