Star Fruit is an ancient evergreen fruit, scientifically known as Averrhoa carambola and belongs to the family Oxalidaceae. The word carambola comes from the Sanskrit word Karmaranga meaning ‘food appetizer’. Based on early Sanskrit references, it has been grown wild throughout Southeast Asia since prehistoric time; Sri Lanka and India are considered as its native habitats.
The name ‘Star Fruit’ comes from the distinct shape of this fruit, i.e., it looks like a star in cross-sectional view. The entire fruit is edible, including the waxy outer layer skin and is quite thin; the flesh is crunchy, firm, and incredibly juicy. The skin of the star shaped fruit is edible and is loaded with nutrients and minerals. Due to its nutritional value, Star fruit has become very popular in western countries as well. It has been cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for hundreds of years and the major producers are Indonesia,....
