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Peel and slice fruit and either sun-dry or dehydrate in electric dryer, depending on the weather.

To sun-dry

Use a solar dryer, or, place fruit on stainless steel cake coolers (aluminium leaves black marks on fruit which would not be very good for anyone's health) in full sunlight for approximately two days, taking them inside at night so the fruit does not absorb moisture with any dew.

Can also use pieces of shade cloth placed on trays. Turn the fruit over after a few hours of strong sun and then check every three or four hours, turning over the thicker pieces if necessary.When sun-drying it is best to cover with fly screens or tulle to discourage flies and beetles.

We have also used the shelves out of our electric Nara dehydrator when sun-drying in case the weather changes for the worst. Can then finish off the drying in the dehydrator without handling the fruit. We dry fruit which is seasonal ( mangoes, jackfruit) for our own use, and we dry bananas, pawpaws and fruit we have fresh all year round to sell at the market.

Fruit Leather

To make fruit leather, place plastic sheeets cut from oven bags on dehydrator trays. Blend fruit in blender, pour onto plastic sheets and spread with back of a spoon to about a quarter inch thick in centre and a bit thicker on outside edges. Peel off when dry and reuse plastic sheeets again.
Some successful leather combinations are : pawpaw, banana, passionfruit; pawpaw, honey, carob; pawpaw, banana, coconut; mango, yoghurt, banana.

How to Prepare Sliced Fruit for Drying

Mango - peel and slice in quarter inch slices.
Banana - peel and slice, in quarter inch slices lengthwise or across.
Jackfruit - open jackfruit and remove segments. Open each segment by cutting with knife on one side. Remove seed (suitable and yummy for coooking) and flatten to dry.
Carambola or Five Corner - slice across in star shaped pieces and dry. (Tastes similar to dried tangy apple).
Coconut - husk and de-shell flesh from mature coconut. Grate as fine as desired and layer about half inch thick in a suitable tray for sun drying, or on dehydrator trays with plastic sheets. Stir around every two hours until dry. Be careful if drying in a windy spot as we have had coconut and herbs blown away when dry because they are so light. (Very annoying I might add).
Watermelon (The sweeetest of all dried fruits). Slice thinly, seeds and all, and dry as for other fruits.

Store the dried fruit in plastic bags in airtight containers. After a day or two check the bags for any condensation which will mean the fruit is not dry enough.

Happy drying , healthy living.

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