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Guavas are a fruit once found growing wild in forests and along roads throughout the islands, bountiful in the summer months. That’s not as likely on Oahu anymore, though the fruit is still prolific on the neighbor islands.
Guava is a sweet-sour fruit with a distinctive tropical flavor. Fruit can be oval or round, egg- to apple-size. Varieties differ in seediness and flavor; skin color can range from greenish white to yellow, while the flesh ranges from yellow to bright pink. A fruit that gives a little to pressure is ripe and should be eaten raw, out of hand or diced in a salad. Fresh guavas are a good source of vitamins A and C.
If you can find fresh guava along a rural road or a farmers market, guava jam is probably the first use that comes to mind, since guava jam has a special place on island tables.
To make guava purée for jam or juice, cut guavas into quarters, add sugar (about a cup for every 4 cups of guava) and refrigerate for four to six hours. Place guava and liquid in a blender and purée until smooth. Strain, leaving seeds behind.
Dilute and add sugar to taste for juice; use purée for jams, sorbets, glazes and marinades. Add some purée to plain yogurt for a delicious guava treat!
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Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.
