Fruit

Averrhoa carambola

S tier

Averrhoa carambola is star fruit (carambola)—five-angled translucent yellow fruit that slices into stars, ranging from very sour to sweet depending on cultivar and ripeness. Flavour is floral-apple-grape with oxalic crispness; ribs brown if overheld. Tropical ornamental-edible tree crop. Eat ripe yellow fruit; green is sharply sour for pickles and cooking. Sweet types shine fresh; sour types excel in Malaysian/Singaporean cooking. Oxalate content matters for some diets—moderation. Chill and slice for platters. Fragile ribs need padding in packs.