Cutting with a Paring Knife
Look for a smooth, shiny persimmon to tell when it is ripe. Grab your persimmon and feel the outside of it to make sure it is plump and smooth. Depending on the type of persimmon you have, the color could be deep orange or pale orange. Just make sure it doesn’t have any blemishes on the outside. Only buy ripe persimmons if you plan on eating them within a few days.
Rinse the persimmon with cold water. Gently scrub the outside of the persimmon with your hands to remove any dirt or debris that might have settled on it. Wash your persimmon for about 10 seconds all over. Always rinse off fresh produce before you eat it to get rid of any dirt, debris, or insects.
Cut the persimmon in half lengthwise. Set the persimmon on a cutting board and hold it steady with 1 hand. Slice the persimmon in half, starting from the top leafy area and moving the knife downwards to the bottom. You can take the leaves off the top of the persimmon before you start cutting if you want to, but you don’t have to.
Split each half into 2 wedges. Pick up 1 half of the persimmon and hold it steady on the cutting board. Use your knife to cut it in half again lengthwise, and then do the same thing to the other half of the persimmon to make 4 wedge pieces. Wedge pieces are easier to deal with than large halves.
Slide a paring knife under the skin of the persimmon. Pick up 1 wedge slice and slide a sharp, curved knife under the skin at the top of the slice. Hold the persimmon by the bottom so that you don’t put your fingers in the way of the knife. Paring knives are great for peeling fruits since they are short and can make precise cuts. The skin of a persimmon is edible, so you don’t have to cut it off if you don’t want to.
Cut the skin off the wedges of persimmon. Slide the knife towards the back edge of the slice to remove part of the peel. Keep cutting off the peel in small chunks until it is all gone. Do this for all of the slices of your persimmon, and then enjoy your peeled fruit. Tip: You can also cut off the fibrous inside of the wedges if you don’t want to eat that part. Use your knife to slice it off as you peel.
Scooping Persimmon Halves with a Spoon
Wash off the outside of the persimmon with cold water. Hold your persimmon under running water and let it wash off any dirt or grime that may be on the outside. Gently scrub the persimmon with your fingers for about 10 seconds.
Cut the persimmon in half widthwise. Place the persimmon on a cutting board laying on its side so the leafy top is parallel to the cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the persimmon in half widthwise.Tip: If you are peeling a hachiya persimmon, it will probably be too soft to cut. Simply break open the persimmon and eat the inside of the fruit with a spoon to avoid the peel.
Scoop out the inside halves with a spoon. Pick up 1 half of the persimmon and slice a spoon in between the peel and the edge of the fruit. Slide the spoon around the rim of the persimmon to lift the peel off the fruit, and then use the spoon to scoop out the meat of the persimmon. Do the same thing to the other half. You can also use the spoon to eat the fruit of the persimmon straight out of the peel if you’d like to.
Use a knife to cut the halves into wedges. Place the peeled halves of the persimmon face-down on the cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut them each in half, leaving you with 4 wedge pieces of peeled persimmon.
Eat your persimmon on salads, in smoothies, or on cereal. Since the taste of persimmons is pretty mild, you can pair them with almost any sweet flavor for some added taste. Use your wedges to sweeten up an almond and strawberry salad, or eat them with some goat cheese for a light snack. You can also add persimmon puree to cookie or cake batters as a sweetener.
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