Now, in the period of globalization, what exotic fruits you will not find on the shelves of our stores! The strangest in appearance is the fruit from Vietnam, the "heart of the dragon." Bristling like a hedgehog with green needles, behind which he hides a red or purple peel, the fruit conceals a delicate and fragrant flesh. It resembles a creamy cream with poppy seeds - so densely small black stones dot the entire inside of the fruit. And what does the “dragon heart” taste like? How and with what to eat it? You will learn about this and much more from this article.
Origin
Despite the fact that now the fruit "dragon's heart" is mainly brought from the tropical countries of Southeast Asia, the native land of the plant is Central and Latin America. The ancient Aztecs have long used fruits for food, calling them "pitaia." From here other names appeared in the fruit. It is called "pittahaya", "dragon's eye", "prickly pear." The English know it as dragon fruit, and in Thailand they call it “keumangkon”. But no matter how many names people would award this fruit, and in strict scientific classification it is listed as Hylocereus. And most importantly: pitaya is actually the fruit of a cactus! Yes, only a liana-like, growing not in arid deserts, but in a humid tropical jungle. Pittahaya produces crops four to six times a year; its fruits tolerate transportation well. Plants perfectly take root in a similar climate, and therefore are now cultivated on an industrial scale in Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand. They are also grown in Israel, Australia, Japan.
What is a dragon heart fruit?
These are small fruits (a total of one hundred and fifty grams to half a kilogram). The plant has three species. Two of them have white flesh. This is yellow (Hylocereus megalanthus) and red (Hylocereus undatus) pitaya, the photo of which you see. The third species - Hylocereus costaricensis - Costa Rican, special. The pulp of the fetus, like the skin, is painted in a bloody color. Probably, this species gave such a sonorous name to the fruit - “the heart of the dragon”. The color has no effect on the taste of the fruit. Yellow pitta-haya is slightly more expensive, but only because it is rarely cultivated in Asia. And the color of the pulp can be determined by the leaf-shaped growths. If they are green, inside the fruit will be white mashed potatoes with seeds. If the leaves are pinkish, the flesh of the fruit will be red.
What is eaten
Liana-like pitaya cactus, the photo of which you see, blooms very beautifully. Large white buds open only at night and exude a strong, pleasant aroma. In this regard, flowers are used as a flavoring of tea (like jasmine). The ovary appears after forty days. Cactus buds eat like fresh vegetables. After two months from the time of flowering, you can harvest fruit. Of course, the fruit is consumed only in its raw form. Pittahaya can be served as an independent dish for dessert, but you can also include it in fruit salads. Mashed pulp is very tasty paired with lime. Seeds are very useful, but in order for them to be absorbed by the body, they need to be chewed. Even Ciez de Leon, the first European to describe the Pittaia in his Chronicle of Peru (sixteenth century), mentions one interesting property of this fruit. In a person who has eaten at least one small fruit of pitaya, urine and feces for a short time are painted in a bloody color. This phenomenon is called pseudo-hematuria, and it does not cause any harm to the body, so do not worry.
The benefits of "dragon heart"
Pitaya is a fruit rich in iron, calcium and phosphorus. It also contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, E, a lot of C and PP. Pittahaya is ninety percent water. Fats, and even polyunsaturated, are contained in small quantities. In general, this is a dietary fruit. It can not be called particularly sweet, and therefore it can be safely used by diabetics. The fruit lowers cholesterol, strengthens the immune system, contributes to the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract. It is useful for hypertensive patients because it gently lowers blood pressure. In addition, pittahaya contains a vital substance - an antioxidant that prevents the formation of free radicals that cause cancer. However, pitta-hay should be used with caution in people with diseased kidneys.
How to choose a ripe fruit
Usually the fruit “dragon's heart” has a smooth red skin, dotted with leaf-shaped growths. How to understand what is hidden inside? Is the fruit ripe? It is easy to determine by pushing a finger on it. If the fruit is soft, pleasantly springy, then ripe. The taste of the fruit initially disappoints many. He is a little watery, inexpressive, a little sweet. Those accustomed to the rich taste of mangoes will not appreciate it. But the pitta-haya should be "tasted": for the first impression that it is a "sweetish kiwi with seeds", a sensation of a gentle creamy refreshing pulp comes. The aroma of Pittahaya is indescribable. But it disappears, it is worth the fruit to warm up. All this applies only to ripe pitaya. If the fruit is picked early, it will be completely tasteless. But ripe fruits are cleaned by hand easily - as if the petals of a peony are opened.
How to eat
Usually the fruit is served like that. Cut it into halves and serve on a plate with a dessert spoon. The flesh with bones are eaten up, and the thorny peel is thrown away. There is another serving method. Also, the fruit is cut in half vertically, but served with a fruit knife, not a spoon. In this case, the pitta-hayu is cut like a small melon or watermelon into slices. In order not to escape the wonderful aroma of "dragon heart", the fruit is served chilled. However, do not overdo it and freeze food. Her taste is not very expressive anyway. It may be lost as a result of hypothermia. Therefore, do not combine it with other fruits or dishes that have a bright, rich taste. Among them, pittahaya is “lost," and you will not undeservedly appreciate it. Fruits with red flesh have a more pronounced taste, but with white - more refined. In addition, at home, pitaya makes homemade wine, preserves, jams from it. Try garnishing dragon fruit puree with lime ice cream.
Legends
The Aztecs have clothed the Dragon Heart fruit with many myths. In one way or another, they all explain the strange name pitaaya. It is believed that dragons once inhabited Yucatan. They attacked the villages and did a lot of harm. Many heroes went to battle with dragons. And there was only one left - the most powerful and evil. He spit fire at the warriors, but the Aztecs are a stubborn people, and instead of one fallen soldier another came. Finally, the dragon was exhausted to such an extent that he no longer had fire. He spat out his heart and died. By the way, a medicine is made from the stems of cactus vines. It stimulates the cardiovascular system.