Not only does it look extraterrestrial, but it also has the name Pitaya, which is certainly strange. The thick, fleshy protrusions off the skin suggest that perhaps it can swim, or maybe even fly. Over the past couple of years it has shown up in grocery stores, seemingly out of no where. What in the world is that thing? Most people don’t know what it is or what to do with it. And the name? Dragon fruit! How exotic.
Native to Mexico, Central and South Americas, dragon fruit is widely cultivated and highly popular in Southeast Asia. There, it is quite common and found in virtually every market in season. I first encountered this strange and luscious edible plant at a gas stop a few hours out of Kuala Lumpur at a fruit stand. I stood staring at the display for a couple of minutes before giving it a try. The one I ate was deep reddish purple inside. But the inside flesh of other cultivars of dragon fruit might be white, yellow or blue. Mysterious. After cutting the fruit into quarters, I bit in deeply. Instantly I was swooning from the mildly fragrant, juicy consistency. Dragon fruit is really something.