Kiwano 101: What can you do with Kiwano? (you’ll be surprised!)

It first caught your eye in the produce section. You were drawn to it’s golden glow and spiky good looks. But then the questions start. Beginning with: what the heck do you do with a this thing?

Surrounded by this amazing fruit every day, there’s not much we don’t know about this spiky orange wonder. Kiwano is an incredibly versatile fruit which is deeply refreshing eaten fresh and also lends itself to savoury options (think salsas, salads, taco toppings and more) as much as traditional fruit uses (smoothies, juices, breakfast bowls, desserts…)

You’ve landed here to find out more about a fruit that we like to say is a little bit different and packed with a whole lot of goodness. So let’s start at the beginning…

Where are Kiwano from and how do they grow?

Kiwano is an exotic fruit, which grows on a leafy vine along the ground. Originally native to Africa, it is sometimes known as a horned melon or kiwano melon. We dropped the “melon” because (as you’ll soon see) it’s texture and flavour is quite unlike traditional melons such as watermelon or honeydew.

It’s grown commercially mainly in the US and New Zealand. Here in New Zealand we harvest from late January to late April/May (our summer/autumn time).

It needs a warm, mild climate and enough rain to keep the leaf cover healthy. Seedling plants are placed in the ground in the spring. Then, a few weeks later tiny green Kiwano begin to appear. The fruit grow to full size and sun ripen to orange, ready for harvest over the summer months.

Kiwano grow to various sizes – generally you might find them in store ranging in size from a medium avocado to a small eggplant! 

What does a Kiwano taste like?

It’s the million dollar questions and to be honest each person tastes something slightly different! It’s a clean, subtle, refreshingly fruity flavour which after much pondering we describe as a mix of just-ripe banana, passionfruit and lime.

Cutting through the orange skin of a Kiwano reveals a vibrant green pulp inside – this is the part you eat (you can eat the skin but we find it doesn’t have much flavour). If you do want to eat the skin, just use a small sharp knife to cut the small horns off first). Inside its golden-skinned, spiky interior is a vibrant green juicy pulp, with very fine white seeds (which you eat) encased in small jelly globules.

Are Kiwano good for you?

You bet! It has a very low natural sugar content in comparison to other fruits (just 3.8gm per 100gm of fruit), making it a great produce choice for those watching their energy intake.

Kiwano are a source of magnesium, dietary fibre, and potassium. Magnesium is the mega mineral that’s been getting a lot of press lately. Simply put, every cell in your body needs it to function. It helps to keep our teeth and bones strong,  reduce tiredness/fatigue, and aid energy metabolism. Potassium is another hard worker. It’s benefits include: keeping a normal water balance in our body, aiding muscle function, and contributing to children’s normal growth and development. Dietary fibre of course is really important for maintaining healthy and regular bowel movements. Read our blog to dig deeper into why each of these nutritional elements are so important.

How do you eat Kiwano?

To get the pulp out of your Kiwano first grab a sharp knife and chopping board. Slice your Kiwano in half through the middle. Use the knife to gently “loosen” the pulp away from the skin. Then using two hands, carefully hold the Kiwano between the horns and squeeze the pulp into a small bowl or over the dish you want it in. To eat it fresh you can also scoop out the pulp with a spoon or cut your Kiwano into wedges (and eat it like an orange wedge – just mind the horns!).

Should I eat the seeds?

You absolutely can and should eat the seeds! Inside the Kiwano’s green pulp are hundreds of slim edible seeds which are encased in the green jelly. These can be strained out if you like, but will change the delicious jelly-like texture. Just give it a try first!

What can you do with Kiwano?

Like it’s exotic friend the pineapple, Kiwano is one of those versatile fruits  that can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. Our website has delicious recipes or our Instagram feed is a great place to see how others are using this unique fruit). We highly rate it as a cool, refreshing accompaniment to Asian or Mexican style dishes.

Here’s just a few options:

• In smoothies and juices
• Over ice cream or Greek yogurt
• Mix through fruit salad
• In fresh salsa, raita, and guacamole
• Create cocktails and mocktails
• Dollop on seafood or grilled chicken
• As a healthy taco topping
• Add to salads
• In an exotic breakfast bowl
• Make infused water or as a flavour for iced tea or kombucha

How do I store my Kiwano?

Kiwano don’t like the cold, so keep it out of the fridge! It should be stored at room temperature or above 18 degrees celcius (64F) with plenty of air flow around – your fruit bowl is the perfect spot. Golden rule: Do not refrigerate.

How do I know if my Kiwano is ripe?

A ripe Kiwano will have vibrant orange skin, be shiny and give just a little under pressure. They have an excellent shelf life, so you don’t need to worry about eating it straight away. Just be sure to keep it at room temperature. 

So next time you see one of these golden hued beauties in store, give it a try! 

For those of you who have you tried Kiwano, what did you think? We’d love to know.