What are the fruits called? The most exotic fruits

Lychee (Litchie, Chinese plum, Lichi).

Round red fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter. Wonderful, delicious fruit. It has one bone in the middle. Look like Longon in shape, texture and stone, but with a richer taste and aroma. Very juicy, sweet, sometimes sour. The peel is easily separated from the white-transparent pulp.

Unfortunately, fresh Lychee can not be consumed all year round: Lychee harvest season starts in May and lasts until the end of July. During the rest of the year it is almost impossible to find it.

During the off-season in Asia, you can buy canned Lychee in jars or plastic bags in own juice or coconut milk.

Ripe fruits keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can freeze and store in the freezer for up to 3 months peeled fruits.

Lychee contains many proteins, pectins, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. Very high content nicotinic acid - vitamin PP, which actively prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The widespread prevalence of Lychee in the countries of Southeast Asia is the reason for the low level of atherosclerosis in this region.

Rambutan

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit").

Round fruits of red color, up to 5 cm in diameter, covered with soft processes like thorns. The pulp covering the stone is a transparent white elastic mass, with a pleasant sweet taste, sometimes with a sour tint. The stone is quite tightly connected to the pulp, and is edible.

Contains carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid and vitamin C. Fruits have a short shelf life - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Harvest season: May to October.

It is cleaned by cutting the peel with a knife, or without using a knife, as if twisting the fruit in the middle.

Rambutan is eaten fresh, cooked jams and jellies, canned.

mangosteen

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mankut).

The fruit is about the size of a small dark purple apple. Beneath the thick, inedible skin is the edible pulp in the form of garlic cloves. The pulp is sweet with sourness, very tasty, not like anything else. Generally pitted, although some fruits have small, soft pits that can be eaten.

Sometimes there are sick fruits of Mangosteen, with a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. Such fruits cannot be identified until you peel them.

The harvest season is from April to September.

Natural biologically active substances contained in mangosteen reduce inflammatory reactions: swelling, soreness, redness, high temperature.

Eye of the Dragon

Dragon's eye (pitahaya, pitaya, moon yang, dragon fruit, pitaya).

These are the fruit of a cactus. The dragon's eye is the Russian version of the name of this fruit. The international name is Dragon Fruit.

Fairly large, oblong fruits (palm-sized) that are red, pink or yellow on the outside. Inside the pulp is white or red, dotted with small black seeds. The pulp is very tender, juicy, slightly sweet, with an unexpressed taste. It is convenient to eat with a spoon, scooping out the pulp from the fruit cut in half.

The dragon's eye is useful for stomach pain, diabetes or other endocrine disease.

The harvest seasons are all year round.

durian

King of fruits. The fruits are very large: up to 8 kilograms.

A fruit famous all over the world for its smell. Almost everyone has heard of it, some have smelled it, and very few have tasted it. Its smell is reminiscent of the smell of onions, garlic and worn socks. With this fruit, because of its smell, it is even forbidden to enter hotels, transport and other public places. To remind you of the ban in Thailand, for example, they hang out signs with a crossed-out image of a fruit.

The sweet pulp of the fruit has a very delicate texture, and does not at all correspond to an unpleasant odor. You should try this fruit, if only for the reason that many have heard about it, but few dare to try it. But in vain. The taste is very pleasant, and the fruit itself is considered the most valuable fruit in Asia. It is very high in calories and healthy. Durian also has a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Sold cut (into slices) and packed in polyethylene. In supermarkets, you can find very interesting sweets with the taste and smell of Durian.

Sala

Sala (salak, rakum, snake fruit, snake fruit, sala)

Oblong or round fruits of small size (about 5 cm long) red (Rakum) or brown (Salak) in color, covered with dense small spines.

Fruit with a very unusual, bright sweet-sour taste. Someone reminds a persimmon, someone a pear. It is worth trying at least once, and then how you like it ...

You should be careful when peeling the fruit: the spines are very dense and dig into the skin. It's better to use a knife.

The season is from April to June.

Carambola (Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Phyak, Carambola, Star-fruit).

"Star of the tropics" - in the context of the shape we represent an asterisk.

Fruit with an edible peel, eaten whole (there are small seeds inside). The main advantage is a pleasant smell and juiciness. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything - slightly sweet or sweet and sour, somewhat reminiscent of eating apples. Sufficiently juicy fruit and perfectly quenches thirst.

Sold all year round.

People with severe kidney failures are not recommended to consume Carambola.

Longan (Lam-yai, Dragon's Eye).

