Dried Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)

Dried dragon fruit is pitaya sliced and dried into bright pink pieces flecked with tiny black seeds. The flavour is mild and lightly sweet with a gentle tang, somewhere between a pear and a kiwi, and the seeds give a faint crunch inside the chew.

These come from the pink fleshed variety, which is where the colour comes from: a strong magenta that survives drying rather than browning off the way a lot of dried tropical fruit does. They are cut as slices rather than diced into cubes, so each piece stays recognisable when you put it on top of something.

How to use them

The colour is the reason to buy these, so use it. Lay slices out on a Nowruz or Eid platter, over falooda and kulfi, or across a cake or pavlova. Chop them into granola, trail mix and energy bars, stir them through yogurt, or drop a slice into cold water, iced tea or lemonade, where it softens and tints the glass pink. On a cheese board they go with soft white cheeses. Technique tip: soak in warm water for about fifteen minutes if you want them tender enough to fold into a batter.

Details

Also known as

Dried pitaya, Pitahaya, Dragon fruit slices, Dried pitaya slices, Strawberry pear, Pitaya seca, Pitahaya seca, Fruit du dragon séché, Fruta del dragón seca