I first tasted dragon fruit during my trip to Hong Kong some years ago and they just blew me away. These fruits have a sweet, juicy pulp and a delicate aroma with a unique flavor that's like a cross between kiwi and pear. I've also discovered that dragon fruits, the fruit of several cactus species, are rich in antioxidant, dietary fiber, calcium and potassium.During that time, dragon fruits were not popular in Malaysia. These days, it is no longer uncommon to find such fruits here and in fact, they are organically grown here to meet the needs of local demand. As far as I know, that there a few varieties of these fruits but I personally have only come across two kinds, the red kind like the one I'm holding, and the white flesh. The differences in taste is subtle but I personally find that the red flesh tastes better.
They’re easy to prepare and actually kind of fun to eat. So how do you enjoy dragon fruits? I usually slice it into half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. You will discover a sweet creamy flesh with crunchy seeds like kiwi. I eat dragon fruits very often here. They can be quite pricey though. Dragon Fruit tastes so much better if it is chilled. It is extremely succulent and juicy, you should try one, its full of natural richness. I like the crunchiness when I bite on the sesame kind of black colored seeds.Alternatively, you can cut into cubes or bite sizes. My kids enjoyed showing their ‘bloody’ teeth to me whenever they eat them. :)
A word of caution. The red coloured juice can easily stain clothing so do be careful when cutting into it. Eating too much of this fruit may also result in reddish colored urine and faeces.
I prefer the red one, too! my mom grows some dragon fruit in our garden and I'm still waiting for them to bear fruit :-D
ReplyDeleteWow! Lucky you to eat them often. I only eat them once in a while, and mostly at hotel buffet. :D
ReplyDeleteLove the red dragon fruit too, but not too crazy about its bloodiness. Hahaha
Nowadays, you can see the dragon fruit tree literally everywhere. Even neighbour in my hometown grow them in their lawn.
it has suddenly gotten so popular around here. love the juiciness of it. n the fun part is always glaring our teeth after having a mouth full of dragon fruits! XD
ReplyDeleteHi LR, this is one refreshing fruit!
ReplyDeleteThese are cut up so nicely, now I feel like buying some on my next grocery trip! :):):)
ReplyDeletemonica,
ReplyDeletethat sounds cool. as far as i know, the plant will bear fruits after 8 to 12 months of planting. is this statement true?
lina,
ReplyDeletethese fruits r available at the wet market fr time to time.
honestly, i'm not fond of its bloodiness too. these fruits r gaining popularity these days. they can be seen almost everywhere.
levian,
ReplyDeletemy kids would transformed into blood-sucking vampires aft consuming these fruits. LOL!
mariuca,
ReplyDeleteIt is a great healthy fruit to eat, not to mention its nutritional benefits are numerous.
mariuca,
ReplyDeletetry it. It’s a lot sweeter than a kiwi.
Actually I love all fruits and dragon fruit is just one of the many I like! I also prefer the red ones too! I think they can be used as natural red colouring for food : )
ReplyDeleteHow expensive are they? I have never seen these in an American market. I will keep my eyes open for them though. But I bet they dont grow anywhere near NA.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the red one too. It's sweeter.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first tried it and the next day I saw red in my faeces, I panic. I thought I had cancer! hahaha....
I also like the red one but unfortunately they are a bit pricey, something like RM9/kg IIRC. Or maybe everything's expensive in JB that's why lol.
ReplyDeletefoong,
ReplyDeleteyou're right, i'd usually extract its juice to make my annual 'tong yuen'.
julia,
ReplyDeletethe cost of this fruit varies from one country to another. anyway, the price is about USD13-16 per fruit here.
it is originated in S.America, but is now cultivated widely across both Americas.
keep your eyes open for them. :)
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ReplyDelete8 to 12 months?! I'm not sure abt that..LOL!
ReplyDeleteJusco & Carrefour sold them at RM3.99 per fruit with promotions of RM1.99 at times, but they are not that good, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteRoadside stall near Sepang & Banting usually sold them at RM10 per 5 fruits, are they are better. :-) But that was last year. Don't know whether the price inflated or not. :P
ECL,
ReplyDeletei understand ur feeling. i was completely surprised when i saw my urine n faeces so bloody red too. and i thought i was going to die. hehehe
JL,
ReplyDeleteb4 the start of CNY, the price was RM6/kg. during the festive season, it shot up to RM9/kg. these fruits can be very expensive in kedah as well.
monica,
ReplyDeleteit's ok, i was just enquiring.
lina,
ReplyDeletei'd usually buy these fruits at the market bcoz they looked much fresher compared to supermarts.
everything is getting more expensive these days despite the decline in commodity prices.
does that make me one of your kids if i join them for more teeth glaring n blood sucking? :p
ReplyDeletehey levian,
ReplyDeleteyou're most welcome to join the club. it would be so much fun. :)