Native to South America, achacha’s have only recently started being grown commercially in tropical Queensland They are a medium sized oval firm skinned orange fruit with a white interior. Similar to the delicious mangosteen to whom it is related achacha’s have both sweet and tart complex flavours. The name translates as “honey kiss.”
Achacha’s skin does not reflect the quality of the flavour, so no need to avoid fruit with bumps or marks. They do not ripen once picked. For optimum life store in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator.
Achacha are available from December-February.
Open by creating an incision with your thumbnail or a knife, then squeeze fruit to open. The skin can be finely zested and added to a fruit salad or juilenned and added to a drink. Whole achacha can be frozen for a few months. The pulp from frozen fruit can be used in drinks, granita’s, and sorbets. The flesh of the achacha is great in tropical fruit salads.
A good source of potassium and vitamin C. Achacha’s are rich in antioxidants and a great source of folate which is essential to the healthy development of babies in the first trimester.