Author Topic: Best Way to Consume Carambola  (Read 19868 times)

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Best Way to Consume Carambola
« on: October 29, 2013, 11:01:10 PM »
About one week ago I had my first ever Carambola fruit smoothie and I was blown away by the great taste. Amazingly, the quality of the taste is superior to just eating it out of hand, at least this has been my experience. Before, I got more fruit from my Carambola trees than I knew what to do with, but this is no longer the case, now I've gotta have a frequent Carambola smoothie fix. And, it can't be any simpler, just cut the fruit in sections, remove the seeds, put the fruit pieces in the blender with some water and voila, a great smoothie. I suspect there's some flavor chemical reaction when Carambola is consumed in this method. I say this because I can taste an 'umame' kind of great flavor that I don't get by just eating the fruit out of hand.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2013, 09:36:19 PM by LEOOEL »
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2013, 11:31:17 PM »
About one week ago I had my first ever Carambola fruit smoothie and I was blown away by the great taste. Amazingly, the quality of the taste is superior to just eating it out of hand, at least this has been my experience. Before, I got more fruit from my Carambola trees than I knew what to do with, but this is no longer the case, now I've gotta have a frequent Carambola smoothie fix. And, it can't be any simpler, just cut the fruit in sections, remove the seeds, put the fruit pieces in the blender with some water and voila, a great smoothie. I suspect there's some flavor chemical reaction when Carambola is consumed in this method. I say this because I can taste a 'umame' kind of great flavor that I don't get by just eating the fruit out of hand.

Trees pumping out thousands of fruits right now. Great mixed with bananas also in smoothies. We also juice them. Makes excellent juice on their own or mixed with orange juice. Actually improves taste of orange juice. I trim out all green parts including green fins to reduce sourness (oxalic acid content).
Oscar

Roy-Ind

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 888
    • India,Andhra Pradesh,Vijayawada
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2013, 02:32:52 AM »
In India,we make juice,chutneys,pickles and we eat out of hand.We dry the slices and use .
The juice is prescribed in case of jaundice

Roy

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2013, 02:41:43 AM »
In India,we make juice,chutneys,pickles and we eat out of hand.We dry the slices and use .
The juice is prescribed in case of jaundice

Roy

I also pickle carambola, along with bilimbi. Carambola makes very attractive looking jars of pickles. Dried carambola is also great, especially mixed with dried bananas.
Oscar

val

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
    • central florida 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2013, 07:09:56 AM »
Thanks for posting these ideas.

Luisport

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3210
  • New in tropical fruit growing!
    • Fatima, Portugal
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2013, 07:13:50 AM »
In India,we make juice,chutneys,pickles and we eat out of hand.We dry the slices and use .
The juice is prescribed in case of jaundice

Roy

I also pickle carambola, along with bilimbi. Carambola makes very attractive looking jars of pickles. Dried carambola is also great, especially mixed with dried bananas.
Hi! Please tell me how you make your pickles? Thank you!  ;D

From the sea

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 690
    • Big Island Hawaii
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2013, 07:52:51 AM »
even sub-par carambola are good dried. I would also like to know how you pickle them that sounds good.

HMHausman

  • Mod Emeritus
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3366
    • USA, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, Zone 10B
    • View Profile
    • Pines Ticket Defense, LLC
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2013, 07:58:44 AM »
even sub-par carambola are good dried. I would also like to know how you pickle them that sounds good.

Agreed.  Pickling is usually done with green fruits.  I wonder how the oxalic acid issue affects the pickling/eating process.  Or, maybe ripe fruit is used and it just gets mushy.  Inquiring minds want to know.
Harry
Fort Lauderdale, FL 
USA

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2013, 06:05:47 PM »
In India,we make juice,chutneys,pickles and we eat out of hand.We dry the slices and use .
The juice is prescribed in case of jaundice

Roy

I also pickle carambola, along with bilimbi. Carambola makes very attractive looking jars of pickles. Dried carambola is also great, especially mixed with dried bananas.
Hi! Please tell me how you make your pickles? Thank you!  ;D

