Star Fruit Juice (Carambola Juice)
This refreshing star fruit juice (carambola juice) is a homemade Caribbean drink made with fresh, ripe star fruit, water, brown sugar, lime juice, and a few dashes of bitters. It’s sweet, slightly tart, and easy to make with just a blender.
Growing up in Tobago, star fruit was one of those fruits you could pick straight from the yard and turn into a refreshing homemade juice. Now, living in Florida, I find myself heading to the grocery store to buy the very same fruit.
When I told my mother I had to buy star fruit to make this juice, she felt sorry for me. Lol. Back home, I could’ve just gone into the yard and picked some!
What is star fruit juice?
Star fruit juice is a refreshing drink made from the tropical fruit known as carambola, or five fingers, as we call it in Trinidad and Tobago. The fruit gets its name from the star-shaped slices you see when it’s cut crosswise.
The juice has a naturally sweet and tart flavor that varies depending on the ripeness of the fruit. It’s one of the many homemade fruit drinks enjoyed throughout the Caribbean.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Star fruit (carambola): Use ripe star fruit, whether yellow or greenish-yellow. The flavor can range from sweet to tart, so taste your fruit before deciding how much sugar to add.
- Water: Helps the fruit blend smoothly. You can add a little more after straining if the juice is too concentrated or tart.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and balances the natural tartness of the star fruit. I used ⅓ cup for this batch, but you can adjust the amount depending on how sweet your fruit is.
- Lime juice and bitters: Fresh lime juice adds a little extra tang, while aromatic bitters give the juice that familiar Caribbean flavor.
How to make star fruit juice
- Prepare the star fruit. Wash the ripe star fruit thoroughly and cut into pieces small enough to fit into your blender. There is no need to trim the ridges or remove the seeds.
- Blend the fruit. Add the chopped star fruit and water to a blender. Blend until the fruit is broken down as finely as your blender allows.
- Strain the juice. Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or bowl. Press the pulp to extract as much juice as possible, then discard the remaining pulp.
- Add the flavorings. Stir in the lime juice, brown sugar, and aromatic bitters until the sugar dissolves.
- Adjust and chill. Taste the juice and adjust the sugar or add more water if needed. Refrigerate until cold, then stir and serve over ice.
Tips for the best homemade juice
- Choose ripe fruit. I used mostly yellow star fruit with a few greenish-yellow ripe ones. The combination gave me a nice balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Sweeten after straining. This makes it easier to taste the finished juice and adjust the sugar based on how sweet your fruit is.
- Add water gradually. I used 2 cups of water for 8 star fruits and didn’t need to add more. If your fruit is particularly tart, you can dilute the juice a little after straining.
- Strain the juice well. Press the pulp through a fine-mesh strainer to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Serve chilled. Refrigerate the juice before serving and add ice just before drinking.
Storage instructions
Store homemade star fruit juice in a covered pitcher or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Stir before serving, as some natural separation may occur. For the best flavor, enjoy it freshly made and well chilled.
Frequently asked questions
No. Star fruit has edible skin, so you can wash it thoroughly, chop it, and blend it without peeling.
Yes! All you need is a blender and a fine-mesh strainer. Blend the fruit with water, then strain to remove the pulp.
Use ripe star fruit for the best results. Some ripe fruits may still have a greenish-yellow color, while others are more golden. Less-ripe fruit tends to be more tart.
No. People with kidney disease should avoid star fruit and its juice because they contain naturally occurring substances that can cause serious toxicity when the kidneys cannot remove them properly.
More refreshing Caribbean juices to try
If you enjoy homemade Caribbean juices, here are a few more refreshing drinks to try:
- Cassava drink with juice: A traditional Caribbean drink made with cassava and fruit juices.
- Guava juice: A fruity, refreshing drink made with fresh guavas.
- Homemade lime juice: A simple Caribbean favorite with a sweet and tart flavor.
Recipe
Star Fruit Juice (Carambola Juice)
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the star fruits thoroughly, then cut them into pieces small enough to fit into your blender. There is no need to trim the ridges or remove the seeds.
- Add the chopped star fruit to a blender with 2 cups of water. Blend until the fruit is broken down as finely as your blender allows.
- Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or bowl, pressing gently to extract the juice. Discard the remaining pulp.
- Add the lime juice, sugar, and bitters to the strained juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed. If the juice is too tart or concentrated, add a little more water until it reaches your preferred taste.
- Refrigerate until chilled, then stir and serve over ice.
Nutrition
Notes
- Choosing star fruit: Use ripe star fruit. A mixture of yellow and greenish-yellow ripe fruits works well, but the sweetness and tartness may vary.
Sugar: The ⅓ cup is what I used for my batch. Start with less if your fruit is particularly sweet, then adjust to taste.
Water: The 2 cups were enough for my batch. Add more after straining only if the juice needs diluting.
Bitters: Four dashes add flavor without overpowering the fruit.
Safety: Star fruit should be avoided by people with kidney disease because it can cause serious toxicity.
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
