I remember when Dragonfruit, or Pitaya, first started appearing in the local market several years ago. The family would buy it together with a whole bunch of other fruits which we would have for dessert after every dinner. But we only got the white variety back then. It was all that was available. And if you’ve had the white one before, you’d know how subtle the taste is. It’s as if white dragronfruits only just meet the sweetness quota of fruit because they’re too cool for that. It’s almost like eating a juicy version of cardboard.
Then, as the dragonfruit hype caught on, I recall people talking about pink dragonfruit. Not just on the outside anymore, but bright magenta on the inside too. It was a luxury to choose pink over white. It was weird. I couldn’t figure out if it tasted any better. It was sweeter, yes. But now this pink version had a weird perfume-y taste to it. Eating cardboard, versus eating perfume. Not the easiest preference to develop.
As pink dragonfruit started becoming more popular, it seemed like white dragonfruit production started getting phased out, to the point that now, you’re pretty lucky to find it sold anywhere.
Thankfully, the floral overtones of pink dragonfruit has since grown on me, and I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy it in abundance in this part of the world.
You can choose the option of leaving your cut fruits in the freezer overnight to create an icy smoothie, and may require you to use more plant-based milk or water to blend the ingredients. Using fresh cut fruits is ideal for those with sensitive teeth or just prefer something not so icy and easier to drink.
Red Dragonfruit has the same pigment as beetroot (betacyanin) but without the earthy taste, a similar mouthfeel to kiwifruit but without the carbon footprint. And if you’re a fan of all things unicorn… well… let’s just say your potty will look like it received a visit from the unicorn too.
I’ve made this smoothie gluten-free by using buckwheat, which is nutty and rich in protein. When soaking your buckwheat grains, I’d recommend you to use 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar to further neutralize the effect of phytic acid. You can replace buckwheat with 1/4 cup of overnight oats (with the same vinegar treatment), or even a plant-based protein powder to make it a pre- or post-workout smoothie. All these add bulk and would make it a fantastic breakfast smoothie. If you like your smoothies with a thinner consistency and more fruit-based, perhaps just as an afternoon pick-me-up, then feel free to omit this part of the recipe altogether.
As a breakfast smoothie, this has helped me get through long working days and endurance workouts and has kept me full until lunchtime. So much wholesomeness in a glass!
A fun way to get your fruit intake, this smoothie will help with energy, digestion and a surge of likes on Instagram.
PINEDRAGON SMOOTHIE
Love eating your colours? This gorgeous smoothie celebrates the Southeast Asian life with three awesome tropical fruits combined.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup chopped bananas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup chopped red dragonfruit, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup buckwheat soaked overnight in the fridge with 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- Agave nectar to sweeten
Directions
- Step 1 Drain buckwheat of excess water, and rinse off stickiness if you wish.
- Step 2 Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add agave to sweeten if necessary.
- Step 3 Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.
