Passion fruit

A ripe passion fruit often has slightly wrinkled skin and feels heavy for its size. Smooth skin is fine too, but the fruit should give a little when gently pressed and have no mould or leaking patches.

Rinse it, cut it in half and scoop out the fragrant pulp and seeds with a spoon. The seeds are edible; strain the pulp through a sieve if you want juice without them.

Leave firm fruit at room temperature until it yields slightly to gentle pressure, then refrigerate it to slow ripening. Once cut, cover the pulp and keep it chilled; use it within a few days.

Yes. Scoop the pulp into a small airtight container or ice-cube tray and freeze it; once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge and stir before using, as the juice and seeds may separate.

Its sharp, aromatic pulp works well in pavlova, cheesecakes, fruit salads and yoghurt. Stir it into a dressing for prawns or drizzle it over grilled fish for a bright, tangy finish.

For a similar tartness, use a mix of orange juice and lime juice, adding the lime gradually. It will not reproduce passion fruit’s distinctive aroma or crunchy seeds, so it is best in sauces and dressings rather than recipes where passion fruit is the main flavour.