Nashi pears resemble large apples but have a sweet, melon-like taste and crisp texture. One pear has only 215 kilojoules and provides four grams of fibre. Nashi pears also contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium and manganese, as well as vitamin K and copper, which are both important for bone and blood health.
Nashi pears are ripe when picked, so you don’t need to wait to eat them – and they keep for up to three months in the fridge. Rather than squeeze them for ripeness (they’re hard), just smell them: their quality is signalled by a strong, sweet scent. The skin varies from green-yellow and smooth to tan-yellow and slightly rough.
You can enjoy Nashi pears raw, sliced like an apple. (While edible, the tough skin can be peeled.) Add sliced Nashi pears to salads and stir-fries. Make a slaw by combining julienned Nashi pears and celery ribs with grated fresh ginger, and chopped spring onions and coriander. Dress with lime juice and seasoned rice vinegar, and add hot pepper flakes to taste.
