Accustomed to eating fruit raw, we can try incorporating fruit into our meals. Of course, it's important to consider the cooking methods and ensure a harmonious pairing. Generally, here are a few tips:
1. The texture, color, and flavor should be harmonious. For example, meat has a substantial texture and is often seasoned with a little sugar and soy sauce, making it a good match with pineapple, which provides a beautiful color, rich texture, and wonderful flavor. Fish is soft and tender and can be paired with kiwi or mango. Cucumbers and lettuce are a vibrant green with a fresh, light flavor and can be considered with the richly fragrant papaya, and so on.
2. Many fruits are prone to browning, so it's best to choose fruits that don't brown easily for stir-frying. Fruits that do brown can be used in soups, but be sure to add them after the soup comes to a boil. This will destroy the oxidase enzymes, making them less likely to change color.
3. When cooking, avoid deep-frying the fruit, so as not to destroy its light and healthy characteristics. The stir-frying and stewing times must be kept short. It's best to cook the other ingredients first and add the fruit at the very end.
4. Fruit is naturally sweet, so the seasonings should be kept light. Avoid using large amounts of salt, as this can overpower the fruit's fresh flavor. At the same time, since fruit has its own sweetness, you don't need to add sugar when seasoning. Instead, use the fruit's natural sweetness to complement the other ingredients.
5. Fruit is not suitable to be paired with ingredients that have bones, sharp parts, or are too chewy, nor with ingredients that have a strong or distinct odor.
6. If making a fruit salad, be sure to use mayonnaise sparingly, as it contains up to 80% fat.
If you're not skilled at cooking with fruit, you can simply cut it into small pieces, peel and core it, and serve it alongside other dishes. It actually tastes quite good and is perfectly acceptable!