Dragon Fruit Kiwi Salad with Coconut Cream

Steps

1. 1

   Cut dragon fruit in half

   • Select 2 medium ripe dragon fruits that yield slightly when gently squeezed.
   • Using a sharp knife, cut each one in half lengthwise, creating two boat-shaped halves with the skin still intact.

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   Ready when: Dragon fruits are cleanly halved lengthwise

   Tip: A chef's knife or paring knife works best; make sure the blade is sharp to avoid crushing the delicate fruit

2. 2

   Scoop flesh into bowl

   • Using a small spoon (a grapefruit spoon or melon baller works particularly well), gently scoop the white or pink flesh and black seeds out of each dragon fruit half.
   • Work carefully to avoid damaging the flesh.
   • Discard the thick, inedible pink or magenta skin.
   • You should have about 1½ cups (250g) of scooped flesh in a large mixing bowl.

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   Ready when: All flesh is scooped from the skin

   Tip: The flesh scoops away very easily if the fruit is ripe; if you meet resistance, the dragon fruit may not be fully ripe

3. 3

   Peel the kiwis

   • Using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, carefully remove the thin brown skin from each of the 5 kiwis, working around the fruit in strips until all the skin is gone and only the bright green (or golden, if using golden kiwis) flesh remains visible.

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   Ready when: All 5 kiwis are fully peeled with no brown skin remaining

   Tip: Work gently; kiwi skin is thin and comes off easily, but you want to avoid removing too much of the delicate flesh

4. 4

   Slice kiwis into rounds

   • On a cutting board, slice each peeled kiwi into ½-inch-thick (1 cm) rounds or half-moons.
   • As you slice, add each piece gently to the bowl with the dragon fruit, taking care not to crush or mash the delicate fruit.

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   Ready when: All 5 kiwis are sliced into neat, uniform rounds

   Tip: Use a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down hard; crushing the kiwi will release too much liquid and make the salad watery

5. 5

   Extract fresh lime juice

   • Using a citrus juicer, hand-held juicer, or by hand, firmly juice the 2 fresh limes over a small bowl.
   • Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any seeds and pulp.
   • You should have about 3 tablespoons (45ml) of fresh juice.

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   Ready when: 3 tablespoons (45ml) of fresh lime juice is extracted

   Tip: Roll the limes on the counter under the heel of your hand for 30 seconds before cutting; this loosens the juice and yields more juice with less effort

6. 6

   Whisk the dressing

   • In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup (120ml) coconut cream, the 3 tablespoons (45ml) fresh lime juice, and the 1½ tablespoons (22ml) honey.
   • Whisk vigorously and continuously for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth, pale, and creamy with no visible streaks or lumps of coconut cream.
   • Taste and adjust the honey or lime juice to your preference—the dressing should taste rich and creamy with a bright, tart finish.

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   Ready when: Dressing is smooth, uniform, and pale with no lumps

   Tip: Whisk thoroughly and vigorously; if the coconut cream is not fully incorporated, it will clump when it comes into contact with the cold fruit

7. 7

   Fold dressing with fruit

   • Pour the prepared coconut-lime dressing over the dragon fruit and kiwi in the large mixing bowl.
   • Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture with slow, deliberate strokes, turning the fruit from the bottom of the bowl to the top so that everything is evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
   • Continue folding until no white streaks of dressing remain and the fruit is uniformly coated.

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   Ready when: All fruit is evenly coated with creamy dressing

   Tip: Fold slowly and gently; the fruit is delicate and will break apart if you stir vigorously or use aggressive motions

8. 8

   Plate and serve

   • Divide the salad evenly among four chilled serving bowls, cups, or plates, spooning some of the creamy dressing over each portion.
   • Top each serving with a small handful of fresh mint leaves (about 1 tablespoon / 2g each) and a light pinch of shredded coconut (about ½ tablespoon / 4g).
   • Serve immediately while the fruit is fresh and vibrant, or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

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   Ready when: Salad is plated and garnished

   Tip: Do not assemble the salad more than 2–3 hours ahead; the fruit will continue to release liquid, and the texture and appearance will suffer