Red Dragonfruit from Taytay Farm in The Philippines

Red Dragonfruit from a farm in Taytay, Rizal, The Philippines.

The red dragonfruit has found its way to the Philippines. The dragonfruit, a strange succulent fruit sought after for its juicy melon-like pulp, has slowly crept into the Philippine marketplaces and is now getting to be a more familiar sight in fruit stands. The relatively low demand has caused it to be pricey, but it has a loyal base of fans. When chilled and cut into cubes, it serves as a delicious and crunch (because of the black seeds) though not-so-sweet snack.

The type of dragonfruit that were initially sold in the Philippines were of the white-fleshed variety, the pulp inside is white. The white version isn’t sweet but it’s perfect for salads and as a cooling snack. If you know how to make ice cream, it’s a perfect exotic ingredient. It’s hard to tell if a dragonfruit has white or red pulp, unless you’re familiar with all the different varieties, but the pinkish variety has both a white and red version.

The red dragonfruit has a bright-red pulp that’s also filled with black seeds, just like the white. But unlike the white variety, the red one is slightly sweeter and of course full of antioxidants. Chilled, you can eat directly from the skin. With just a slit of a knife you can peel it like a banana and you’re left with the inside flesh. The red dragonfruit is a strange-looking fruit, but it’s a fun fruit to eat. It’s also healthful. 

The red dragonfruit pictured here came from a farm in Taytay, Rizal.

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