Just use same recipe you use for making regular pickles. My own recipe is 1/2 vinegar (like to use apple cider vinegar but any vinegar will work), 1/2 water, mustard seed (about teaspoon) , dill herb, onions, chili, garlic.  I use a round quart jar. Use whole starfruits (carambola) that are ripe, but not mushy. I suppose you could also slice them before pickling, but i like the look of them whole, less work, and less likelihood of them disintegrating. No issue with oxalic acid if you don't use fruits that are green. Actually lots of veggies have oxalic acid that we eat without any thought: like parsley and rhubarb. I suppose that bilimbis have much higher oxalic acid content. I pickle them while still a bit firm. No ill effects. I wouldn't eat either though if you're on dialysis or have other kidney problems. For healthy individuals it's not a problem. If you're squeamish though you may not want to eat anything apart from McDonalds Chicken McNuggets. HAHAHAHA
Oscar

From the sea

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 690
    • Big Island Hawaii
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2013, 08:00:47 PM »
thanks fruitlovers for the info! gonna try it when mine are ripe

HMHausman

  • Mod Emeritus
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3366
    • USA, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, Zone 10B
    • View Profile
    • Pines Ticket Defense, LLC
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2013, 09:21:06 PM »
If you're squeamish though you may not want to eat anything apart from McDonalds Chicken McNuggets. HAHAHAHA

Actually, I have never eaten Chicken McNuggets. Oxalic acid is nothing  to be squeamish about but it can sure affect the eating experience. At least as far as fresh fruit consumption is concerned.
Harry
Fort Lauderdale, FL 
USA

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2013, 09:59:01 PM »
I wanna thank you all SuperChefs for all the responses. It's amazing all the different ways that Carambola is consumed, which I wasn't even aware of. I can't wait to try my Carambola smoothie with bananas and orange juice as mentioned by Oscar. But, I'm still taken aback by the great taste of just Carambola (green parts & fins removed) and water, it's super simple and super terrific. I'm proud to say that the production of my trees are also in the thousands. Carambola is just an awesome fruit, now I just can't wait to pick'm and juice/smoothy them, cheers.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2013, 11:04:36 PM »
If you're squeamish though you may not want to eat anything apart from McDonalds Chicken McNuggets. HAHAHAHA

Actually, I have never eaten Chicken McNuggets. Oxalic acid is nothing  to be squeamish about but it can sure affect the eating experience. At least as far as fresh fruit consumption is concerned.

If you trim the green ends off, and the green fins off, there is almost zero acid. This is confirmed by the results: very sweet juice. I just saw some starfruits for sale in the health food store. They were almost totally green= oxalic acid galore. You shouldn't eat green starfruits just like you shouldn't eat green potatoes, but for different reasons, but both similarly ok at right stage.
Oscar

Luisport

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3210
  • New in tropical fruit growing!
    • Fatima, Portugal
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2013, 06:37:40 AM »
Thank you my friend, i never did pickles but will do! ;)

zands

  • mango_zango
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4455
    • Zone 10b, Florida, USA, 33321
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2013, 06:56:37 AM »


If you trim the green ends off, and the green fins off, there is almost zero acid. This is confirmed by the results: very sweet juice. I just saw some starfruits for sale in the health food store. They were almost totally green= oxalic acid galore. You shouldn't eat green starfruits just like you shouldn't eat green potatoes, but for different reasons, but both similarly ok at right stage.

Same %$@%#%^ in Florida. Star fruit in the store are green and awful. Some exceptions maybe at Doris Market and Stiles. BTW who is dumb enough to grow green Thompson seedless grapes in Hawaii? Who wants to eat this? You said the Home Depot carries this. One thing about bronze muscadines......They can be as good and sweet as the purple ones. I like purple coloration better but strangely (counter-intuitively) the bronze ones can be very sweet. Main thing about muscadines is the thick skin which is fungus resistant for your (and South Florida) hot humid climates unlike vinifera.

« Last Edit: October 31, 2013, 06:58:42 AM by zands »

fruitlovers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15883
  • www.fruitlovers.com
    • USA, Big Island, East Hawaii, Zone 13a
    • View Profile
    • Fruit Lover's Nursery
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #15 on: October 31, 2013, 05:32:23 PM »


If you trim the green ends off, and the green fins off, there is almost zero acid. This is confirmed by the results: very sweet juice. I just saw some starfruits for sale in the health food store. They were almost totally green= oxalic acid galore. You shouldn't eat green starfruits just like you shouldn't eat green potatoes, but for different reasons, but both similarly ok at right stage.

