Introduction

The purpose of this book is to break free from the boredom associated with the raw diet by showing you how to use the abundance of exotic fruits now available to us. There are so many fruits on the planet! On a low fat raw food diet, fruit is the staple of a rawfoodist. In the past, it was necessary to live in the tropics to take advantage of everything that the fruit world has to offer. Now, fruits are imported from all over the world. For example, heres a selection of fruits that are available at different times of the year in the city of Montreal (a very cold northern city): Cherimoyas Papayas Mangos (at least 6-7 different varieties) Fresh durian Jackfruit Litchis Rambutans Star fruit Sapodilla Apple Bananas Passion fruit Tree tomatoes Breadfruit And more!

Maybe some people will think that its not good for the environment to eat imported fruits. I would like you to consider ANY food we eat requires an energy expense, whether it is locally grown carrots or imported bananas. Energy is needed during the production, storage and then transportation of the food. Then, the food will bring you something in return, energy (in the form of calories) being the most tangible one, along with other nutrients necessary for sustaining life.

Fruit cultivation is the most energy-efficient food production activity on the planet. For example, one acre of bananas will produce more calories than one acre of almost any other crop. Extra energy will then be necessary to bring the fruit from distant corners of the world, either by boat or by plane. And many ecologists argue that this is something we should minimize. Yet, consider everything that fruit brings you in return: Minimal use of land for production of the food, compared to the calories created in return Fruit trees that have long roots that go deep in the ground help minimize soil erosion The calories in fruit are associated with a maximum amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as anti-oxidants and other factors we need for optimal health By achieving your optimal health potential by eating fruit, you increase your energy, increase your productivity as a human being, and avoid most illnesses in the long run which are extremely costly to individuals and societies. I believe strongly that whatever footprint (which is a politicallycorrect term I dislike) the transportation of fruit leaves, it is GREATLY compensated by the benefits I have mentioned, and many more we could discuss. Ecologists should be more worried about human health instead of always trying to judge everything by whether or not it contributes to global warming (a very debatable topic as well). They should consider the millions of acres of land on the planet that are devoted to the production of non-food or worse, of POISONS that destroy human health, such as the millions of acres devoted to coffee production, or the millions of acres devoted to wine or other alcohol production both products that every radical ecologist I have met consume. Imagine if all of this land could be used for growing fruit? It would instantly provide the world with infinitely more food than we could possibly need.

As a human being, you are going to leave a footprint and use up some resources in order to live. The only way to leave no footprint at all would be to die. By living a healthy life as a low-fat raw vegan, you not only maximize your human potential, but also require much fewer resources for your existence. So thats why I have absolutely no remorse about eating imported exotic fruits or traveling to countries where these fruits are available. Human beings thrive on fruit. This is how our bodies have evolved to function. This is our natural diet. Imagine you had a polar bear in a zoo. What would you feed it? Would you be afraid to feet it its natural diet of seal, just because that item has to be imported? Or would you realize that it would be healthier if you fed it its natural food to help it thrive, even if this had to be imported? Any rational person would feed the bear its natural food, even if that has to be imported. And in the case of imported fruits, the benefits by far outweigh any possible negative impact. Buying Organic Whenever you can, buy organic and fair-trade fruit. However, try to look at the food as a whole, before you decide what to buy. Ask yourself: Is it fresh? Is it ripe? Is it tasty? Although organic foods are technically better, if they are picked too green and cannot ripen properly, you are wasting your money by buying it. Use your best judgment. In this book, I will share with you some of my favorite recipes made with exotic fruits. You will probably learn about fruits you never knew even existed.

But keep your eyes peeled for those fruits, because most likely, you will find them either at a store in the city or through your travels. However, in this book I focused mainly on fruits that are imported to most large North American cities. Lets start our exploration of exotic fruits!

Where to Find Exotic Fruits

You may think that its impossible for you to find some of the fruits described in this book. Thats probably because you havent looked hard enough. Here are some places to go to look for exotic fruits.

Asian Markets: The Asian communities import a ton of exotic fruits from all over the world, most of which are items that are popular in Asia. This is where to go to find litchis, durian, jackfruit, soursop, dragon fruit, rambutan, Asian bananas, sapodilla, and many others. Fruit Stores: These are small store that generally specialize in fruits. For example, in Montreal we have the Jean-Talon market where many of the best fruits are located. This is where I find the best mangoes, oranges, persimmons, cherimoyas, as well as other varieties of exotic fruits. Some stores will often specialize in exotic fruits, and there youll be able to find (at a high price): passion fruit, granadilla, pitahaya, and other items. Supermarkets: Surprisingly, supermarkets are often a good place to find certain types of rare exotic fruits. They will often import very special fruits and only carry a small amount, usually to show off what great variety they have in the store. Ive found in supermarkets: tree tomatoes, exotic fig varieties, exotic vegetables, and the odd exotic fruit. Latino Markets: Many major cities have at least a cluster of stores selling items popular in Latino communities. Youll often find many exotic fruits from Central and South America, such as papayas, tree tomatoes, soursop, and others. Now, lets start our exploration of tropical fruits!

Pomelo

Also called Chinese grapefruit, shaddock, pumelo, pommelo, and pompelmous. The pomelo is an exotic large citrus fruit that is an ancient ancestor of the common grapefruit. It is the largest of the citrus fruits with a shape that can be fairly round or slightly pointed at one end. They range from grapefruit-size to as large as a 25-pound watermelon and have very thick, soft rind. The skin is green to yellow and slightly bumpy; flesh color ranges from pink to yellow. They can contain many seeds or fewer. They can hold a lot of juice or be rather dry. Finally, they can be sweet to sour. But generally, the pomelo is sweeter than a grapefruit with a nicer fragrance. You should peel the membranes around the segments before eating the pomelo. The pomelo is grown in many Asian countries including China, Japan, India, Fiji, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is also now grown in the Caribbean and in the United States, in California and Florida. The season is November through March. Pomelos are especially popular for the Chinese New Year. The Chinese believe the delectable Pommelo is a sign of prosperity and good fortune good things will happen if they eat it. One-fourth of a Pommelo (152 grams) has 60 calories.

