Pages

Sunday 19 June 2016

aztec fruit, or white sapote - and a smoothie!

Aztec fruit, or white sapote.

Ever since I finished my Thailand travel series, I've been so busy at work. But don't worry, I'm still around! While there is still the Taiwan travel series to come, those can wait till later in the year. For now, I'm going back to recipe posts!

It was autumn in Perth when I first spied this unfamiliar fruit at my local Asian grocery store. The sign perched on top says "Aztec fruit". Originally from Mexico and Central America, but now also grown in Australia, it is perhaps better known as "white sapote". Some also call it Mexican apple, and while from the outside it may look a bit like a green apple at first glance, I feel that there is where the similarities end.

I waited until the white sapote yields slightly under a firm but gentle press of my finger, and then it was time to investigate this fruit that I have never tried before! The smooth, creamy flesh within has an appearance and texture that reminds me of avocado, except it doesn't have that oily, fatty touch. Meanwhile, a few large seeds take up valuable real estate. I read somewhere that the skin is edible, but it was too bitter for me, so off to the compost it went. So all that aside, what does white sapote taste like? To me, it tasted very much like custard apple, or a soursop without the sourness. Simon said it reminded him of a soft, sweet guava.

The insides of the white sapote fruit.

I had purchased two of the white sapotes, and I had gone for the bigger ones - they were quite substantial, about 300g (or 2/3lb) each, though after removing the seeds, I was certainly not left with quite as much! I ate one just on its own, but if you know me, you know I can't resist making a smoothie with the other one. What can I say, I love smoothies!

And I really love this one. The sweetness of white sapote goes together beautifully with the dewy quality of cucumber. Yoghurt and freshly squeezed lime juice add a bit of zing. Add your favourite sweetener if you like, and there you go - a wonderfully invigorating white sapote smoothie.

A delicious, refreshing white sapote smoothie.

aztec fruit smoothie / white sapote smoothie (serves one)

1 white sapote, or Aztec fruit (about 300g or 2/3lb)
1 small Lebanese cucumber, chopped and frozen (about 90g or 3oz)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 heaped tablespoons yoghurt (optional)
1 teaspoon honey (adjust to taste, optional)

Discard the peel and seeds from the white sapote - use only the flesh. Combine it with the other ingredients, and blend everything together with approximately 2/3 cup of water. You may choose to use more or less water depending on whether you prefer a thinner or thicker smoothie.

Drink, and be energized!

For a vegan smoothie, use a coconut yoghurt instead of a dairy yoghurt, and use brown rice syrup, agave nectar or maple syrup instead of honey. Alternatively, these ingredients may also be omitted.

Yep, it's worth making: an Aztec fruit smoothie.

10 comments:

  1. I only know white sapote a little, but I love the idea of pairing it with cucumber in a cooling drink!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've never heard of white sapote before! Shall have to keep an eye out for it. The smoothie sounds really good though - I love anything simple with a bit of plain yoghurt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, keeping it simple really allows the individual ingredients to shine. :D

      Delete
  3. Great to hear you talking about white sapote (with an awesome recipe)! Have you tried black sapote or chocolate pudding fruit? We have many sapote trees on the permaculture farm and I always show people what they look like. Most haven't heard of them. Perfect growing for our sub-tropical climate here in Brissie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen it around, but not tried it! I think I may have been put off by the price... but I must go for it someday! :)

      Delete
  4. So interesting! I've never seen that fruit before! I'll have to keep an eye out for it and hope it makes its way to some of my local markets in Melbourne!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, hopefully it becomes more common in Australia! :D

      Delete
  5. Thanks for sharing, nice post! Post really provice useful information!

    Giaonhan247 chuyên dịch vụ vận chuyển hàng đi mỹ cũng như dịch vụ ship hàng mỹ từ dịch vụ nhận mua hộ hàng mỹ từ website nổi tiếng Mỹ là mua hàng amazon về VN uy tín, giá rẻ.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Be careful though. A white sapote smoothie is not a good idea because the seeds are poisonous and you may miss one hidden with the flesh and blend it accidentally.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails