How to cook carambola
Information for carambola in our free cooking ingredients collection.
Carambola
The carambola is an oval to elliptical fruit with a thin, shiny, waxy surface and a greenish yellow skin. Its length ranges from 2 to 6 inches with four to six prominent vertical lobes (cells) that result in star-shaped slices when cut crosswise. The flesh is light to dark yellow, crunchy, juicy, and translucent. The flavor resembles a blend of the flavors of many fruits. Up to 12 small, thin, edible seeds are contained in each fruit, enclosed by a thin gelatinous pocket.
Family - Oxalidaceae
Scientific name - Averrhoa carambola
Common name - starfruit, carambola, star apple
High in vitamin C
Good source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and fiber
Carambola varieties
Two types of carambola are available: the tart varieties and the sweet. The leading commercial variety, the Arkin, is sweet and has a bright-yellow to yellow-orange skin and flesh. Another common variety is the Golden Star, a fruit that is slightly larger than the Arkin and mildly tart. Other varieties include the Fwang Tung, Hoku, Kaiang, Maha, Sri Kembanqan, Wheeler, Thayer, and Newcombe.
Origin and botanical facts
The carambola has been cultivated in southeast Asia for many centuries and is thought to have originated in what is now Sri Lanka or in Malaysia. The carambola was introduced into Florida around 1887, and later Hawaii. Currently, the major suppliers worldwide include Taiwan, Malaysia, Guyana, India, the Philippines, Australia, and Israel.
The carambola tree is a slow-growing, short evergreen (25 to 30 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide) that can be single-trunked or multi-trunked. Carambola leaves are compound structures composed of smaller ovoid to oblong leaflets. The leaves are spirally arranged on the branch and are sensitive to light and sudden movements (they fold up during the night or when the tree is abruptly shaken). Although classified as a subtropical plant, the tree can tolerate short periods of frost with little damage.
If picked before ripening, green carambola fruit eventually turns yellow. However, the fruit is sweetest if allowed to ripen on the tree.
How to cook carambola
Carambolas are easily damaged, and it is best to choose fruits that are firm and shiny. The fruit can be refrigerated in a moderately humid area for about 3 weeks without damage or loss in fruit quality. When transferred to room temperature, fruits that have been picked before fully ripe will turn yellow. The sweet variety is generally eaten fresh, either whole or sliced. Juiced, preserved, dried, and canned versions also are available. The tart variety is used for making jams. Before the fruit is served, the darker edge of the cells (or ridges) should be removed and the fruit sliced crosswise. The star-shaped sections are often used as garnishes for light summer entrees. Rubbing a very small amount of salt onto the exposed flesh will prevent the darkening that is caused by exposure to the air. Other uses for the fruit include pickling, adding it to salsa and salads, pureeing it for chutney, grilling it on skewers with seafood or chicken, using it as a garnish, and adding it to puddings, tarts, stews, and curries. In Hawaii, carambola juice is mixed with gelatin, sugar, lemon juice, and boiling water to make sherbet.
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