 Ingredients:

Pomelo Recipes
Green pomelo
1pomelo 1cupofbabyspinach 1orange(juiceof) 1mango 2branchesofcelery,finelychopped Handfulofparsley,finelychopped 5walnuts,crushed

Method:Cutthepomeloin3bigslices(cutthe2extremitiesalso).Takeoffthepeelfrom eachslice.Dividetheslicein2parts.Takeoffthepulpfromtheskin.Breakthepulpapart withyourhands.Putthepulpinabigbowlwiththeotheringredientsandmix.Thisisthe saladofyourdreams!

Pomelo Soup
Ingredients: 1pomelo 10mediumoranges 2mangoes pomegranate

Method:Cutthepomeloin3bigslices(cutthe2extremitiesalso).Takeoffthepeelfrom eachslice.Dividetheslicein2parts.Takeoffthepulpfromtheskin.Breakthepulpapart withyourhands.Putthepulpinabigbowl.Dice2orangesandthe2mangoes.Pressthe otherorangestomakethejuice.Openthepomegranateandtakeouttheseeds.Mix everythinginthebowl.Thissoupisatreat!

Citrus fruit salad

Ingredients: 1pomelo grapefruit 2oranges 3kumquats 2tangerine 2kiwis

Method:Cutthepomeloin3bigslices(cutthe2extremitiesalso).Takeoffthepeelofeach slice.Dividetheslicein2parts.Takeoffthepulpfromtheskin.Breakthepulpapartwith yourhands.Putthepulpinabigbowl.Cutthekumquatsintinyslices(keepthepeel).Cut alltheotherfruitsinsmallpieces.Mixinthebowlandmash(nottoomuch)withthepotato mashertoaddsomejuiceinthesalad.Amazing!

Pomelo and raspberry

Ingredients: 1pomelo cupofraspberry(frozenorfresh) 1apple 1pear

Method:Cutthepomeloin3bigslices(cutthe2extremitiesalso).Takeoffthepeelofeach slice.Dividetheslicein2parts.Takeoffthepulpfromtheskin.Breakthepulpapartwith yourhands.Putthepulpinabigbowl.Cuttheappleandpear.Addallthefruitsinthebowl. Mixwell.Youwillhaveabeautifulpinksalad!

Kumquat

This is the smallest citrus fruit. This fruit is eaten with his skin. The flesh is divided in 3 to 5 parts with very little liquid and seeds. Its the skin that is sweet and its color varies from orange to red-orange. The Kumquat is nice in a salad or in a fruit soup and its also useful as a garnish. You will see kumquat used in many of the recipes of the book.

Kumquat Recipes
Kumquat Salad
Ingredients: 3kumquats 2oranges 1lemon(juiceof) avocado 2cupoflettuce,chopped

Method:CuttheKumquatsinslices.Cuttheorangesandtheavocadointinycubes.Mix everythinginabowlandpoursomelemonjuiceonit.

Star Fruit (Carambola)

This fruit is very beautiful because you can make stars with it. The slices can garnish any meal wonderfully. The skin is shiny, yellow and the pulp is clear. If there are any green parts, its better to remove it because it can be bitter. When the carambola is really ripe, the skin becomes yellow with some brown on the sides. There are 2 kinds of carambola: some are sweet and others are sour. The carambola is fragile. You must manipulate it carefully. If its

green, keep it at room temperature and it will ripen. You can keep it in the refrigerator once its ripe. In order to stop oxidation and to keep its nice color, put some lemon juice on the slices. You can also freeze some slices to put in your special drink when you need. 140 g (250 ml) = 32 Calories and 90% of water

Carambola Recipes

Caramba
Ingredients: 1carambola cupofraspberry(freshorfrozen) 3sweetapples Lemonjuice

Method:Cutthecarambolaandkeep2or3starslicesforgarnish.Cuttheapples.Pour somelemonjuiceontheappleandcarambola.Putalltheingredientsinabowlandmix. Addthestarsontopofthesalad.Caramba!

Green Stars
Ingredients: 1carambola 2cupoflettucechopped 1apple 1pear 1orange(juice) 1lemon(juice)

Method:Cutthecarambolaandkeep2or3starsslicesforgarnish.Poursomelemonjuice onthecarambolatopreventoxidation.Cuttheotherfruitsandmixinabowlwiththe lettuceandtheorangejuice.Addthestarsontoporinthesalad.

Smoothie Star

Method:Makeanysmoothieorjuiceofyourchoiceandgarnishwithasliceofcarambola onthesideoftheglassorintheglass.Theslicescanbefrozenandusedwhenyouneed them.

Soup for Stars

Ingredients: 10oranges(juiceof) 1cupoforganicgreengrapes 1carambola 2tangerine cupofcelerychoppedreallyfinely

Method:Presstheorangestomakethejuice.Cutthegrapesinhalf.Slicesthecarambola andkeepsomestarslicesforgarnish.Cutthetangerineandthecelery.Puteverythingina bowlandmix.Addthestarsontop.Wow!

Soursop

The soursop grows in Africa, America and Asia. It has a green skin with white flesh and black seeds. The shape isnt really round it looks like an irregular heart or an oval. It can be small or very big. The skin is easy to take off when the fruit is ripe. The taste is lightly sour and sweet, but surprisingly tasty. It makes delicious and refreshing sorbets and smoothies. The soursop is often easy to find at the Chinese market. You can buy it fresh or frozen. In Spanish, they call it guanbana

Personally, I think the best way to eat soursop is to simply peel it, remove the seeds (which can take a while!), and then blend the pulp. Just that alone makes a wonderful meal! It creates an amazing cream. You could also mix in some diced mangoes, or another sub-acid fruit.

Soursop Recipes

Ice Cream
Ingredients: 1cupfrozensoursop 2bananas 1youngcoconut

Method:Takeoutthefleshwithaspoon.Mixtheingredientsintheblenderorthefood processor.Thisrecipeisalsogoodwithoutthecoconut.

Soursop Smoothie
Ingredients: soursop(freshorfrozen) 1cupofstrawberry(freshorfrozen)or1cupofpineapple 2oranges(juice)

Method:Ifyouhaveafreshsoursopyoumusttakeoutalltheseeds.Presstheorangesto makethejuice.Thenputthesoursopintheblenderwiththeotheringredientsandmix well.

