How to Cut a Star Fruit in 5 Steps

Star fruit, also known as a carambola, is a tropical fruit from the carambola tree native to Southeast Asia. Star fruit is also cultivated in the Caribbean, South America, Florida, and Hawaii. This tropical fruit features five to six ridges that connect, and when cut at a cross-section, the star fruit slices resemble a five-pointed star. Like other citrus fruits, star fruits taste tart and sweet. Ripe star fruit is bright yellow with tinges of light green and brown edges. Star fruit is a source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and carbohydrates.

The waxy skin of the star fruit is edible, so you do not need to peel it, but follow these steps to cut:

1. 1. Wash the star fruit. Before cutting the fruit, wash it under running water, then dry it.
2. 2. Place the fruit on the cutting board. Put the star fruit on a cutting board, lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts on each of the ridges of the star fruit. The brown outer edges of the starfruit, or star points, can be tough to eat.
3. 3. Cut off the ends of the star fruit. Slice off the ends of the star fruit slices and discard.
4. 4. Slice the crosssection. Cut the fruit along the cross-section into thin slices.
5. 5. Remove the seeds. Star fruit seeds are white and small. Pick out and discard any seeds you find.

You can eat a star fruit by itself as a healthy snack or use it to make a smoothie or even a cake. Consider the following ways to enjoy star fruit:

• Fresh: Add star fruit to a fruit salad with other tropical fruits like papaya, kiwi, and dragon fruit. You can also use star fruit slices as a garnish for drinks.
• Pureed: To make a tropical smoothie or a cocktail, puree star fruit with orange juice.
• Cooked: You can cook star fruit with peppers and limes to make a sweet chutney to serve with savory dishes, such as chicken or seafood. You can even bake starfruit into a cake—use it to replace pineapple in an upside-down cake.

If you have kidney problems, avoid consuming star fruit. The fruit has a neurotoxin that healthy kidneys can filter out, but if you have kidney disease, consuming star fruit can cause vomiting, numbness, and muscle spasms.

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