Kiwifruit

You can eat the thin, fuzzy skin after washing it well; it is edible, though many people prefer the fruit peeled. To remove the skin neatly, slice off the ends and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, or peel it with a knife.

Press it gently near the stem: a ripe kiwifruit gives slightly, like a ripe peach, but should not feel mushy. If it is firm, leave it at room temperature for a few days; an apple or banana in the same paper bag can speed ripening.

Keep firm kiwifruit at room temperature until it softens, then refrigerate it to slow ripening. Keep ripe fruit away from apples and bananas, which release ethylene and can make it soften faster.

Yes. Peel and slice ripe kiwifruit, freeze the pieces in a single layer on a tray, then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag. Thawed fruit becomes soft, so it works best in smoothies, sauces or frozen desserts rather than fruit salad.

Add it to fruit salad, yoghurt or porridge, or blend it into a smoothie. Fresh kiwifruit is also used in pavlova and fruit tarts; add it shortly before serving, as its enzyme can stop gelatine from setting.

You can simmer peeled, chopped kiwifruit into a quick sauce or purée, but prolonged cooking softens its fresh flavour. Raw kiwifruit contains an enzyme that breaks down proteins, so it can tenderise meat; use it briefly, as too long can make the surface mushy.

Gold kiwifruit is usually sweeter and less tart, with smooth, bronze-coloured skin; green kiwifruit has a sharper tang and more seeds. Gold kiwifruit has 161 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, compared with 92.7 mg in green kiwifruit.

A medium kiwifruit provides roughly 2–3 g of fibre, depending on its size. Kiwifruit contains 2.9 g of fibre per 100 g.

Yes. The small black seeds are edible and can be eaten with the flesh; there is no need to remove them.