What is the white fruit with little black seeds?

[lucybobo]

Several meals I had in China included a fruit platter. There was one fruit I could not identify. The flesh was white with little black seeds. It had a flavor somewhat like kiwi. What is this called? What does it look like when unpeeled?

[lucybobo]

Thanks everyone. After looking at the pictures, I realized it's dragon fruit. Very pretty on the inside and outside.

[amyzan]

I got a dead ripe one at Whole Foods of all places. It was all bruised looking and dark magenta out, inside delicious, creamy/tart, and pearish/kiwiish. Unfortunately $10/lb. Anyone know a reliable online source direct from the grower?

[moh]

Sounds like dragon fruit. but i have been a little disappointed in the flavour of this fruit. It is a little bland. A much more interesting Kiwi like fruit is the chinese gooseberry, which looks like a miniature kiwi (about the size of a grape). I first had one on a mountain side in Korea, and it was much sweeter and tastier than regular kiwi. The only other time i saw it was in a shop in Jean Talon Market in Montreal. I've never seen it since, but if you see it, try it...

[rworange]

There are also baby kiwis which are wonderful. Dragon Fruit can be wildly uneven in flavor. You don't want them from a place like Trader Joes. However, if you can get some directly from a farm, kawabunga.

[moh]

Hmm, good to know, what farm are you getting these from? (may be harder for me in Canada, but if I'm in the area....

[rworange]

In season, there is a local grower who sells at the Berkely & SF Center farmers market.

I first got interested in dragon fruit thourgh Central American drinks called Chan and Pituyaya. Really, really tasty. Maybe the sugar brings out the best in the fruit. If you read the links above, there are tips for selecting dragon fruit.

[Joel]

I bought dried sliced dragon fruit at the TJ's in Emeryville today.
Quite a vivid fuchsia in color, fairly tasty (lots of crunchy seeds).

[TorontoJo]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm pretty sure that the Kiwi fruit *is* a Chinese gooseberry. Some creative New Zealand grower changed the name to be more marketable.

Perhaps you had a wild version, which is probably smaller and tastier than the highly cultivated strains we see in the grocery stores.

[Brian S]

Maybe a dragon fruit(火龍果)?

[anonymoose]

I was thinking of dragon fruit too.

[rworange]

I third dragon fruit. It sometimes comes in shocking pink.

Here's the white-fleshed version
http://www.geocities.com/wenjin92014/foto2001/pitaya.jpg

More on dragon fruit
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/298043
http://www.chow.com/digest/1089

[Quine]

I am starting the agree with you guys, tho'

[JMF]

I'm in on the dragon fruit as well.

[Quine]

Probably a cherimoya, aka as a custard apple, pawpaw.