Kiwi, Banana and Passion Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 6 large, ripe passion fruit
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 ripe pineapple (around 3 pounds) – peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 ripe kiwis – peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 3 medium bananas – cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 15 pitted prunes (optional) – halved (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Passion Fruit Syrup:

   • Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the seedy pulp from 5 of them.
   • Use a fine sieve placed over a small saucepan to strain the pulp, extracting as much juice as possible. Press on the solids for good measure.
   • Combine the sugar and passion fruit juice in the saucepan.
   • Heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (around 2 minutes).
   • Transfer the passion fruit syrup to a medium bowl and stir in the lemon juice.
   • Scoop out the remaining passion fruit pulp and add it to the syrup in the bowl.

2. Assemble the Salad:

   • In a large bowl, toss the cubed pineapple, kiwis, and bananas.
   • If using prunes, add them to the bowl as well.
   • Pour the passion fruit syrup over the fruit salad and gently toss everything together to coat.

3. Serve:

   • Serve the salad immediately for the freshest flavor.

Tips:

• Taste the passion fruit syrup before adding it to the salad. You can adjust the sweetness according to your preference.
• For a richer flavor, consider using brown sugar instead of white sugar in the syrup.
• If you don’t have fresh passion fruit, you can substitute it with store-bought passion fruit juice or puree. However, fresh passion fruit offers a more vibrant flavor.
• This salad is best enjoyed on the day it’s made as the kiwi and banana can brown quickly.