Here at Blue Osa flavorful, fun, fruity jams are our JAM! We are so lucky to be living in a part of the world with access to so many exotic fruits. One of the most beloved fruits out here at our beachfront yoga retreat center is characterized by its unique shape.
If you don’t have access to starfruit, you can substitute pineapple.
What is Carambola? What is Star Fruit? How do you eat a Star Fruit?
The Carambola, or Star Fruit, is a plant originally hailing from Southeast Asia. Over time, through increasingly globalized trade routes, this special fruit made its way over to Central America. Since then this fruit has become a beloved addition to Costa Rican cuisine.
The Starfruit thrives out here in Costa Rica due to all of the humidity and rain we receive each year. The Carambola tree can grow up to 25 feet tall and will live for over 40 years in the wild! Just one tree has the capacity of producing up to 400 pounds of fruit a year!
While its shape is what makes this fruit so well-known, we absolutely love the tangy-sweet flavor it embodies. To eat Star Fruit is to fully embrace the flavor of summer! Get the taste of being at a jungle beach retreat with this delicious, beautiful, tropical fruit!
Starfruit is super refreshing, and you will notice its gentle tang dance across the palette from the first bite! Its flavor is super versatile, which adds to what makes it so special. We love to spread this Starfruit Jam onto fresh bread, muffins, or other pastries.
Not only do we love Star Fruit in jam, but we also make this fruit a staple in other delicious plates such as the Blue Osa Star Fruit Pie or Star Fruit Tart!
Here at Blue Osa, we are known for our delicious, fruity salad dressings that freshen up any plate of greens. The Star Fruit Salad Dressing created here in our Blue Osa kitchen is one of the most beloved salad-toppers we have created.
What are the health benefits of Starfruit?
- Starfruit is super low in calories: 100g provides just 31 calories and packs a powerful nutritional punch.
- It contains a dietary fiber that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances.
- Starfruit is high in Vitamin C! Making it an awesome, natural antioxidant.
- High in Vitamin B which aids with essential functions of the body relating to stress-management and metabolism.
- Starfruit contains key minerals and electrolytes like Potassium, Zinc and Iron which are important for healthy cell regeneration, stabilizing heart rate/blood pressure and counteracting the negative effects of too much sodium.
- Starfruit is known to help combat hangovers!
- To help prevent sickness during pregnancy, eat a slice of this fruit every 3 hours.
And that’s just the start! To learn more about the delicious and healthy reasons to love Star Fruit, check out this article.
Blue Osa’s Star Fruit Jam Recipe
Want to learn how to make this special fruit into a delicious, tangy jam? We recommend spreading this jam onto breads, cakes, muffins and anything of the sorts!
We are so excited to be sharing our healthy Star Fruit Jam recipe with you. If Star Fruit is not available at your local grocery store, no sweat! This delicious jam recipe can be made with our other favorite sweet & sour fruit, the Pineapple!
Star Fruit Jam Ingredients:
- 5 cups fresh Starfruit (or substitute for Pineapple)
- 1 ½ cup unprocessed cane sugar (if using Pineapple, go for 1 ½ cups sugar)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest or 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Cut the fruit into even pieces: Thoroughly wash each fruit, cutting off the ends and carefully removing the skin. Then slice out the core and chop the fruit into even pieces
Mash the fruit and sugar: In a bowl, combine the pieces of cut up Starfruit with the sugar, mashing them together with a potato masher or a fork. Breaking down the fruit before cooking it helps to speed along the process.
Heat the mixture: At medium-high heat, stir until the fruit and sugar begin to simmer. Then add the vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon. Mix well, then increase the heat until your mixture begins to boil. Let the mixture boil for 5-10 minutes, STIRRING CONTINUOUSLY as to not risk burning the jam. Once the jam has a glossy sheen to it, you can turn off the stove and cover the pot. Leave the mixture to cool completely overnight.
Finalizing your jam: The next day, return your jam to heat and let simmer, stirring continuously. Then add in the lemon juice and grated zest. Keep stirring for about 20 minutes until you have the texture and consistency you desire. Take off heat, and place in a jar, sealing tightly. Let cool before putting it in the refrigerator.
Buen Provecho! Enjoy your Star Fruit Jam!
Another way that we LOVE to incorporate the Star Fruit is in delicious tropical drinks!
Swap out the over-done lemonade this summer for fresh, sweet, and tangy Starfruit juice! This is the BEST Star Fruit recipe ever! This drink includes a delicious blend of flavors from cinnamon to mint! Making this the BEST Star Fruit juice, and a fan favorite here at Blue Osa. This drink will be sure to make an impression at your next potluck or dinner party!
Looking for a drink that’s even MORE fun?
Try our Blue Osa Star Fruit Cocktail!
Here at the Blue Osa Buddha Bar, we love fun and fruity drinks! We use all kinds of fresh ingredients, like Starfruit, in our delicious and tropical cocktails. It is through the use of these tree-ripened, tropical ingredients, that make drinks like our Piña Colada so special! Just from our dining area you can look out and find pineapple growing. You will also see coconut trees dancing through the entire property. And on any given day you can find up to 4 different species of monkeys playing in the coconut trees!
We bring in the best flavors of Costa Rica to all aspects of our cuisine here! It’s because of this that your stay at our beachfront yoga retreat will be one for the books!
We also offer fresh juices and smoothies each day. Getting a healthy, well-balanced serving of fruit like the Star Fruit into your system each day is so important! The health benefits of juice are endless. What makes our juices even more special is how our ingredients are sourced right here off the property and surrounding area! Your mind, body, and soul will melt into all-things Costa Rica here as you fuel it with these native ingredients. We also love these juices for their ability to detoxify the body and leave the mind in a clear state.
And more Star Fruit Recipes
Star Fruit Juice Recipe
Star Fruit Salad Dressing
Star Fruit Crisp
Enjoy!
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