How To Eat Star Apple? – Some people think star apple as some kind of apple. However, it’s not actually an apple. They got their name from the arrangement of seeds in the middle of their wonderfully soft fruit.
Star apples are called caimito in some parts of the world. They are not just delicious, they are beautiful too! There are a few varieties of star apple. They have varieties ranging in color from green to purple.
The insides of a star apple are either white or purple and its flesh permeates a naturally occurring white latex. The star apple texture is similar to a grape. with a milky consistency that feels like jelly. The inedible seeds in the middle range from brown to black, and are arranged in a star formation. Let’s get into the topic; How to eat star apple?
Are you holding a star apple? That star apple is ripe to be eaten. Star apples are harvested only when they are ripe.
After being picked, the star apples flavor still keeps developing even as it matures. Star apples can be somewhat oblong, round, or somewhat pear-shaped, and are normally two to four inches across. Whether purple or a green variety, star apple rinds are smooth and leathery and usually have some normal wrinkling.
Where Does A Star Apple Tree Grow?
Many believed star apples originated from the Caribbean and Central America. Some countries in Asia and the United States today, are already cultivating star apples. Star apples are the fruit of a shrubby fast-growing tree whose leaves and bark are also recognized for their medicinal properties.
What Are The Season For Star Apple
The season for star apples usually comes around February in the late winter and is also in June and the early summer. You can usually enjoy eating star apples in the spring which is their peak season. Further, discuss the topic; how to eat star apple?
Health Benefits Of Star Apple
Let us discuss some of the star apples’ nutritional value, after all, we are about healthiness, right? Iron, dietary fiber, calcium, zinc, protein, potassium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), and Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), are a few good sources of minerals, nutrients, and compounds that we can find in star apple. Without these, there could not be the said benefits:
1. Helps To Improve The Digestive System
A healthy digestive system reduces abdominal pain, constipation, loose tool, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting from food or drinks burned in the stomach. Phosphorus and fiber are present in star apple. This helps in removing these issues beforehand or during that soothes the digestive system to function efficiently.
2. Antimicrobial Properties
The star apple components have a natural antimicrobial agent. It kills pathogenic microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc. that indirectly or directly damage the body’s cells.
3. Good Antioxidant
Antioxidants prevent the release of free radicals from rupturing our cells and limit their spread throughout the body like a safety switch. Antioxidants protect the body against heart diseases, cancer, and others. Vitamin C found in star apple can help raise the level of antioxidants in your body by up to 200%.
4. Prevents Anemia
Star apple is a good source of iron that helps the body to produce hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. It helps to carry oxygen to your body’s organs and transports carbon dioxide (CO2) from organs and tissues to your lungs, and exhales it. Thus, making hemoglobin prevents anemia- low red blood cells in your bloodstream.
5. Helps To Regulate Blood Pressure Or Hypertension
Star apple has potassium, a good regulator for hypertension. Calcium and Vitamin C present along with other compounds help with the regulation as well.
How To Enjoy Eating A Star Apple
A person’s initial reaction to eating a star apple is a “wow!” feeling. Think of a tasty grape mixed with a ripe persimmon. That is the texture and flavor one usually experience from a star apple. Star apples have a jelly-like fruit flesh that is sweet, tropical flavor, bright, and creamy.
Star apples are special fruits that may add a unique oomph to your dish! Their milky flesh is much suited for candies, sorbets, jams, and fruity pastries. It is a great accompaniment to stewed or fresh cheese plates in your favorite fruit compotes. Chop them into your next ceviche or top your granola, yogurt, and salads bowls with star fruit.
Eating star apples feels like a unique advanced experience that is best handled by big kids and adults. Their leathery, thick rinds have natural latex which may be a real turn-off to some people’s taste buds whenever it comes into too much contact with the fruit. However, no need to worry! Slicing one like an expert is easy. More to the topic; how to eat star apple, below.
The Best Way To Slice Star Apple
The best way to have the most wonderful star apple-eating experience is knowing the trick to slicing it. The fruit’s uneatable rind consists of natural latex that could damper on your taste buds if it touches too much of the delicate inside of the star apple. It is best to chill first the star apple to decrease the natural latex coming into contact with the fruit.
Next, delicately score the fruit around its circumference while avoiding the hard seeds in the middle. To open twist the fruit to bare the star form inside that gives star apples their sobriquet. Then, remove the pointy hard seeds and move out the rind’s milky flesh.
Cooking Star Apple
Delicate fruits like star apples are usually eaten raw in frozen and fresh recipes. Star apples can hold their own when cook too! Below are some of the best ways to cook star apples:
- Confection: The delicate, bright, creamy flesh and sweet flavor that’s expected of the caimito family of fruits was made for sweet treats. They are usually served with sweetened condensed milk. Star apples can be used in jellies, candies, jams, and more.
- Baking: Toss star apples with citrus fruits or berries to cook into a compote or pie filling.
Best Way To Store Star Apple
Stored fresh star apples are placed on the countertop and left there until they are ready to be picked. Your favorite Caimito can easily be frozen, however before you freeze star apples, wait first until they are fully ripened then separate the flesh from the uneatable rind and seeds. Protect your star apples in a sealed container or freezer-safe wrapping for the best flavor and the fruit will keep in the freezer for almost three months.
