Star Fruit/ Balimbing

Star Fruit or Carambola,(I call it Balimbing), is becoming increasingly popular among the population especially here in Hawaii. A growing number of people find it not only refreshing to eat but also have healthy benefits like anti-oxidants and Vitamin C. It is mostly used as garnish for drinks because of the star shape of the fruit when you slice them, hence the name starfruit.
I took this picture in the garden. Most of the Chinese gardeners have them in their garden. It must have some kind of medicinal value to them.
But to me it is one of those fruits that are refreshing to eat especially during the summer months. You have to select fruits that are yellow and firm. You can eat the entire fruit, no need to peel the skin. It would be a bit sour and sweet at the same time and the taste, it is hard to describe, sour apples when green, apples or pear when ripe with a tang like a citrus. You have to try it to decide.

Similar Posts

  • Star Apple/Kaimito

    Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) is a fruit that is sweet and juicy but has that latex feel in your mouth.  I remember when I was young, our mouths will be dusty after eating this fruit because the dirt clings into this glue like substance that is in the skin of the fruits.   In the Philippines,…

  • Camachile

    Camachile – (Pithecellobium dulce) – is a fruit that we eat in the Philippines.  It’s plentiful during the summer season.  The camachile taste sweet but dry.  It has black seeds and we used to play with it. The fruit is unusual because of its coiling.  It looks like a bean and it actually belongs to…

  • Breadfruit

    Breadfruit or “rimas” as we call it in the Philippines can be prepared as a vegetable or a fruit but it has to be cooked. The Hawaiians call it “Ulu” and has been their staple food for decades. I like breadfruit the way my grandma prepares it. She steams it and cut them up and…

  • Surinam Cherry

    Surinam Cherry – Eugenia uniflora – also called Pitanga is native to South America and made its way to Hawaii and is also considered an invasive plant. It grows easily and is also pest resistant. The birds like to eat them and spread the seeds by their droppings. Surinam Cherry is a small tree that…