Star fruit, Carambola; a blend of many sweet fruit flavors

The star fruit, a tropical fruit also known as carambola, is gaining popularity in the United States. According to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the fruit acquired its name from the showy five-pointed star shape that appears when it is cut crosswise. It has a waxy, golden yellow to green color skin, with a complicated flavor that tastes like a blend of many fruits, including plums, pineapples, grapes and lemons.

Originally from Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, and cultivated in southeast Asia and Malaysia for several hundred years, the star fruit goes by many other names, including bilimbi, belimbing, Chinese star fruit, five-angled fruit and the star apple. Today, star fruit flourishes in south Florida and Hawaii, where they are able to grow in warm environments and are an excellent source of vitamin C. Two types of star fruits are grown -- tart and sweet.

Tart varieties typically have narrowly spaced ribs, while sweet varieties tend to have thick, fleshy ribs. One source says the tastes between the two are hardly distinguishable, as the tart variety also is sweet. Star fruit is readily available from July through February.

Selection
Select firm, shiny-skinned, even colored fruit. Avoid purchasing star fruit with brown, shriveled ribs. Star fruits will ripen at room temperature and have lightly brown edges on the ribs when they are ripe. You can also find "dried" star fruit.

Storage
Non-ripe star fruit should be turned often, until they are yellow in color and ripe with light brown ribs. Store ripe star fruit at room temperature for two to three days, or store unwashed and refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to a week.

Preparation and serving
These tropical delights do not need to be peeled or seeded. Wash the fruit, remove any blemish areas, cut crosswise to get the star shape, and eat.

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