Star Fruit

Latin name: Averrhoa carambola
Other names: carambola
Uses: fruit, juice, preserve, pickling

What is star fruit?

Star fruit derives its name from its unique five-pointed shape, apparent when sliced into cross sections. Though common in the tropics, varieties of this sour fruit — a berry, actually — have gained worldwide superstar superfood status in recent years.

Why is star fruit healthy?

One star fruit can contain over half the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. For a fruit with a low-calorie count, it has relatively high amounts of fiber, and has great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Caution: Starfruit is also a rich source of oxalic acid, which is harmful to people with kidney disease.

What does star fruit taste like?

With its waxy, cheery yellow color, and ridged ovoid shape, carambola looks more like an ornament than fruit. It is, however, completely edible, with crisp, very juicy sweet-sour flesh. Depending on cultivars, the aroma can vary widely — from apricot-peach-plum to pear to grape, with a stop at citrus junction. If unripe, star fruit is almost inedibly sour.

Where does star fruit grow?

Native to Southeast Asia, traders helped spread the fruit to Sri Lanka and the Indian subcontinent, where it is popular. It’s cultivated in tropical and subtropical climes around the world including China, Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa.

How do I use star fruit?

Slice it into star-shaped pieces and consume raw for maximum nutritional benefit. While carambola shines brightest in salads, it also adds tanginess to chutneys and soups. Sour fruit can be pickled, made into squash, or cooked down for jams and marmalades. Its fun shape makes carambola a perfect garnish for drinks and cocktails. You can also dehydrate the fruit into crisps. The seeds are edible, though not particularly memorable.

What does star fruit pair well with?

Across East and Southeast Asia, star fruit adds texture and tartness to stir-fries and curries as well pairing well with fish, chicken and shrimp. In India, it’s a street food staple on carts heaped with coal-roasted sweet potato, providing a tart, crisp foil to the starchy tuber in shakarkandi ki chaat.

How to buy star fruit:

Good quality star fruit is firm and glossy, with no brown discoloration on the skin, and a crispy, juicy flesh.

Fun star fruit fact:

Some acidic variants of carambola can be used to remove rust and tarnish from metals like brass.