Kiwifruit — season, tips, and recipes in Australia
Kiwifruit is a fruit available in Queensland during April, May, June, July, August, peaking in May, June. This page is a practical guide for home cooks: when to buy kiwifruit, how to pick a good one, how to store it, what it goes well with, three original recipes, and detailed nutrition information.
Most kiwifruit in Australian shops is imported from New Zealand. Some is grown in north-east Victoria and southern Queensland. Green and gold (SunGold) are the main varieties.
How to pick a good one
Slight give when squeezed = ready. Firm ones ripen in a paper bag with a banana. Gold kiwifruit are sweeter and smoother.
How to store it
Firm kiwifruit last weeks in the fridge. Ripe ones about a week refrigerated.
Goes well with
strawberry: Both are high in vitamin C and acidity, but kiwifruit's tartness and strawberry's sweetness balance each other. The colour combination is also one of the better ones in the fruit bowl.
lime: Lime amplifies kiwifruit's tartness and adds aromatic complexity. The combination is sharper and more interesting than either alone.
mint: Mint's coolness and kiwifruit's acid create a refreshing combination that tastes cleaner than most fruit pairings. Works well in drinks and desserts.
banana: Kiwifruit contains actinidin, an enzyme that breaks down protein -- which is why it tenderises meat and will dissolve gelatine. Against banana's starchy sweetness, the combination tastes lighter and more complex.
ginger: Ginger's heat and kiwifruit's tartness cover opposite ends of the flavour spectrum. Used together in chutneys and salsas where the acidity of kiwifruit replaces vinegar.
Recipes
Kiwi & Lime Sorbet
No machine. 3 ingredients.
Ingredients: 6 kiwifruit, 1 lime (juice), 80g sugar, 80ml water
Method: Dissolve sugar in water over heat. Cool. Blend kiwifruit and lime juice. Mix with syrup. Freeze, stirring every hour for 4 hours.
Pavlova with Kiwifruit
The most NZ dessert possible.
Ingredients: 4 egg whites, 200g sugar, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp vanilla, 300ml cream, 4 kiwifruit
Method: Whisk whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar. Fold in vinegar and vanilla. Shape on baking paper. Bake 120C for 90 min. Cool in oven. Top with whipped cream and sliced kiwifruit.
Green Smoothie Bowl
Healthy, fast, actually tastes good.
Ingredients: 2 kiwifruit, 1 frozen banana, handful spinach, 100ml milk, toppings: granola, coconut, seeds
Method: Blend kiwifruit, banana, spinach, milk until thick and smooth. Pour into bowl. Arrange toppings on top.
Nutrition
One green kiwifruit provides 150% of your daily vitamin C, more per gram than oranges. Also provides 60% of your daily vitamin K and significant folate. Gold kiwifruit has even more vitamin C. Contains actinidin, an enzyme that helps digest protein. About 42 calories each. Two kiwifruit replace a vitamin C supplement entirely.