Soursop sorbet
Ingredients: Method:Putthesoursopintheblenderorthefoodprocessor.Pouritinaglass.Makea saucewiththemangoandsomewaterintheblender.Pouronthesorbet.Enjoy! Whenyoubuythefrozensoursop,lookatthesticker,somehavesugarinitandothers dont. 1cupoffreshorfrozensoursop(seeded) 1mango

Mango

The mango is the most popular fruit in the world. Mangoes come in various shapes. flat. Usually they are oval and kind of

Some varieties are bright yellow or orange when ripe, some are red and yet others stay green outside when ripe. Some have all these color on their skin. Most of the mango exported to the U.S.A. and Canada are coming from Mexico, Haiti and South America. Here are some different types of mango growing on the globe: Mango Anka (Vietnam), Mango Arumanis (Bali), Mango Atti (Vietnam), Mango Choke Anan (Malaysia), Mango Golden (Vietnam), Mango Golek (Bali), Mango Jakal (Kenia), Mango Keitt (Africa), Mango Keju (Thailand), Mango Keju-Sawoi (Thailand), Mango Kweni (Malaysia), Mango Madu (Bali), Mango Maduro (Mexico), Mango Mamung (Thailand), Mango Mamy Late (Africa), Mango Manilla (Mexico), Mango Mau (Thailand), Mango Namdokmai (Thailand), Mango Nanya (Vietnam), Mango Palmer (Africa), Mango Sahir (Pakistan), Mango Samo (Vietnam), Mango Siku (Kenya), Mango Thommy Atkins (Spain), Mango Thomsen (Spain), Mango Tshuano (Vietnam), Mango Wini (Bali), Mangue Julie (Guadeloupe), Mango Reine Amlie (Antilles)

 Ingredients: 2mangoes 2oranges 2persimmons

Mango Recipes
Mango Tango

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandmixinabowl.Delicious!

Tiny mango
Ingredients: 4ripeAtulfomangoes(theAsianoneswithyellowskin) 2ribsofcelery,finelychopped 2oranges Handfulofparsley,finelychopped

Method:Cutthefruitsandvegetables.Mixinabigbowl.

Go mango!
Ingredients: 2mangoes papaya 1banana

Method:Blendeverythinganditsreadytogo!

Mango-Coco
Ingredients: 2slicespineapple(about3inches) 1bigmango 1cupcoconutwaterfrommaturecoconut

 Method:Blendeverything.Besuretousematurecoconutsforthewater,togivethisnice coconuttaste.Ifyoudonthavecoconutwater,simplyusewaterandaddtwodates.

Mango Soup
Ingredients: 4mangoes 3bananas

Method:Blend2mangoeswith1cupofwater.Cuttheothermangoesandthebananas. Mixinabowlandenjoy!

Mango Salad
Ingredients: 2mangoes 1cupofbabyspinach redonionchopped 2tomatoes 2tsp.ofapplecidervinegar(optional)

Method:Cuttheingredients(spinachtoo)andmixinabigbowl.Ireallylikethisone! Tip:Whenyoucutyourmango,ifyoudontreallywanttoeatthecenterwithyourteeth (directlyonthepit)becauseithastoomuchfiberthatwillgetcaughtbetweenyourteeth, youcanpressitinyourhandunderabowltogetthejuicetouseinyourrecipe.

Banana and Plantain

Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world! In fact, bananas and plantains constitute a major staple food crop for millions of people in developing countries. In most tropical countries, green (unripe) plantain bananas used for cooking represent one of the main crops. Cooking bananas are very similar to potatoes in how they are used. Bananas may also be cut and dried and eaten as a type of chip. Bananas are grown in at least 107 countries. The term "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas. The bananas with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains. Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas are seedless. The most important properties making 'Cavendish' the main export banana are related to transport and shelf life rather than taste; major commercial cultivars rarely have a superior flavor compared to the less widespread cultivars. There are so many kinds of bananas around the world, some have red or brown skin, and others are smaller or bigger:

Banana Ambon (Bali), Banana Andong (Bali), Banana Bom (Vietnam), Banana Emas (Bali), Banana Finger (Thailand), Banana Gaoudi (Africa), Banana Gepok (Bali), Banana Gia (Vietnam), Banana GIong (Vietnam), Banana Hom (Thailand), Banana Hot (Vietnam), Banana La (Vietnam), Banana Manzano (Mexico), Banana Mas, (Malaysia), Banana Matcho (Mexico), Banana Nam Wa (Thailand), Banana Peron (Mexico), Banana Platanos (Africa), Banana Poyo (Antilles), Banana Raja (Bali), Banana Rasatali (Malaysia), Banana Roja (Mexico), Banana Saba (Bali), Banana Sap (Vietnam), Banana Sasih (Bali), Banana Schwarz (Thailand), Banana Sim (Vietnam) Bananas are rich in carbs and give you a lot of calories. They are easy to find and not too expensive. They make great smoothies and healthy desserts. For those reasons, you will find many recipes using bananas in this book and all of my other books.

Coconut

You can easily find two kind of coconut on the market: the young coconut and the mature ones. The young coconut is bigger and contains more water. The flesh is smooth and creamy. The water is sweet. You can buy them at the Chinese market. Ask the employee if you dont find them. There arent round and brown like the older ones they are almost beige and they are cut in a nice shape (like a little house). To drink the water of the young coconut, you just need a knife with a sharp point and to hit the middle of the flat side to find the hole. You might have to try many times before finding it. The water is delicious! To open the young coconut and eat the flesh, you need an axe or a hammer, or a machete. Hit the side of the coconut with the sharp part. Hit all around until the coconut cracks and then you can open it with your hand. The machete method is different. Needless to say: be very careful. I once had a coconut opening accident that resulted in my needing hand surgery, so now Im super careful. The safer method to open a young, already shaved coconut is to simply take out the water, and then smash it forcefully on the ground several times! Its actually kind of fun.

The brown coconuts you see at the supermarkets are older ones. The flesh is very firm, and there is much less water inside. To open them, first remove the water by poking a hole on one of the eyes at the bottom, then hit it with a hammer. It will break.