Small fruits, similar to small potatoes, covered with a thin inedible skin and one inedible bone inside.

The pulp of Longan is very juicy, has a sweet, very aromatic, taste with a peculiar touch.

The season is from July to September.

Longkong/Langsat

Longkong (Longan, Longcon, Langsat, Lonngkong, Langsat).

Longkong fruits, like Longan, are similar to small potatoes, but are slightly larger in size and have a yellowish tint. It is possible to distinguish Longan if you peel the fruit from the peel: peeled, it looks like garlic.

Have sweet and sour interesting taste. Fruits Rich in calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates and vitamin C. The burnt skin of the Longkong gives off a fragrant smell that is not only pleasant, but also beneficial, as it serves as an excellent repellant.

Fresh fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days. The skin of a ripe fruit should be dense, without cracks, otherwise the fruit will quickly deteriorate.

The season is from April to June.

Sometimes a variety is also sold - Langsat, which looks no different, but has a slightly bitter taste.

Jackfruit (Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian Breadfruit).

Jackfruit fruits are the largest fruits growing on trees: their weight reaches 34 kg. Inside the fruit are several large sweet yellow slices of edible pulp. These slices are sold already peeled, because you yourself cannot cope with this giant.

The pulp has a sugary-sweet taste, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. It is very nutritious: they contain about 40% carbohydrates (starch) - more than in bread.

The season is from January to August.

You can take the risk of bringing such a monster home as a whole, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But it is better to buy chopped and packed slices of pulp.

Important! Some people have an unhealthy reaction in the throat after eating Jackfruit - spasms, it becomes difficult to swallow. Everything usually passes in an hour or two. Maybe it's an allergic reaction. Be careful.

Pineapple (Pineapple).

Pineapple fruits do not need special comments.

It should only be noted that Pineapples bought in Asia and Pineapples bought in Russia are completely different things. Pineapples in Russia are a pathetic imitation of real Pineapples that you can taste in their homeland.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Thai Pineapple - it is considered the most delicious in the world. You should definitely try it and be sure to bring it home with you to pamper your loved ones. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy already peeled.

Pineapple season - all year round

Mango (Mango).

According to some estimates, Mango is considered the most delicious fruit in the world.

Mango is quite widely known and sold in Russia. However, the taste and aroma of Mango in its homeland is very different from what is sold in our stores. In Asia, its fruits are much more fragrant, juicier, and the taste is more intense. And indeed, when you eat a fresh, ripe mango grown, for example, in Thailand it seems that there is nothing tastier.

The fruit is covered with an inedible peel that does not separate from the pulp: it must be cut into a thin layer with a knife. Inside the fruit there is a rather large, flat bone, from which the pulp also does not calve, and it must be separated from the stone with a knife, or simply eaten.

The color of the Mango varies from green to yellow (sometimes to yellow-orange or red) depending on the degree of maturity. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy the most ripe - yellow or orange fruits. Without a refrigerator, such fruits can be stored for up to 5 days, in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, unless of course they were stored somewhere else before.

If you want to bring several fruits home, then you can buy fruits of medium maturity, greenish in color. They keep well and ripen on the road or already at home.

noina

Noina (Sugar apple, Annona scaly, sugar-apple, sweetsop, noi-na).

Another unusual fruit that has no analogues and does not look like any of the fruits we are used to. The fruits of Noina are the size of a large apple, green, bumpy.

Inside the fruit there is a sweet fragrant pulp and many small hard seeds.

It is very inconvenient to clean due to the bumpy skin. If the fruit is ripe, then the pulp can be eaten with a spoon, after cutting the fruit in half.

The fruit is rich in vitamin C, amino acids and calcium.

The season is from June to September.

Sweet Tamarind

Sweet Tamarind (Sweet Tamarind, Indian date).

Tamarind is considered a spice of the legume family, but is also used as an ordinary fruit. Fruits up to 15 centimeters long have an irregular curved shape. There is also a variety of Tamarind - green Tamarind.

Under the hard brown peel, resembling a shell, there is a brown pulp, sweet and sour with a tart taste. Be careful - inside Tamarind there are large hard bones.

By soaking tamarind in water and grinding through a sieve, juice is obtained. Sweets are made from ripe dried tamarind. You can buy in the store and bring home a wonderful tamarind sauce for meat and sweet tamarind syrup (for making cocktails.

This fruit is rich in vitamin A, organic acids and complex sugars. Tamarind is also used as a laxative.

The season is from October to February.

American Mammea (Mammea americana).

