Star Fruit

The five-pointed star

Cut a star fruit crosswise anywhere along its length and you get a perfect five-pointed star. This is a consequence of the fruit’s five prominent longitudinal ribs running from stem to tip. The ribs have thin edible edges; the flesh between them is translucent, watery, and pale yellow. The entire fruit — skin, flesh, and all — is edible.

The shape has made star fruit one of the most visually distinctive garnishes in modern cuisine, appearing on dessert plates, cocktail rims, and in fruit salads worldwide.

Two types: sweet and sour

Star fruit varieties divide into two categories:

• Sweet varieties — large, full-ribbed, high sugar, mild flavor; the type most commonly eaten fresh
• Sour varieties — smaller, sharper flavor; used as a souring agent in Asian savory cooking in the same way a cook might use tamarind or lime

In Malaysia and Taiwan, green, underripe star fruit is eaten with salt or preserved as a condiment.

A kidney warning

Star fruit contains oxalic acid and a neurotoxin (caramboxin) that is harmless to people with normal kidney function but dangerous for those with kidney disease or on dialysis. Even a single serving can cause hiccups, vomiting, or neurological symptoms in this population. Most people can eat star fruit freely, but this is a rare case where a common fruit carries a specific medical contraindication.

In the kitchen

• Slice crosswise and fan on a plate as a garnish
• Blend into a juice or smoothie (mild tropical flavor)
• Add to green salads for color and crunch
• Use in Thai and Malaysian curries as a souring agent
• Pickle with chilli for a condiment