Coconut Recipes
White Coconut
Ingredients: 2cupscoconutwater 2bananas 1youngcoconut(meatof) 1inchrealvanilla

Method:Blendeverything.Useyoungcoconutsforthisrecipe.Ifyoucantfindrealvanilla, useafewdropsofnaturalvanillaextract.

Carob Smoothie
Ingredients: 2cupscoconutwater 2bananas 1youngcoconut,meatof 2Tbs.carobpowder 68dates,pitted

Method:Blendeverything.Thisisavariationofthepreviousrecipe,butturningitintoa carobsmoothie.

Papaya

Papaya originally comes from Mexico. There are different sizes of papaya. They can measure 4 inches to 12 inches and weigh up to 8 pounds (4 kilos). You must remove the seeds before eating. The taste of the flesh is sweet but the seeds are spicy. The seeds are also slightly toxic and in fact can provoke a miscarriage when eaten in fair quantities. The papaya is one of the most commercialized tropical fruits along with pineapple, mango and avocado. Papayas usually ripen rather fast and are ready once they yield to light pressure applied with your palm.

Papaya Recipes

Papaya smoothie
Ingredients:

1mediumpapaya(about2cups) 4bananas 34icecubes(optional).

Method:Blendtogether.Thisisoneofmyfavoritesmoothies!Alternatively,addsome lettucetocreateagreenpapayasmoothie.

Papaya Smoothie II
Ingredients: 1sapote papaya Method:Blendeverything.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatpeelsandseedsdontgointhere!

Mashed Papaya
Ingredients: papaya 2bananas cupofstrawberry(freshorfrozen)

Method:Withthepotatomasher,mashalltheingredients.Keepitchunky.

Orange Papaya
Ingredients: 1papaya 1cupoforangejuice

Method:Pressorangestomakethejuice.Blend.Agreatsmoothie!Alternatively,addtwo ripepersimmons.Besurethatyourpersimmonsarereallyripe.

Ramboutan

The ramboutan comes from Malaysia and is in the same family as the litchi and the longan. There are about 50 kinds of ramboutan. It looks like an ourchin and rambout means hair in Malay language. The fruit is round or oval and it s easy to open. The flesh is clear and white, the same consistency as the litchi. There is a seed in the middle. The ramboutan is sweet or sometimes sour. To make a nice presentation on the plate, you can open the ramboutan and let the flesh inside half of the shell show. The ramboutan is delicious alone but you can also make good recipes with it. All the recipes made with this fruit can be made with the litchi and the longan.

Longan

Litchi

Ramboutan Recipes

Really Tropical Mix

Ingredients: 1youngcoconut(meatof) 1cupcoconutwater(ormore) 2mangoes,diced 512ramboutans(litchiorlongan)

Method:Blendthecoconutmeatwiththewater.Cutthemangoes.Takeofftheshellofthe ramboutan,litchiorlongan.Mixeverythinginabowl.Youwillhavetobecarefulwiththe pitoftheramboutanwhenyoueat.Delicious!

Ramboutan Power
Ingredients: 510ramboutans 2kiwis 2Asianpears 2oranges(juiceof) 1cupbabyspinach,chopped

Method:Presstheorangetomakejuice.Takeofftheshelloftheramboutan.Cutthepear andthekiwis.Mixinabowlandpoursomeorangejuiceonit.

Choco Ramboutan
Ingredients: 5ramboutans 4dates 2tbs.carobpowder

Method:Blendthedates(withoutthepit)withthecarobandcupofwater.Pourthe sauceonramboutan(withouttheirshells).Gorgeous!

Prickly Pear

The prickly pear grows on a cactus called Opuntia ficus-indica that comes from Mexico and the West-south of U.S.A. The prickly pear is purple, sometimes green or kind of yellow and red. It has a cone shape and the skin is full of thorns. Watch out when you hold it, you must grip it with a piece of cloth. The inside of the fruit can be red or yellow and contain many seeds. Its very juicy and sweet. To eat them, you cut it in a half and take out the flesh with a spoon. Its very good like this, without any other ingredients. But, you can make some delicious and special recipes too. They go pretty well with the pitahaya!

Prickly Pears Recipes

Kiwi and Pears

Ingredients: 3pricklypears 3kiwis 1Asianpears

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandmixtheminabowl.

Durian

Durians grow in South-East Asia, and they are rarely grown anywhere else in the world. There are more than 30 species. The name comes from Malay language duri which means thorn . Its also called the king of fruit for good reasons! It can weigh up to 10 pounds (5 kilos); it has a prehistoric looking skin, and tastes amazingly good when ripe and fresh. Its also a fatty and sweet fruit, a combination that generally is not common in nature. However, it digests well when eaten alone. The skin of the fruit is green, brown or red, depending on the species. You can open it in 5 parts, which may contain some seeds coated with a creamy pulp. You can find these special fruits at the Chinese market. Frozen durian is usually all thats available. Its frozen whole and sold by the pound. However, the taste is often still okay even in a frozen, thawed durian. Fresh durians can be found in season, at a high price (often $30 to $50 for a fruit. You can also find containers of frozen durian in the freezer of some Asian markets. When buying a fresh or frozen durian, ask someone at the store to help you choose a good one.

When the fruit is ripe, it is very easy to open by hand. But, if it isnt, you will need a knife to cut each part. When buying a frozen durian, let it thaw for 24 hours.

Durian Recipes

Durian Ice-Cream
Ingredients: 2cupshalffrozenorthaweddurian 23frozenbananas Aslittlewateraspossible. Method:IlovetomakethisrecipewithaVitaMix.Ibuyfrozendurianinplasticcontainers (whichcontainsonepound,or450grams).Iwillusuallyletthecontainerthawforafew hours,sothatitsstillcold.Then,putthedurianintheVitamix,andtrytoblendwith23 frozenbananas.Youwillneedtheplunger,orstopyourmachineseveraltimestomixit. Alternatively,tryaddingsomecacaoorcarobpowderforachocolateicecream! Itsincrediblygood!

