In Hawaii, star fruit is available year-round, often homegrown.
Its sweet-tart flavor is a perfect complement to customary lemon tea. Consider serving some up on New Year’s Eve for the teetotalers in the house.
Start by brewing your favorite tea. Continue with a hot brew, or ice it down for a cooling drink. Then simply add the star fruit, sliced crosswise into star-shaped medallions for a festive touch.
Honey or sugar may be stirred in to mellow the acidity, or let the tartness of the lemon and star fruit create a bracing drink.
Other fresh fruits, with their natural sweetness, also make tasty teas — strawberries, for example, would bring holiday color to the beverage table. Slice a handful in half and let them steep in the brewed tea as it cools. Strain them out, then garnish with whole fruit.
You could also just stir a tablespoon of fruit jam into your cup of tea (hot or cold). Garnish with a wheel of lemon or a sprig of mint.
New Year’s Starry Tea
Ingredients:
• 3-4 cups brewed black tea
• 1 medium lemon, halved
• 2 star fruits, sliced
• Honey or sugar, to taste (optional)
Directions:
Pour tea into 2 cups or glasses. Squeeze half a lemon into each cup. Add star fruit slices. For your personal sweetness level, add honey or sugar. Serves 2.
Approximate Nutrient Analysis per serving assumes star fruit is eaten but not including honey or sugar): 25 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., CNS.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
