Star fruit makes its way into pickles,
preserves and breads

By Catherine Kekoa Enomoto
Star-Bulletin

THE Henry Chow family of Manoa gets starry-eyed in August. That's when a pair of star fruit trees in their back yard "shines" with a bumper crop.

"The trees are full every year," said Margaret Chow, Henry's wife. "We give it away; you see the baskets and all under the trees.

"My sister-in-law has a tree," she said nodding toward a neighboring arbor, "but it doesn't have as much fruit."

The Chows like to cut chilled star fruit crosswise into star-shaped slices and sprinkle them lightly with li hing powder. Henry Chow squeezes star fruit juice and flavors it with sugar and li hing powder. He also slices star fruit into strips or stars, sprinkles on li hing powder, then dries the fruit bits in a dehydrator for at least 12 hours.

The Chows have lived in Manoa valley for 32 years. Their 30-year-old star fruit trees are two different varieties. Right now the makai arbor has large, light-green, tart-tasting fruit.

The tree on the right carries smaller, yellow fruit tinged with orange and green. Its meat is delightfully sweet -- a flowery cross between Asian pears and grapes.

The Chows' 7,500-square-foot yard is chockablock with growing lemons, papayas, persimmons, pomegranates, pomelos, cassava, Hawaiian chile peppers, anthuriums, plumerias, ti leaves, vanda orchids and more.

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
The star fruit tree in Margaret Chow's
Manoa yard is dripping with fruit.

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Star fruit can be served up in daiquiris, salads, with grilled fish and even in breads.

Brooks Tropicals of Florida offers a 132-page cookbook with recipes for star fruit -- also called carambola -- as well as for limes, lychees, mango, papaya and other tropicals. Order the "Floribbean Flavors" cookbook by sending a $25.95 check made to: Too-Ta-Lou Book Distributors, 4839 S.W. 148th Ave., Suite 242, Davie, Fla. 33330. Call (305) 247-3544.

Slice ripe star fruit into salads, cakes, pies and punch. For out-of-hand snacking, choose fruit that is a glossy golden yellow with no brown spots. When preparing it, trim any brown edges of ribs because they contain oxalic acid, which makes the fruit puckerish.

To make star-fruit stars, trim one-eighth inch from the ribs and cut crosswise into one-fourth inch slices. Puree the pulp and freeze, or make sauces for meat, fish and poultry. Star fruit offers potassium and vitamins A and C.

Star Fruit Relish

(Judith Miller, New York Times)

6 star fruits, to make 4 cups when chopped
7 ounces chopped pimento
1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/8 teaspoon allspice
4 (1-cup) or 2 (1-pint) canning jars with lids and bands

Total preparation time is 3 days, about 30 minutes a day.

Day 1: Wash star fruit, removing ends and dark ridges. Using a food processor, coarsely chop them, then add pimento. Continue chopping into small pieces or until mixture reaches desired texture. Transfer to a nonreactive container, add vinegar, and cover. Let stand overnight.

Day 2: Drain off vinegar, and discard. In medium saucepan over low heat, combine star fruit mixture, sugar, salt and spices. Simmer until it thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. Return to covered container, and let stand overnight.

Day 3: Sterilize canning jars and lids. In medium saucepan, bring relish to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Pack into hot jars, and cap with bands and lids. Place jars into the simmering water bath that had sterilized the empty jars. Simmer packed jars 15 minutes, remove and cool.

Serve relish over cream cheese with crackers, or with lamb, roast beef or ham. Makes 4 cups.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 60 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium*

Surinam Cherry
and Star fruit Jam

(Judith Miller, New York Times)

3 (1-pint) or 6 (1-cup) canning jars, with bands and lids
5 star fruits, to make 3 cups when chopped
1 cup pitted, chopped Surinam cherries or dried cranberries
6 cups sugar
1 cup liquid pectin

Wash star fruit, removing ends and dark ridges. Chop coarsely to make 3 cups. Sterilize canning jars and lids.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine star fruit and cherries or cranberries. Chop until the star fruit is in 3/4-inch pieces.

In large saucepan over low heat, stir star fruit mixture until it sizzles, add sugar and allow sugar to liquefy. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Add pectin, and simmer 15 minutes.

Pour fruit mixture into hot, sterile jars. Cap with the bands and lids, and allow to cool. Makes 6 cups.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 50 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.*

Star fruit Muffins

(Judith Miller, New York Times)

1 tablespoon butter at room temperature, plus butter for the muffin tins
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 or 3 star fruits, to make 1-1/2 cups when chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin containing 12 (2-1/2 inch) cups.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar. Mix well. With mixer running, add egg, flour, salt, boiling water, baking soda and vanilla, blending well after each addition.

Wash star fruits, removing ends and dark ridges. Using a food processor, chop into 3/4-inch pieces.

Remove bowl from mixer, and stir in chopped star fruit. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Approximate nutritional analysis per muffin: 130 calories, 2 grams fat, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 150 milligrams sodium.*

Hilo Tropical Fruit Slaw

("The Choy of Cooking -- Sam Choy's
Island Cuisine," Mutual, 1996, $35)

1 papaya, seeded, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup pineapple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium mango, peeled and thinly sliced
1 star fruit, ribs trimmed, thinly sliced and seeded
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced
6 strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 cup whole poha berries (cape gooseberries)
1 banana, sliced
1 medium head radicchio, leaves separated

Dressing:
1 ripe papaya, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon EACH salt and white pepper

In a large salad bowl, combine fruits and fold in prepared dressing. Serve on radicchio leaves.

Machine process dressing ingredients 30 seconds. Makes 2 cups.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving of fruit slaw: 130 calories, 1 gram fat, no fat, no cholesterol, 85 milligrams sodium.*
Approximate nutritional analysis per 2 tablespoons dressing: 20 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium.*