Step #1: Choose Your Dragon Fruit.

Choosing a Ripe Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit is a beautiful fruit grown in Southeast Asia, Mexico, Central and South America, and Israel. The plant is actually a type of cactus, and the fruit comes in 3 colors: 2 have pink skin, but with different colored flesh (one white, the other red), while another type is yellow with white flesh. Dragon fruit is low in calories and offers numerous nutrients, including Vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, plus fiber and antioxidants.

Dragon fruit tastes wonderful! - sweet and crunchy, with a flavor that's like a cross between kiwi and pear.

Step #1 - To choose a ripe dragon fruit: look for bright, even-colored skin. If the fruit has a lot of blotches, it may be over-ripe (a few is normal). Another sign of over-ripe dragon fruit is a very dry, brittle brown stem, or brown on the tips of the "leaves". Hold the dragon fruit in your palm and try pressing the skin with your thumb or fingers - it should give a little (like a ripe kiwi), but shouldn't be too soft or mushy. If it's very firm, it will need to ripen for a few days.

Step #2: Cut the Dragon Fruit

Cutting the Dragon Fruit

Placing the dragon fruit over a cutting board or other clean surface, cut the fruit straight down the middle with a sharp knife. It will cut quite easily.

Step #3: Open the Dragon Fruit

Opening the Dragon Fruit

Cut through to the other side, so that you can separate the fruit into 2 sections. Inside the flesh may be white or red - both will have tiny black edible seeds, just like kiwi fruit.

Step #4: Separate the Flesh from the Skin.

Separating the Flesh from the Skin

There are various ways to prepare dragon fruit for eating - this is just one way. Run a tablespoon around the circumference of the first section to separate the flesh from the skin.

Step #5: Lift Flesh out of the Skin.

Scooping the Flesh out of the Skin

Now lift the flesh out of the skin and place it on the cutting board. Reserve the skin for serving (as in step 8), if desired. Note that the skin is NOT edible. Do the same for the other half.

Step #6: Remove Skin from Flesh.

Removing any residual Skin

Step #7: Slice up the Dragon Fruit.

Slicing the Fruit into Cubes

Step #8: Enjoy Your Fresh Dragon Fruit a Variety of Ways!

Eating the Dragon Fruit!

D.Schmidt

If desired, return the cubes of fruit to the skin to serve. Leftovers can be refrigerated, like any other fruit, in a covered container. Eating Tips: Aside from eating fresh, dragon fruit makes excellent juice as well as frozen drinks (dragon fruit is mainly composed of water, so it's easy to blend or process). Dragon fruit also makes an excellent addition to fruit salads (and will have people guessing about what kind of fruit it might be!). For an exotic fruit salad recipe, try my Tropical Thai Fruit Salad. ENJOY!!