Kiwis are one of the world’s most delicious fruits. They taste like a combination of all of your favorite fruit, including strawberries, bananas, pineapples, and citrus. They contain just the right amount of sweetness and tartness. Kiwis are also incredibly healthy. Loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, calcium, iron, and a healthy dose of fiber, kiwis pack a nutritious punch. However, they can seem a bit intimidating to peel, especially if you haven’t done it before. However, it’s actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Here’s how to cut a kiwi so you can use it in your salad, your yogurt, fruit tarts, or any other treats you have in mind.
How to Tell if a Kiwi is Ripe
Before you cut your kiwi, check and make sure it’s ripe. To do this, start by holding the kiwi in the palm of your hand. Then, gently press the fruit with your thumb. If it gives a little, it is ripe and ready. If it doesn’t give at all, it’s probably not ready to eat yet. Try it again in a couple days. You can just leave the fruit in a bowl at room temperature and it will slowly ripen over time. Firm, unripened kiwifruit can take two to three days at room temperature to ripen to prime freshness. On the other hand, if you want to keep your unripe kiwi longer, you can slow down the ripening process by placing your kiwi in the refrigerator.
Kiwi lovers will adore our Kiwi Flower Arrangement. It comes with a mix of kiwis along with non-edible flowers, such as roses, hydrangea, lilies, eucalyptus, bells of Ireland, and so much more. Or, check out our Watermelon Kiwi Summer Daisy arrangement made with sun-shaped pineapple, sliced kiwi, watermelon balls, strawberries, and so much more.
Top 3 Ways to Cut a Kiwi
Kiwis might be nutritious, but they seem a little intimidating to cut. The peel is fully edible, but it isn’t exactly appetizing to eat covered in fur. The good news is that it’s actually easier to cut than you might imagine. Here are three ways to cut a kiwi:
1. Basic Knife Method
To cut a kiwi with a knife, you can first place the kiwi on its side. Using a paring knife, cut off both ends of the kiwi. Turn the kiwi over so that it is standing on the ends. Then, use the knife to cut away the peel. Rotate the kiwi as you remove the skin. Try to remove as little fruit as you can as you move around the fruit.
Once the skin is removed, you can slice the kiwi into wedges. Or, slice the kiwi into round discs. You can then cut these discs into smaller bite-sized pieces.
2. Spoon Method
In order to get perfectly round slices of kiwi for fruit tarts, you can use a spoon instead of a knife. As before, place the kiwi on a cutting board on its side. Slice off both ends of the kiwi.
Next, insert a small teaspoon spoon right where the skin meets the fruit. Push the spoon into the fruit and rotate it around. Try to keep the spoon as close to the skin as possible to retain as much fruit as you can. Once you have made your way around the entire fruit, you can push the peeled kiwi out of the skin.
Next, you can slice the kiwi into perfectly round coins for all of your applications that require beautiful-looking kiwifruit.
3. Easy Spoon Method
This easy spoon method of cutting is best for applications that don’t require perfect-looking cut kiwi. Start by placing the kiwi on a cutting board on its side. Then, cut it in half with a paring knife. Next, insert a small teaspoon spoon right where the skin meets the fruit. Push the spoon into the fruit and rotate it around, being sure to separate the skin from the end of the kiwi. You can then pop out the half of kiwi. You can cut these pieces into discs or wedges, according to your needs.
How to Store Kiwi After it is Cut
After kiwi is cut, it shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than a couple of hours. Instead, cut kiwi should be stored in the refrigerator. Pack it in a sealed container, storage bag, or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It’s best if you use it within two or three days.
Kiwis might seem a little bit intimidating to cut at first. However, with a few simple tricks, you’ll find that they’re actually quite easy to cut.
