John Myers
If you are wondering what Curuba is, you will get the answer in our product information. We will introduce you to the exotic fruit and give you practical tips for buying and preparing it.
Interesting facts about Curuba
The curuba is the fruit or berry of the Passiflora tarminiana, an evergreen creeper belonging to the genus Passiflora. This also includes the plant that produces the better-known passion fruit. Other names for the curuba cultivated in fruit cultivation in South America are taxo fruit, parcha and banana passion fruit. The latter name is due to the distant resemblance of the berry to the banana: as with this one, the yellow to yellow-orange, inedible skin of the curuba, which is up to 14 cm long, can be peeled off. The jelly-like, orange flesh with the black seeds is easy to scoop out. The smell and taste of the curuba is mild and refreshing, while the curuba tastes slightly sour and spicy. It shows similarities to apples, oranges and cucumbers.
Purchasing and storage
The curuba fruit is imported all year round, with the greatest supply being found in February and March. The fruit should not be damaged or shriveled when you buy it. Since it ripens later, you can access green specimens without hesitation. Store Exotin at room temperature, not in the fridge, for up to a week. As soon as the shell yields slightly to gentle finger pressure and exudes a delicious scent, the curuba should be eaten promptly. Incidentally, overripe fruit tastes unpleasantly sour.
Kitchen tips for Curuba
The processing of the curuba is very simple: cut the fruit lengthwise and scoop out the inside. If you don’t like the seeds, pass the marrow through a sieve. You can use the seeds as a topping. The banana passion fruit can be enjoyed in a similar way to the grenadilla, which also belongs to the passion fruit family: as an exotic ingredient in fruit salads, in sweets and desserts, pureed in drinks or simply on its own. The sour pulp goes particularly well with dairy products. Ice cream, shakes and yoghurts can be wonderfully refined with it. Our recipes with exotic fruits can serve as inspiration.
