Sunday, October 9, 2016

Fruits of Hawaii

EAT MORE FRUIT!

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

Selection of foraged fruit found in Hawai'i

  When you think of Hawai'i and fruit, bananas, pineapple and coconut come to mind.  This post is about the variety of fruit that can be found growing in the wild on the Big Island of Hawai'i.  Much of the tropical fruit discussed today were found growing in the gulches of Mauna Kea. 


AVOCADO:


There are different kids of avocados to be found. Smaller green ones  and larger darker avocados.  Both are good. The larger darker avocados are richer.

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

box full of green avocados

 The larger darker avocados are blackish purple when they are ripe. When they reach that ripe-point, you have to process them quickly otherwise they go bad, fast. 

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

ripe dark avocado

 They make an amazing guacamole. 

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

mmmm! the most delicious guacamole

GUAVA:

There's a lot of guava to be found on Hawaii.   

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

guava of all sizes

Copyright © 2016 Teresa Falkenberg

close-up of a guava

Guavas are very nutritious. They are sour and have a very high vitamin C content.  They have a lot of seeds inside of them that are harder than grape seeds and about twice as large.  They have a very tangy unique flavor that makes things taste tropical.


Copyright © 2016 Teresa Falkenberg

inside of a guava

 Coming from the upper midwest, I gave the guavas the old "applesauce" treatment. I covered them with water, added sugar and cooked them for an hour or so at low heat. Then I pressed them through a sieve to separate out the seeds.


Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

cooking guavas to make guava sauce

 I came up with the most delicious guava sauce. You can use it on pancakes, add it to a smoothie, put it in cake recipes, have it with yogurt.... the possibilities are endless.

copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

an abundance of delicious guava sauce



PAPAYA:

Papayas are plentiful here, too.  They are much milder tasting than the guava. They are rich in vitamin A and C. There are many recipes with papaya. Even using green papaya. When you handle a green papaya you should wear gloves. They feel kind of sticky, which is actually an enzyme that works like meat tenderizer. Some Hawaiians marinate their meet with green papaya skin  to tenderize the meat. 

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

Whole papaya



copyright © 2016 Teresa Falkenbergcopyright 2016 © by Teresa Falkenberg

PASSION FRUIT:

 Passion Fruit is called  Lilikoi in Hawai'i. It also carries a very tangy distinct, tropical flavor. I like to add it to smoothies with banana. It gives many dishes a tropical taste enhancement. The seeds in it are not  as hard as guava seeds.  The taste of passionfruit has grown on me since I've arrived in Hawai'i.

Copyright © 2016 Teresa Falkenberg
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Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg



Copyright © 2016 Teresa Falkenberg

ripe passionfruit is supposed to be wrinkly

POMELO:

Pomelos are big. They taste sort of like a grapefruit except that it is milder.

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

pomelo whole, pomelo cut open

 I made pomelo-ade with the pomelos I had and it was very refreshing. 


STARFRUIT:

These will add exotic shape and taste to your salad.

Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

whole starfruit


Copyright © 2016 by Teresa Falkenberg

sliced starfruit

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