Pitahaya or Dragon Fruit

The pitahaya is the fruit of a climbing cactus with air roots. The flower are wonderful, they are called Queen of the night . The flower open only during the night and produce a powerful perfume. That plant was the favorite of Marie-Antoinette, the Queen of France. The fruits are also very special. They are round or oval, with some thorns. Usually they are red, pink or yellow. Inside, they are white or red with little black seeds. One of my friends likes to give these fruits to his children for Easter. He said they look like big pinky eggs. This is better than chocolate eggs! If you like to make fruit sculptures, you can also transform the pitahaya into a really nice fish. Basically, you just need to add some eyes! This is the kind of fruits you want to eat alone to really taste it. But, they can also make some great recipes. You will find it in Asian markets or exotic produce stores.

Pitahaya Recipes

Pitahaya Queen
Ingredients: 1pitahaya 4kiwis(green) 4kiwis(golden) 1carambola

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandmixinabowl.Keepsomecarambolaslicestoputon top.

Honey Pitahaya
Ingredients: 1pitahaya honeydewmelon

Method:Cutthemeloninahalf.Withamelonspoonmakelittlemelonballs.Dothesame withthepitahaya.Putalltheballsinthemelonskinandenjoy!

Cactus delight
Ingredients: 1pitahaya 2pricklypears

Method:Cutthefruitsinhalfandtakeouttheinsidewithaspoon.Becarefulwiththepear cactus,theyhavethinthorns.Mixthefruitsandservetoyourbestfriends!

Jackfruit

The jackfruit grows on a big tree (9 to 21 m). The fruit can also be very large and weigh up to 100 lbs! The skin of the fruit is green or yellow when ripe and composed of numerous hard, cone-like points attached to a thick and rubbery, pale yellow or whitish wall. The interior consists of large "bulbs" of yellow, gum-flavored flesh, massed among narrow ribbons of thin, tough undeveloped perianths, and a central, pithy core. Each bulb encloses a smooth, oval, light-brown "seed". There may be 100 or up to 500 seeds in a single fruit. Some people think that the ripe, unopened fruit smells bad. But the pulp of the opened fruit smells of pineapple and banana. The only problem with this fruit is when we want to cut it, its copious gummy latex accumulates on the knife and the hands. I personally love jackfruit! You can find it frozen or fresh at the Chinese market. The fresh ones are usually sold in smaller parts because an entire jackfruit could cost you a lot!

Jackfruit Recipes

Jackfruit Soup
Ingredients: 1cupofjackfruit 15smalloranges 2mangoes

Method:Presstheorangestomakethejuice.Cuttheotherfruits.Mixeverythinginabowl. Wow!Thisisatreat!

Jackfruit Sorbet
Ingredients: bagoffrozenjackfruit cupoffrozenstrawberry

Method:Mixtheingredientsinthefoodprocessororinaheavydutyblender.Youcant findthatstuffattheicecreambar!

Jackfruit Salad
Ingredients: 1cupofjackfruit 2oranges 1mango 1cupofpineapple cupofraspberry(frozenorfresh) 3branchesofcelery,finelychopped

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandmixinabowl.Thisisanamazingrecipe!

Breadfruit

This is the cousin of the jackfruit, and it doesnt smell bad In the late 18th century it was used as a cheap, high-energy food sources for British slaves in the West Indies. Breadfruit is one of the highest-yielding food plants, with a single tree producing up to 200 or more fruits per season. This is a very starchy fruit. Most people eat it cooked. It tastes like the potato or bread when its boiled or baked. When its really ripe, you can eat it fresh, as long as its a good variety. It has the consistency of a pudding and it tastes wonderful. I had one in Costa Rica and it was delicious! But, in Canada, I have never found a good one I could eat raw. They just dont ripen.

Sapote

The sapote comes from Central America and South of Mexico. This fruit may be round, ovoid or elliptic in shape, often bluntly pointed at the apex. It can weigh up to 5 pounds. It has rough, dark-brown, firm, leathery, semi-woody skin or rind, and salmon-pink to deep-red, soft flesh, sweet and pumpkin-like in flavor. You can scratch the skin to know if the fruit is ripe. If the flesh inside is green, its not ready. Wait, if you eat it now, latex will stick on your lips. Its grown in Costa Rica, but I dont like the variety there. In other countries, the variety is much better and really tastes like pumpkin pie. Its funny to know that chewing gum was once made with the chicle the white latex of the sapotes tree. The fruit is very rich in calories, with up to 114.5 calories per 100 grams.

In California, I also had the much better white sapote, which tastes like vanilla pudding. The problem is that its impossible to ship it ripe, and only a tree-ripen fruit will taste good. The chocolate black sapote is also a treat. It tastes like chocolate pudding! Again, this delicious fruit can only be found in peoples backyards or grown on a small scale.

Sapote Recipes

Sapote Pudding
Ingredients: 1sapote(anytype) 3bananas

Method:Blendtheingredientsandrefrigerateforupto1hourbeforeserving.

Sapote smoothie
Ingredients: 1sapote 1peach 2apricots 1orange(juiceof)

Method:Blendeverythingandserve.

Sapote cream
Ingredients: 1sapote papaya 2bananas

Method:Mixtheingredientsinablender.

Theyellowsapote,EggfruitorCanistel

Sapodilla

This is in the same family as the sapote, but I prefer because it really tastes like caramel or maple syrup! The flavor is exceptionally sweet and very tasty, with what can be described as a malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains high amounts of tannin. Some sapodillas are round and some are oval with pointed ends, much resembling a smooth-skinned potato and containing 2 to 5 big seeds. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture akin to that of a well-ripened pear. Again, you will find it in Asian markets.

Sapodilla Recipes

Sapodilla Smoothie
Ingredients: Method:Blendanditsreadytoserve. P.S.Sapodillacanbedeliciouswithsugarcanejuice.Thatsanicedrink! 1sapodilla 3bananas Somewater

Persimmon

The persimmon is the national fruit of Japan. They have 800 varieties. In the world, there are more than 2000 varieties. Persimmons are generally light yellow-orange to dark red-orange in color, and depending on the species, vary in size and may be spherical, acorn-, or pumpkin-shaped. They are high in calories and they provide 66 calories / 100 grams. The heart-shaped Hachiya is the most common variety of astringent persimmon. Astringent persimmons contain very high levels of soluble tannins and are unpalatable if eaten before softening. The non-astringent persimmon is squat like a tomato and is most commonly sold as fuyu. Non-astringent persimmons are not actually free of tannins as the term suggests, but rather are far less astringent before ripening, and lose more of their tannic quality sooner. Nonastringent persimmons may be consumed when still very firm to very very soft.

