Recognizing a ripe passion fruit is a tricky process, as it generally tends to look old and shriveled even before it's ready to eat. However, if you know what clues to look for and have the ability to touch it, you may be able to make the best choice. And if you really can't find a ripe fruit to eat right away, you can select the less unripe one and let it ripen in your kitchen.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Know What to Look for
Step 1. Recognize a ripe passion fruit by its color
Avoid those in shades of green because, remember, the greener they are, the more immature they are. This rule applies to all varieties. Try to identify those that have changed color, taking on shades of purple, red or yellow. Some will have more uniform coloring, while others will combine different shades.
In fact, some fruits can ripen without their color changing much. If you have a passion fruit tree in your garden and find fruit still green on the ground, use the next methods to assess whether it is unripe or ripe
Step 2. Inspect the texture of the peel
You can tell if a passion fruit is unripe by seeing that it has a smooth skin. When the fruit is ripe, the skin appears shriveled and dotted with small depressions. It is better to prefer fruits with the skin that is not overly wrinkled because the very withered ones have already passed the point of maximum ripeness (and taste).
Step 3. Inspect the fruit to see if it is whole
The peel is likely to have dents or small tears, but this is generally not a problem. Bruised fruits are also great to eat, they are just softer. However, it is best to check that the damaged parts do not also include deep cuts because if the lesion reaches the pulp, mold may have formed.
- However, if the bruised or moldy parts are contained, they can be cut off from the rest of the fruit.
- If the mold is present only on the outside of the peel, it will be sufficient to wash the fruit carefully to be able to eat it freely (since the peel is not eaten).
Part 2 of 3: Touching and Weighing the Fruit to Know if it is Ripe
Step 1. Let the fruit on the tree fall by itself
If you are lucky enough to own a passion fruit plant, let gravity select the ripe fruit for you. Do not pick them from the tree, wait for them to fall on their own in response to weight gain.
In case of bad weather or if the tree is weak due to a lack of water, even unripe fruit could fall to the ground. Before eating a passion fruit picked from the ground, try to figure out if it is really ripe using the other methods described
Step 2. Choose the heaviest fruit
Weigh them with your hands, you can recognize the unripe ones by the fact that they are light. Choose the ones that turn out to be heavier than you expected based on their size.
A ripe passion fruit should be between 4 and 8 centimeters in diameter and weigh between 35 and 50 grams
Step 3. You can also tell if a passion fruit is ripe by evaluating if it is firm
Squeeze it gently to check; the peel should give way slightly under the pressure of the fingers, but the pulp should still be compact. Be careful, because if instead of being hard it is hard, it means that it is most likely still immature. If, on the other hand, it seems soft or saggy, it means that unfortunately the ideal time to eat it has already passed.
Part 3 of 3: Ripen, Cut and Store a Passion Fruit
Step 1. Let it mature at room temperature
If you have purchased a fruit that is still slightly unripe, give it a few days to reach its full degree of ripeness. You can keep it in the fruit bowl in the kitchen, making sure it's out of direct sunlight. Inspect it every day to be able to savor it at its best, before it withers, as by then the pulp will have started to dry out as well as the skin.
Step 2. Open it by cutting it with the knife
The peel of the passion fruit is not eaten. Cut the fruit in half and taste the pulp with a teaspoon using the two halves as if they were small cups. If you prefer, you can extract the pulp and transfer it to a small bowl for use in the kitchen.
Step 3. Store the fruit in the refrigerator or freezer after opening
Once cut, it should be kept cool to prevent it from rotting. If you intend to put it in the refrigerator, you will still have to eat it within a few days. If you want it to last longer, you will need to close it in a food bag and place it in the freezer. In this way it will also keep for twelve months.