Same %$@%#%^ in Florida. Star fruit in the store are green and awful. Some exceptions maybe at Doris Market and Stiles. BTW who is dumb enough to grow green Thompson seedless grapes in Hawaii? Who wants to eat this? You said the Home Depot carries this. One thing about bronze muscadines......They can be as good and sweet as the purple ones. I like purple coloration better but strangely (counter-intuitively) the bronze ones can be very sweet. Main thing about muscadines is the thick skin which is fungus resistant for your (and South Florida) hot humid climates unlike vinifera.

Fully ripe starfruit are very delicate. They need to be packed in special protective boxes with inserts, and most growers and retailers don't have the experience in handling them properly.
People here buy the grapes they are accustomed to eating from the stores, which are the seedless types. Ofcourse they don't do well in this climate and usually die within short time. Rose beetle is another very big problem on most grape vines here. We do have a winery at about 3500 foot elevation: Volcano Winery. They make some interesting tropical wines including guava, starfruit, and jaboticaba mixed with grape. They raise some of their own grapes.
Oscar

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #16 on: October 31, 2013, 09:23:58 PM »
Shipping Carambola can be tricky. Green fruit ships better, but then you have the oxalic acid galore that Oscar is talking about. As Oscar has said, the best way to ship immaculate 'ripe' Carambola is with superb packaging and quick delivery.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

Recher

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 462
    • 2221 dunoon rd dorroughby
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #17 on: November 06, 2013, 07:14:34 AM »
you can also cook them substituting 50 50 for tomatoes in t-sauce
Wealth is being able to afford principle

Memory is responsible for the illusion of linear time

HIfarm

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1145
    • Paukaa, HI, USA zone 12b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #18 on: November 06, 2013, 03:24:38 PM »
My wife has used them in place of apples in "apple pie".  Came out pretty good as I recall.  I don't recall if it was a conventional apple pie recipe or her cranberry apple pie recipe but I recall it was tasty.

John

PassionBob

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 28
    • Carlsbad, CA Zone 10
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #19 on: November 06, 2013, 08:38:59 PM »
A friend on the Big Island said his favorite drink in the morning is carambola and carrot juice, fresh from his juicer.
PassionBob

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2013, 09:45:34 PM »
My wife has used them in place of apples in "apple pie".  Came out pretty good as I recall.  I don't recall if it was a conventional apple pie recipe or her cranberry apple pie recipe but I recall it was tasty.

John
Carambola pie! Who would have thought of that! I can't wait to taste an organic carambola pie.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #21 on: November 06, 2013, 10:34:48 PM »
A friend on the Big Island said his favorite drink in the morning is carambola and carrot juice, fresh from his juicer.
What a great idea, carrots are nutritious and great for ones eyes, while the Carambola adds additional sweetness and nutrition. Seriously, thank you for this idea/recipe, I'm gonna try it as soon as tomorrow. A new Carambola eating/nutrition world is opening up to me.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

LEOOEL

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1775
    • USA, South Florida, Miami, Temperature Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2013, 10:37:42 PM »
you can also cook them substituting 50 50 for tomatoes in t-sauce
Although I've never tried it, this idea/recipe sounds brilliant. The sweetness of the Carambola counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes, interesting and delicious?
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

bradflorida

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 849
    • Osprey, FL. Zone 10A.
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2013, 10:48:45 PM »
I had to laugh when I saw Arlin carambolas at the supermarket, totally green and unripe, for $1.99 each.   It's funny because they are so way to grow and fruit prolifically in Florida. 

Brad
Brad

From the sea

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 690
    • Big Island Hawaii
    • View Profile
Re: Best Way to Consume Carambola
« Reply #24 on: November 07, 2013, 05:28:26 AM »
I had to laugh when I saw Arlin carambolas at the supermarket, totally green and unripe, for $1.99 each.   It's funny because they are so way to grow and fruit prolifically in Florida. 

Brad

i agree 100%, the ones from the store are only for decoration not food, it is ridiculous that they charge so much.