 Ingredients:

Persimmon Recipes
Smoothies for Me

2bananas 2persimmons 2ribsofcelery cupofwater

Method:Blendeverything.(Makesurethepersimmonsareripe.)

Sweet Soup
Ingredients: 3persimmons 10oranges 2ribsofceleryfinelychopped 2kumquats cupofraspberry

Method:Presstheorangestomakethejuice.Cuttheceleryveryfinely.Cutthekumquatin sliceswiththeskin.Cutthepersimmonandtakeouttheseedsifthereissome.Mixthe ingredientinabowl.

Persimmon Sauce
Ingredients: 2persimmons 1orange(juice) 2dates

Method:Blendeverything.Pouronapplesslicesorbananaicecream.

Cherimoya

The cherimoya is more popular in Europe, California, Asia and certain parts of Latin America. It is produced rustically in many parts of the world, but it is produced in commercial plantings only in semi-tropical areas of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Peru, California, New Zealand, Australia, and Israel. This fruit is oval, often slightly oblique with a smooth or slightly tuberculated skin. The fruit flesh is white, and has numerous seeds embedded in it. The Moche culture of Peru had a fascination with agriculture and represented fruits and vegetables in their art. Cherimoyas were often depicted in their ceramics Cherimoya is ready to eat when it softens and feels like the heel of one's hand. If in doubt, it should be allowed to ripen further. It's better for it to be a little over ripe than a little under ripe. After ripening, cherimoya can be kept for several days in the refrigerator. To ripen faster, fruit can be put in a paper bag and put in a warmer place. I used to only find cherimoyas in California. Now, they are imported from Brazil and sold in Asian markets and stores specializing in importing fruits. You must eat it alone to taste the real flavor first. Then, you can try some recipes.

 Ingredients:

Cherimoya Recipes
Cherry Smoothie
1cherimoya 1banana cupofwater

Method:Openthecherimoya.Takeoutalltheseeds.Putthefleshintheblenderwitha bananaandsomewater.Mix.

Cherimoya Sorbet
Ingredients: 1cherimoya 1frozensoursop(1cup)orfrozenjackfruit

Method:Openthecherimoya.Takeouttheseeds.Blendwiththefrozenfruit.

Sugar Apple

Although it looks similar to the cherimoya, this is another type of fruit, which is more common in Brazil and South East Asia. Also called custard-apple (but its not the same fruit), the sugar apple is a species of Anona native to the tropical Americas. The fruit is usually round; slightly pine cone-like with a scaly or lumpy skin. The fruit flesh is sweet, white to light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. The edible portion coats the seeds generously. Sugar apple has a very distinct, sweet-smelling fragrance. It is slightly grainy, a bit slippery, very sweet and very soft. There is a pineapple sugar apple, which is similar in sweetness but has a very different taste. Like the name suggests, it tastes like pineapple. This is an ultra-sweet fruit that is best eaten alone or used to flavor other recipes.

Asian Pear (Nashi)

The Asian pear comes from China, Korea and Japan. In Japanese, Nashi mean pear. The Asian pear has a taste that combines the pear and apple, but the crunchiness of the apple. Its so juicy and refreshing. Like apples, they can keep for a rather long time. There are many varieties of nashi: Chojuro, Hayatama, Hosui, Kikusui, Kimisuka, Kosui, Kumoi, Nijisseiki, Nitaka, Seuri, Shinko, Shinseiki, Shinsui, Tsu Li You can find some kind at the supermarket and at the Chinese market.

Nashi Recipes

Asian Smoothie
Ingredients: 3Asianpears 3ribsofcelery cupofwater

Method:Blendeverything.

Pear Salad
Ingredients: 2Asianpears 1pear 1apple 2cupofspinachbaby lemon(juice) Handfulofcilantro

Method:Cutalltheingredients(spinachtoo),mixinabowlandserve.

Pomelo and Pear

Ingredients: pomelo 3Asianpears 2oranges(juice) Somecilantrochopped

Method:Cutthepomeloin3bigslices.Takeoffthepeelofeachslice.Dividetheslicein2 parts.Takeoffthepulpofftheskin.Separatethepulpintotinylittleparts.Putthepulpin abigbowlwiththeAsianpearchopped.Poursomeorangejuiceandmix.

Aai

Aa palms are cultivated for both their fruits and for their hearts of palm. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in recent years, due to the discovery that aai is one of the highest sources of anti-oxidants. The fruit is especially popular in Brazil. When I was there, I would eat an aa sorbet every day. It was made with frozen aa, honey or guarana syrup, and served with granola. I loved it! The Brazilians buy it in big frozen blocks. Now you can find it in health food stores in North American and Europe at a relatively high price. The juice and pulp of aa fruits are used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. You can buy it frozen and make your own.

Aai Recipes
Aai Sorbet

Ingredients: 1cupoffrozenaai 35Tbs.ofhoneyorothersweetenerofyourtaste cupofwater

Method:Mixeverythingintheblenderandaddlittleberryontop.

Aai Energy!

Ingredients: 100grams.packofaapulp(frozen 6wholestrawberries(frozen) 1/3cupofalmondmilk 12Tbs.ofhoneyorothersweetenerofyourtaste 45crushedwalnuts 1cupfreshberries

Method:Blendeverythingexceptthelasttwoingredientsinyourblenderorfood processor.Addthetoppingsandenjoy!

Aai Smoothie

Ingredients: 1packoffrozenaai(100grams) 34bananas cupfrozenberries Watertoreachrightconsistency

Method:Lettheberriesthaw30minutesbefore,andthenblendeverything.

Aai Sauce
Ingredients: cupoffrozenaai 2Tbs.ofhoneyoragavesyrup cupofwater Somefreshmint

Method:Takeoutthefrozenaaibeforetomoldit.Blendtheaai,honeyandthewater. Choppedthemintandadditintheblender.Blendagainfor2or3secondsandpourontop ofasalad.

