The tropical fruit with the luscious fresh flavor, strange looks and amazing versatility is - literally - the star of this installment of "Taste of the Tropics." "Averrhoa carambola" belongs to the Oxalidaceae family and comes from a tree native to the Malayas and Indonesian Archipelagos, where it has been used for thousands of years. Carambola (or star fruit) grows throughout the tropics, including Thailand, the Philippines, China, India, Central America (including of course Costa Rica), South America and even southern Florida.
Carambola is a curious, five-angled fruit that resembles a star when sliced. It is a very fibrous fruit with a waxy and shiny skin. It is also very tart; even at its highest maturity, when the fruits fall from the tree, a burst of sourness is usually present. The high acidity of the carambola is due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the flesh. When the fruit is eaten, the crystals dissolve in the saliva, forming the sour oxalic acid, giving a somewhat stinging sensation comparable to that of the cashew fruit. A yellow-to-orange, elongate fruit, the carambola is approximately three to six inches in length with a very strong scent sometimes likened to a mix of pineapple and passion fruit with a hint of flowery perfume (perhaps honeysuckle) thrown in.
Almost the entire fruit can be eaten, though some Costa Rican people may find the seeds to be a little bitter. Carambola is high in beta carotene, as well as potassium and vitamin C. It is a natural laxative and anti-dysenteric, promoting health throughout the whole digestive system with its high amounts of pectin and soluble fiber. In Costa Rica it is common to sea carambola used as a garnish or as part of a trendy smoothie in gourmet restaurants, but these are certainly not the extent of its many possible uses. The key is of course to regulate the fruit's acidity with sugar to a level that is gentler on the palate, as well as using spices and ingredients that can reduce its potency and render a more subtle flavor.
Utilizing other tropical ingredient such as ginger, coconut, sugar cane, spices, and tropical fruits like papaya or mango (present in great quantity in Costa Rica) will help balance the carambola's tartness. Use it when fully ripe, when the edges stars to appear black and the tight skin soften. It makes a delicious and exotic element in barbecue skewers or in marmalades, such as the typical Brazilian star fruit caramel. Its pungent tartness is found in a variety of drinks, desserts, pies, chutneys, and other imaginable uses for a prolific produce. Take a daring step into exploring the hidden treasures of cooking with imagination; sometimes the most bizarre combinations can also be the most satisfying ones. Allow yourself to enter the world of innovative cooking ideas, so you may, like the carambola, be the star of any kitchen.
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