Skip to content
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Instagram YouTube Facebook
Menu

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker. Doing all three in China
Instagram YouTube Facebook
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Hit enter to search or esc to close
Home  >  China • Chinese Culture • Chinese Food  >  Chinese Dragon Fruit
Posted inChina Chinese Culture Chinese Food

Chinese Dragon Fruit

Posted By Becky Ances Posted on December 27, 2009
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

There are many strange and exotic things for sale at the local fruit stands. One such item was this strange thing (pictured on the right). We saw it in a number of fruit stores yet we never bought it because…well, we had no idea what it was.
The other day in class one of my students had one on her desk. The best thing about teaching 240 kids a week is you have a lot of people who are willing to explain things to you. So I picked it up and asked the class,
“What the heck is this?”
They all laughed and then took out their pocket translators and told me it was called ‘Dragon Fruit.’
“How do you eat it?”
“Does it taste good?”
“Why is it called Dragon fruit?”
I had a million questions and they were able to answer some of them for me, (for instance they said it tasted “good” and you eat it like a melon) and after a few minutes of discussing it we went back to the lesson. During the break one of my students came up with a bunch of information. She said it was high in iron, good for the blood, was a weight loss fruit and made your skin whiter (a much sought after trait in China). She said there was a story related to dragons, but she didn’t know it.
At the end of class the student gave me the fruit and said, “for you to try.” To be honest, I felt a little bit guilty. I asked the class just because I was honestly curious but I’m not sure if I accidentally stumbled upon some cultural hierarchy gift giving thing. (Like, if your teacher shows interest in something you are suppose to give it to them as a gift.) Basically, I felt as if I stole her snack.
But I put it to good use, washed it and a few days later I cut it open.  (Culture tip: Always wash the outside of the fruit even if you don’t eat it. The outside can have bacteria that you transfer to the inside from the knife cutting through it.) Imagine my surprise when I saw the inside:

Turns out it has a white fleshy fruit on the inside with teeny, tiny black seeds. Some people eat it with a spoon, while I cut it into strips and ate it like a melon. The flesh was quite juicy and tasted a lot like a kiwi, albeit a little less flavorful.It doesn’t have that ‘citrus-y’ tang that kiwi fruit has but it has a nice juicy consistency.
It turns out the dragon fruit is not unique to China or Asia. In fact, it is popular in South America and Mexico as well, and grows only in tropical areas. (Other names for it is Pataya or Pitahaya.) It favors tropical climates because it isn’t a typical fruit that grows on a bush or a tree. It is actually the fruit of a cactus!
(Here is a picture of it growing I found on Wikipedia:)

It turns out it is a very nutritious fruit that is high in Vitamin C and is good for lowering high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is also helps control glucose levels if you are diabetic. The dried form of this fruit contains a higher concentration of vitamins and is actually better for you. (But in my experience the dried stuff doesn’t taste nearly as good.)
This fruit should be available in September and October at some supermarkets in America, so keep you eyes out for them and give it a shot yourself and let me know what you think of it!

Tags: dragon fruit fruit
Previous Article MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Next Article What Does American English Sound Like?

Related Posts

What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.

As I rode the slick new escalators up the side of the mountain in the Xiamen botanical Gardens, I hated myself a little. Why was I here, supporting the destruction and abuse of this gorgeous natural mountain? I mean, is there anything lazier than taking an escalator up a mountain?

Read More about What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

The Instagrammification of a Beach

You’d think in a country where Instagram was blocked there would be no Instagrammification of places. But then you’d be wrong…very wrong.

Read More about The Instagrammification of a Beach
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

3 Comments

  1. Gisa
    January 4, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    Dear friend,
    I live in China (Beijing) and, for the first time of my life, I got the Dragon fruit in Vietnam.
    I liked it more for it shapes and colours than for its flavor.
    I use it for making fruit salad and decoration.
    Today, in Beijing, is cold but the sky is very blue.
    The contrast between the sky and the white snow(last sunday we had a lot of snow)is really magic.
    Have a nice day!

    Reply
  2. Becky
    January 4, 2010 at 10:57 pm

    Thanks Gisa,
    I do think the dragon fruit is perfect for decoration and I’ve started noticing it more, now that I know what it looks like, on top of cakes and such.

    Reply
  3. San
    August 14, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    HI Becky,
    It’s growing in our yard here in Hawaii!
    San (Renee and Barry’s friend)

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach
  • The Stuff of Nightmares
  • The (Surprising) Best Chinese Food for a Picnic

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. Becky Ances January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s Becky Ances December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach Becky Ances November 21, 2022
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • The Swiss Family Robinson are a Bunch of Jerks December 11, 2009
  • Making it Official: My Chinese Boyfriend December 7, 2012
  • Good Chinese Wife Review and a Chance to Win a Free Book!! July 27, 2014
  • 10 Signs You've Lived in China a Long Time March 29, 2014
  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
  • The Stuff of Nightmares September 12, 2022

Subscribe Now to Our Newsletter, It’s Free!

Get the best content delivered straight into your inbox!

Facebook Twitter Google+

About

I’m an American who has been living in China for more than a decade! This is my blog where I muse about all things China. Please also check out my YouTube channel “Badminton Becky” and my other badminton blog at www.badmintonbecky.com

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
© Copyright 2017. Theme by BloomPixel.