Tamarillo

The fruit tastes like a combination of the kiwi and the tomato. At first I didnt like it, but now its become one of my favorite exotic vegetable-fruit. The tamarillo was known as the "tree tomato" in New Zealand, but a new name was chosen in order to distinguish it from the ordinary garden tomato and increase its exotic appeal. The choice is variously explained by similarity to the word "tomato", the Spanish word "amarillo", meaning yellow, and a variation on the Maori word "tama", for "leadership". It is still called Tree Tomato in most of the world. In Spanish, they call it Tomato de Palo. The fruit is eaten by scooping the flesh from the halved fruit. Its ripe when it feels a bit softer and brighter, much like a tomato. Dont wait until its too ripe though. Each fruit has very little flesh, but the flavor is intense. The flesh of the tamarillo is tangy and mildly sweet, and may be compared to kiwi or tomato. The skin and the flesh near it have an unpleasant bitter taste, so make sure you dont eat it or get the fruit flesh too close to it.

Tamarillo Recipes
Tamarillo Dressing
Ingredients: 1cupoftreetomato(scooptheinside) 1cupofmango

Optional:abitoffreshcilantro

Method:Blendeverythingandenjoythisgreat,lowfatdressing!

Best Vegetable Soup

Ingredients: 1largetomato,diced 1mediumcucumber,peeledanddiced cupfreshdill Afewfreshchives,chopped 1mango 3tomatillos(fleshof)

Method:Blendatalowspeedsoeverythingstayschunky.Soooogood!

Tree Tomato Chili

Ingredients: 1cupoftreetomato(scooptheinside) 2cupsoftomatochopped 2cupofredpepperchopped cupofmango 2greenonionschopped Somebasil Chili(optional)

Method:Mix1cupoftomatoandpepperwiththemangointheblender.Addtheother ingredientsinabowlandmixwiththerest.

Pineapple

Pineapples come from Brazil and Paraguay. Hawaii and Costa Rica are one of the biggest exporters of pineapple of the world. Some diets recommend eating a lot pineapple or only pineapple for a several days. Its supposed to be good to dissolve the fat and help in the digestion. Of course, no food can dissolve body fat. Only caloric restriction can. Pineapples are too acidic to be eaten in large quantities, day after day. When I was in Costa Rica, the pineapples were so good that I wanted to eat just pineapple. But I cant eat more than one before getting the signal that Ive had enough. In North America, we generally only find one type of pineapple: the yellow one with yellow flesh. In Costa Rica, they also grow a local variety called criolla which has white fresh and a saltier taste. When its fully ripe, the flesh is translucent and very sweet. The problem is it goes bad within a day or two so it cant be exported. A ripe pineapple wont automatically have a yellow skin. Some varieties have a green skin when they are fully ripe. There is a nice tool to cut the pineapple into perfect slices. You just have to cut the top of the pineapple, to place the tool on the top and turn it until youve reached the bottom. Then you have beautiful slices

and also an empty pineapple, which can be used for serving a soup. You can find this tool in many kitchen equipment stores. Tip: When you cut your pineapple, dont be afraid to remove a lot of the skin with your knife. You dont want to keep any eyes, which are hard to digest. Also remove the center stem. To avoid wasting, you can then press the cut skin of the pineapple in your hands to get a glass or two of pineapple juice from each pineapple you cut.

Pineapple Recipes

Tropical Soup
Ingredients: 1pineapplediced 1cupofsoursop 1cucumberdiced 4oranges(juice) 1cupofgrapes,cutinhalf 2branchesofcelery,slicedthinly

Method:Presstheorangestomakesomejuice.Mixalltheingredientsinabigbowl.

Pineapple cream
Ingredients: 1pineapple 1cupofsoursop

Method:Keepofthepineapplediced.Blendtherestwiththesoursopintheblender. Pourintoindividualbowlandaddsomedicedpineappleonthatdeliciouscream.

Pineapple Salad
Ingredients: 2cupsofpineapple 1cupofsoursop 1chayote,diced(reallytinydices)*

3oranges(juiceof) 1greenonion,chopped

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandmixeverythinginabigbowl.Thisisanotheramazing recipe! *Chayoteisanexoticsquash.

Mangosteen

Known as the Queen of Tropical Fruits the Mangosteen is one of the most popular tropical fruits in South East Asia. The white flesh tastes very sweet and juicy, with a lemon tang. Once youve had a few good ones, it will quickly become one of your favorite fruits. Cut the Mangosteen in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. It is best eaten chilled. Avoid the exuding latex close to the skin. You can find these fruits at the Chinese market.

Mangosteen Recipes

Queen and Star

Ingredients: 2mangosteen 2starapple(caimitos)

Method:Cuttheminhalfandscoopoutthefleshwithaspoon.Takeouttheseedandcut inpieces.Mixinabowl.

Star Apple (Caimito)

It has numerous common names including caimito, golden leaf tree, abiaba, pomme de lait, estrella, and aguay The fruit has a purple skin that is often green around the calyx, with an attractive star pattern in the pulp. The skin is rich in latex, and both it and the rind are not edible. The flattened seeds are light brown and hard. The fruit also exist in two colors, dark purple and greenish brown. The purple fruit has a denser skin and texture, while the greenish brown fruit has a thin skin and a more liquid pulp. Its one of my favorite exotic fruit. The flesh is sweet and tastes very smooth and aromatic. They are very good by themselves. This is a traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare. A drink called matrimony is made in Jamaica; its a mixture of star apple pulp and sour orange juice. In Montreal, I have found this fruit in Asian markets.

