Carambola (aka starfruit) is a beautiful, star-shaped tropical fruit. Depending on the variety, it can be sweet or sour (the general rule is that the sweet one has thicker flesh and a golden skin color) and it’s lovely when cut cross-wise, especially in salads and garnishes. The flavor is sort of a cross between green grape and apple — very mild but very tasty. Since it grows well in humid environments, it’s no wonder that lots of Floridians have them in their yards, but you can easily find them in supermarkets and farmer’s markets, especially during the winter months.
Starfruit is very low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients, especially vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant. Did you know that starfruit can supply almost a full day’s supply of vitamin C in just one cup? That’s a powerful tool in your arsenal to fight colds and flu 🙂
My friend was recently given a huge batch from a generous neighbor and she shared some with me because, really, how many starfruit can one person eat?!? These babies were huge and super-ripe. Their skin was golden and some were even starting to turn brown, so I knew they needed to be eaten quickly.
I enjoyed one in a salad but, honestly, the thought of going through 10 more was a little daunting, so I started thinking about what to do with them. Lo and behold, my answer was right in front of me as I spied my juicer on the kitchen counter.
For those of you who have juicers, you know that it’s fun to try different fruit and vegetable combinations, and I like to experiment with things that might taste great together. For this batch, I decided to add a little zing and some extra anti-inflammatory properties, so I popped in fresh ginger and lemon.
It was tasty, refreshing and thirst-quenching, and the color was glorious, sort of like sunshine in a glass 🙂
- 2-3 large, ripe Carambola fruit
- 1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger
- ½ lemon
- Wash the Carambola and lemon in a solution of baking soda and water to remove any impurities in the skins.
- Trim the ends off the Carambola, then slice into pieces that will fit into your juicer.
- Peel the ginger and cut the lemon into pieces that will fit into your juicer.
- Follow the process for your individual juicer, and enjoy your fresh juice!
Such a pretty fruit!! Always wondered what to do with them. Juicing is a great idea, and I especially like the cocktail.with coconut rum. YUM!!
Ooh, I think coconut run or some vodka would be a nice addition! This is such a tasty fruit – it’s fun to experiment with it 🙂
Looks yummy. I wonder if it might make a good cocktail, too, with some coconut rum or vodka. I love how you used it to decorate the glass.
I hope you give it a try! Starfruit juice is good on its own, but it’s especially tasty with a hint of ginger. Maybe some orange mixed in would be yummy, too 🙂
Brilliant! I have a neighbor who puts a basket of them by her driveway all the time for everyone to help themselves. Her tree is always loaded and she doesn’t like them to rot on the ground. I might grab one to slice over a fruit salad, but it never crossed my mind to throw them in the juicer! mmmmmm. I’ll have to share a glass with her.