• Home

Other than the flesh of the Dragon Fruit, which commands a high price, the unopened buds, dried flowers, and fruit skin can also be processed into food, according to Edith Dacuycuy, owner of the REFMAD Farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, the first Dragon Fruit farm in the Ilocos Region.

She was more than glad to share her recipes. The unopened buds can be made into a delicious fresh salad. But that is if you can afford it since the buds are the ones that develop into fruits. All you need are five flower buds weighing about half a kilo. Wash the buds and slice into four from base to tip. Steam to preserve all food nutrients. Add a little salt to steaming water. Remove the steamed buds from the steamer and then mix it with mayonnaise, catsup, and a little pepper to taste.

The dried flowers, on the other hand, can be cooked into lumpiang shanghai. Soak the dried flowers in water for five minutes, wash twice, and then chop finely. Peel carrots and chop “finely with garlic. Mix all ingredients together, including a pinch of pepper and a small sachet of seasoning mix. Wrap the mixture with lumpia wrapper. Fry just before serving to maintain crispiness.

Likewise, the dried flowers can be used as an ingredient for sinigang na baboy or bulalo, which are cooked the traditional way. All you have to do is to take five dried flowers, and wash them. Cut the bottom portion, about an inch from the base and then strip the other parts by hand. Add to almost cooked meat.

The fruit skin can also be cooked with malunggay leaves. Wash the skin and slice it into the size of ampalaya cuts. Add to boiling water with seasoning mix. When the skin is already partly cooked, add malunggay leaves. Serve hot.

The fruit skin can also be processed into jam. All you need are 1 kg fruit skin, 200 grams, each of condensed milk, sugar, and margarine, and 100 grams water. Blend the fruit skin and then mix the ingredients together. Cook under medium heat. Constantly stir when the mixture has already become sticky. Let the mixture cool before placing it in jars.

You’ll never know how tasty these recipes are until you try.

SOURCE: Agri Business Week