A smoothie to make at the last minute

Kiwi brings a sharp, fresh flavour and tiny black seeds that look attractive against the pale green drink. The banana softens that acidity without requiring a sugary syrup. This recipe works best with ripe kiwi that yields slightly to gentle pressure; a hard fruit will give a much sharper result and a less comfortable texture.

Keep the lime restrained. Both kiwi and yoghurt already contribute acidity, so the zest does most of the aromatic work. Use only the coloured outer layer of the lime skin, not the bitter white pith. Wash the lime before grating it, even though the rind is not the main ingredient.

Blend in two stages

Making the banana and yoghurt base first means the kiwi needs only a short final pulse. That keeps the colour lively and avoids beating excessive air into the drink. The seeds should remain visible. This is not a recipe where complete visual uniformity is worth pursuing at the expense of flavour.

Raw kiwi contains an enzyme that can change the texture and flavour of dairy mixtures as they stand. For that reason, treat this as an immediate-serve drink rather than a bottle to make the night before. Have the glasses ready before the fruit goes into the jug. A small serving is especially pleasant alongside toast or a simple breakfast.

A useful way to judge the final pulse

Watch the sides of the jug during the last few pulses. Stop when the kiwi flesh is distributed and the seeds look like small black dots, rather than waiting for those dots to disappear. The visual texture is part of a kiwi drink. A fine sieve is not especially helpful here because it removes fruit pulp as well as seeds.

If making several portions for guests, peel and cut the fruit first, measure the yoghurt base, and keep everything covered and chilled. Blend the banana base shortly before serving, then add kiwi to each batch at the end. This keeps the preparation orderly without asking the finished drink to wait. Make sure everyone knows it contains dairy, and remember that kiwi itself can be a problem for some people with allergies even though it is not one of the ingredients highlighted in the simple dairy note.

What you'll need

  • 180 g peeled ripe green kiwi
  • 100 g peeled banana
  • 120 g plain yoghurt
  • 80 ml cold water
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp finely grated lime zest

Let's make it

  1. Peel the kiwi and remove any hard stem ends. Slice the banana and put it in the blender with the yoghurt and water.
  2. Blend the banana base until smooth. Add the kiwi, lime juice and zest, then pulse just until the fruit is broken down and the black seeds are distributed.
  3. Taste a spoonful. If the kiwi is very tart, add another small piece of ripe banana rather than more lime.
  4. Pour and serve immediately. Avoid blending at high speed for several minutes, which adds unnecessary air and breaks down more seeds.

Make it your own

Golden kiwi produces a sweeter, yellower version and may need a little more lime juice.

A plain coconut yoghurt removes the dairy ingredient but changes the flavour; check packaging if catering for allergies.

Keeping it fresh

Serve as soon as blended. For advance preparation, keep the peeled kiwi and the banana-yoghurt base separately covered in the fridge at 5°C or below for up to 24 hours, or the yoghurt's earlier limit, then combine shortly before drinking.

Allergen notes

Milk

Further guidance: Food Standards Agency: safe chilling and freezing · Zespri: preparing and storing kiwifruit with dairy