Tiangis Tuesday - Pitaya Cactus Fruit

This beauty is a Pitaya.  It is another type of Cactus Fruit.  There are many kinds and many colors and flavors. Tuna are the most popular /  common.  They are Green or Red and have large seeds.  They taste sort of cactus-y but are also very juicy and refreshing.  The Red Tuna are a little bit more sweet than the green.  Last week we made Paletas from the Green Tuna which were fantastic with a touch of lime and sugar.  This week I wanted to try a Pitaya because it was just so beautiful!  The pile of these hot pink lovelys just demanded attention, unfortunately I forgot my camera that day :(  One Pitaya cost $35 pesos which is a little bit pricey considering I can purchase a kilo (2 lbs) of Tuna for $18 pesos!  But it was so PINK I had to try it!

Boris prepared the Pitaya for us.  First he cut off each of the ends.  Then he cut a slit down the top of the skin to free it from the fruit.  The fruit was then easy to slid our of its skin.  He cut it into thick slices.  I was surprised to see such tiny seeds.  The Tuna have gigantic seeds and it is almost difficult to eat.  These had cute tiny little specs that  you didn't even notice as you chewed the fruit.  He piled the slices back into the open skin and placed it on a white plate. It looked so beautiful displayed this way...such a shame to waste such a pretty skin!

We tasted the Pitaya, it was soft and juicy with little seeds like a Kiwi fruit... and it tasted like Coconut water...                                                                                                                     ...I HATE Coconut :(

From now on I shall admire these hot pink beauties from a distance.  <Sigh!>  At least they photograph well.