Passion Fruit

The passion fruit or granadilla is a tropical fruit. Depending on the variety, the skin can be purple or yellow. The shell is hard and contains many seeds. The flesh is very juicy and perfumed. The taste is really good and you dont need a lot to add that fresh flavor to your recipes. Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Indonesia are the principal growers of this fruit. Most of the production goes towards making passion fruit juice, but you can find fresh ones at the market. The passion fruit tends to have a more acid taste, but more flavor. Its ripe when the skin is fully wrinkled. The granadilla is sweet, and can be eaten before the skin wrinkles. Below is the granadilla:

 Ingredients:

Passion Fruit Recipes

Tropical Drink
2granadillaorpassionfruit. 1mango 5oranges

Method:Pressthepassionfruitthroughasievetoremovetheseeds.Presstheorangesto makesomejuice.Blendthemango,orangejuiceandpassionfruitjuicetogether.Enjoy

Granadilla Salad
Ingredients: 12granadillas 2oranges 1yellowpepper 2cupofchoppedlettuce 1handfulofparsley

Method:Pressthegranadillathroughasievetoremovetheseeds.Mixthegranadillajuice, thejuiceoftheorangesintheblender.Cutalltheotheringredientsandputtheminabowl. Mixandserve.

Granadilla Sorbet
Ingredients: 1granadillaor2passionfruits 1cupfrozenpineappleormango

Method:Pressthegranadillathroughasievetoremovetheseeds.Blendthefrozen pineappleormangowithabitofwaterandthepassionfruitjuiceintheblender.

Tropical Smoothie
Ingredients: 2passionfruits cuppineapple 1mango

Method:Pressthepassionfruitsthroughasievetoremovetheseeds.Blendallingredients togetherandenjoy!Addabitofwaterifdesired.

Exotic ice cream

Ingredients: 1passionfruit 1cupfrozensoursop

Method:Pressthepassionfruitsthroughasievetoremovetheseeds.Blendeverything withcupofwater.Enjoy!

Guava

The guava fruit has one of the nicest smells of any fruit. The fruit will be pink to red, and the flesh cream to orange with some hard seeds in it. Heres the problem with guava: every single guava I have opened contains worms! They are the same color as the flesh, so people dont tend to notice them. For that reason, I dont buy them anymore. As a test, try opening any guava, and watch the flesh. You will see something move Yes, its pretty disgusting, but its important that I let you know. Eventually I will plant a guava tree in my backyard in Costa Rica just for the smell. But Ill leave the fruits to the birds Guava trees attract parrots and monkeys. The guavas exported to North America are picked green. So its possible that they are worm-free. I would recommend testing them first The perfume of the guava is so strong that you can find it with your nose in the market! This is usually how I know if there is guava around

Because of the worm problem with guavas, I am not including any recipes.

Sweet Lemon

This is one of the most unusual and unique citrus fruits I have ever come across. The fruit tastes like a perfumed lemonade. Its very low in acidity. The shape of the fruit is like a Minneola tangelo. It peels like an orange and the sections separate easily. The flesh is yellow, somewhat seedy. I find this fruit at Sami Fruit in Montreal, and also in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, there is a tree full of sweet lemons in my neighborhood.

Ingredients:

Sweet Lemon Recipes

Non-Acidic Lemonade
1literofsparklingwaterorregularwater 4sweetlemon 1orange

Method:Press2lemontomakejuice.Slice2lemonsandtheorange.Puteverythingina potwiththemineralwater.Mix.

Chayote

This tropical squash is now easy to find in almost every large supermarket. It contains a lot of water and it doesnt have very much flavor, but it picks up the flavor of the other foods you mix with it. When peeling and cutting chayote, do it under running water, to avoid getting the latex-like milk on your hands.

Chayote recipes
Layered Chayote
Ingredients: 2tomatoes,diced 1chayote,peeledandgrated,orprocessedinthefoodprocessortocreate rice 2mangoes,diced Freshcilantro Leafsoflettuce

Method:Processthepeeledchayotetocreatearice.Placethemixtureonagenerousbed oflettuce.Mixthetomatoesandmangoesandaddontop.Addsomechoppedcilantroon top.Yum!

Chayote soup
Ingredients: 1cucumber 1chayote,peeled 2tomatoes 1mango 1greenonion

Method:Cuthalfofeachingredientinsmallcubes.Puttheotherhalfintheblenderwith cupofwater.Thenmixeverythinginabigbowlandserve.

Gaspachayote
Ingredients: 1chayote,peeledanddicefinely 4tomatoes,diced 1avocado,diced 2kalechopped(withoutthestem) 2greenonions,chopped 3oranges(juice) lemon(juice)

Method:Cutalltheingredientsandpressthelemonandoranges.Mixeverythinginabig bowlandserveinindividualbowlstoyourbestfriends.

Tamarind

The tamarind originated in tropical Africa. It has a strong acidic flavor. Despite its acidity, its natural sugar content is high, which means the pulp has high caloric value. That fruit has a strange look but the taste is interesting. You can find the whole fruit boxed in Chinese markets or as a paste sold in a plastic packages (with the seed). To eat the whole fruit, you just need to break the shell with your hand and eat the pulp inside. With this fruit, I rarely use it whole and instead use it as a seasoning in some recipes.

Tamarind Recipes
Tamarind Lemonade This is my raw version of a popular Mexican recipe called agua de tamarindo.
Ingredients: 1quartofwater 8tamarindopods,peeledandseedsremoved VERSIONA:8dates(ormoretotaste) VERSIONB:Replacethewaterwithsugarcanejuice

Method:IlovetomakethisrecipewhenIminCostaRica,andsurelyIwillbemakingitin Canadaaswell.NormallyIwillmakeitwithsugarcanejuice.Youcanbreakapartthesugar tamarindpodsinthewater.Mixwelltogetasmuchtamarindflavorinit.Thenstrainit.If yourenotusingsugarcanejuice,thensimplybreakitapartinwaterandstrainit.OF COURSE:KEEPTHEWATER!Thepointistogetthetamarindtomixwiththewater (withoutcookingit,asiscommonlydone). Thenonceyouhavethetamarindwater,blenditwithasweetener.Addmoretotaste.If youreusingsugarcanejuice,itwillbesweetenough. Addalotoficetoyourpitcherandenjoythisgreatlemonade! Ifitstoosweet,addmoreicetodilute.Ifitstooacidic,youdidntputenoughsweetenerin. Ifitsnottangyenough,youdidntuseenoughtamarind.

Tamarind Dressing
Ingredients: 5Tbs.oftamarindpulp(withouttheseeds) 2Tbs.ofhoneyorothersweetener cupofoliveoil Seasalttotaste(optional)

Method:Mixeverythingintheblender.Irarelyuseoliveoilbutthisrecipeisanexception.