How to Cut Star Fruit with Step-by-Step Instructions

If you saw star fruit without knowing what it was called, you might marvel at its odd shape and wonder what it tastes like. When looking at star fruit growing on trees, the fruit looks a bit like a bell pepper but more elongated. Instead of rounded, indistinct lobes, star fruit has five pointed lobes that run the length of the fruit. Given its odd shape, you might wonder how to cut and eat star fruit. It’s pretty simple since it doesn’t need to be peeled.

Understanding star fruit before you learn to cut it

Star fruit, or carambola, is a slightly tart yet sweet tropical fruit that grows on trees native to Southeast Asia. There are several varieties of star fruit, and they look very much alike except for their size. The smallest ones may be as short as 2in long, while other varieties are 4-6in long. The larger varieties are the sweeter of the two. Smaller star fruits have more of a sour flavor.

Star fruit is bright yellow with a waxy skin, and the entire fruit is edible. You don’t have to cut it up to eat it; you can bite right into it just as you would an apple. But the star-shaped slices look pretty as garnishes or on a fruit plate, so you’ll want some tips on how to cut star fruit.

How to tell if star fruit is ripe

Before you eat star fruit, you’ll want to make sure it’s ripe. The easiest way to gauge the ripeness of star fruit is by its color. Star fruit is green as it grows on trees, and it turns bright yellow as it ripens. When ripe, a star fruit will have very little green still on it, and the edges of the star points will begin to turn brown. The ripe fruit is firm to the touch.

If star fruit is orange or a bit mushy, it’s probably overripe.

How to cut up and eat star fruit

Despite its odd shape, star fruit is quite easy to cut up and serve in appealing, star-shaped slices. Since you don’t have to peel the fruit, you can cut and serve it in no time at all in just a few simple steps.

1. Wash the fruit thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
2. Cut or peel away the browned edges of the lobes—it’s okay to eat this part, but it’s more aesthetically pleasing without it.
3. Cut the fruit into slices along its width using a sharp knife. You’ll see each piece has the tell-tale star shape!
4. If there are any seeds in the middle, poke them out and discard them.

1. Wash the fruit thoroughly

Since you’ll be eating the peel of the star fruit, it’s essential to wash it thoroughly before cutting it. Rinse the fruit and use a vegetable brush or your fingers to scrub away any residue gently. Gently pat the fruit dry before cutting it.

2. Cut or peel away the dry edges of the lobes

While the whole fruit is edible, the edges of the lobes begin to dry out and turn brown as the fruit ripens, so you’ll enjoy the fruit more if you cut these edges away. You can use a vegetable peeler or a paring knife to do this. Simply run the knife or peeler along the length of the edges of the lobes to cut away any brown or rough edges.

3. Cut the fruit into slices

Once you’ve cut away the edges from the lobes of the star fruit, there’s only tender fruit left. It’s soft enough to cut easily with a sharp kitchen knife. You can choose any width for your slices. A quarter-inch width works well for garnishes, while you may want wider slices, perhaps a half-inch or so, for a fruit plate.

It’s not necessary to discard the end pieces, but you can if they seem dry.

4. Remove the seeds

Star fruit seeds are edible but not particularly tasty, so you may want to remove them.  Each fruit has only a few seeds, usually 10-12 per fruit. If you’ve cut the star fruit into slices, it’s easy to get to the seeds and pop them out with the end of your knife.

How to serve sliced star fruit

The cute star-shaped slices are ready to eat by themselves, tossed in a salad, or arranged on a board with other fruits. Bananas, pineapple, mango, and papaya are great fresh fruit to serve with star fruit. Strawberries, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits, and grapes also have complementary flavors.

Other ways to eat cut star fruit

Star fruit also makes delicious juice and smoothies. Thinly-sliced star fruit can be baked or dehydrated to make chips to snack on. The sweet tropical fruit can also be pickled or preserved.

You’ll also find several recipes using star fruit, from desserts to chutneys to marinades for meat.

Star fruit is fun to eat and easy to serve

Because the entire fruit is edible, it’s easy to cut up and appealingly serve star fruit. Kids are drawn to the fun star shape and its sweet flavor. Adults may think you’ve gone to a lot of trouble preparing and serving this exotic fruit, and you don’t have to let them in on the secret.

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