This fruit, also known as the American apricot and Antillean apricot, is originally from South America, although it can now be found in almost all tropical countries.

This fruit, which is actually a berry, is quite large, growing up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Inside there is one large or several (up to four) smaller bones. The pulp is very tasty and fragrant, and, in accordance with its second name, tastes and smells like apricot and mango.

The ripening season is different depending on the region, but mainly from May to August.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola).

Cherimoya is also known as Cream Apple and Ice Cream Tree. In some countries, the fruit is generally known under completely different names: in Brazil - Graviola, in Mexico - Poox, in Guatemala - Pac or Tzumux, in El Salvador - Anona poshte, in Belize - Tukib, in Haiti - Cachiman la Chine, in the Philippines - Atis , on Cook Island - Sasalapa. The birthplace of the fruit is South America, but it can be found in the countries of Asia and South Africa that are warm all year round, as well as in Australia, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. However, in these countries the fruit is rare. It is most common on the American continent.

It is quite difficult to recognize the Cherimoyya fruit at the first inexperienced glance, since there are several types of it with different surfaces (lumpy, smooth or mixed). One of the tuberculate varieties, including Noina (see above), which is widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia. The size of the fruit is 10-20 centimeters in diameter, and the shape of the cut fruit resembles a heart. The pulp resembles an orange in texture and is usually eaten with a spoon, very tasty and tastes like banana and passion fruit, papaya and pineapple, and strawberries with cream at once. The pulp contains very hard pits the size of a pea, so be careful, otherwise you may be left without a tooth. It is usually sold a little underripe and firm and must lie down (2-3 days) before getting its real amazing taste and texture.

The ripening season is usually from February to April.

Noni (Noni, Morinda citrifolia).

This fruit is also known as Great Moringa, Indian Mulberry, useful tree, Cheese fruit, Nonu, Nono. The homeland of the fruit is Southeast Asia, but now it grows in all tropical countries.

The Noni fruit resembles a large potato in shape and size. Noni cannot be called very tasty and fragrant, and, apparently, that is why tourists very rarely come across it. Ripe fruits are bad smell(reminiscent of the smell of moldy cheese) and bitter taste, but are considered very useful. In some regions, noni is a staple food for the poor. It is usually consumed with salt. Noni juice is also popular.

Noni bears fruit all year round. But you can find it not in every fruit market, but, as a rule, in the markets for local residents.

Marula (Marula, Sclerocarya birrea).

This fruit grows exclusively on the African continent. And it is not easy to find it fresh for sale in other regions. The thing is that after ripening, the fruits almost immediately begin to ferment inside, turning into low alcohol drink. This property of marula is enjoyed not only by the inhabitants of Africa, but also by animals. After eating marula fruits that have fallen to the ground, they are often "drunk".

Ripe Marula fruits are yellow in color. The size of the fruit is about 4 cm in diameter, and inside is white pulp and a hard stone. Marula does not have an outstanding taste, but its flesh is very juicy and has a pleasant aroma until it starts to ferment. The pulp also contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

The harvest season of Marula takes place in March-April.

Wonderful Platonia (Platonia insignis)

Platonia grows only in the countries of South America. It is impossible to find it in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Platonia fruits are up to 12 centimeters in size, with a large thick peel. Under the peel there is a white tender pulp with a sweet and sour taste and several large seeds.

Kumquat (Kumquat)

Kumquat is also known as Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges. This is a citrus plant. It grows in southern China, but is also widely distributed in other tropical countries. Kumquat fruits can also be found on the shelves of our stores, but the taste is not at all what you can try at home in the freshest form.

Kumquat fruits are small (from 2 to 4 centimeters), similar to small oblong oranges or tangerines. Outside covered with a very thin edible peel, inside and in structure and taste almost the same as an orange, maybe a little more sour and bitter. Eaten whole (except bones).

The ripening season is from May to June, you can buy all year round.

Guava (Guajava)

Guava (Guajava), Guava or Guava is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the fact that the fruit is considered exotic, you should not expect an exotic taste from it: a rather mediocre, slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a pear. It may be worth trying once, but you are unlikely to become a fan of it. Another thing is the aroma: it is quite pleasant and very strong. In addition, the fruit is very useful, rich in vitamin C and perfectly raises the overall tone of the body and improves health.

Fruits come in various sizes (from 4 to 15 centimeters), round, oblong and pear-shaped. Skin, pits and pulp, all edible.

Passion Fruit/Passion Fruit

This exotic fruit is also called the Passion Fruit, Passiflora (Passiflora), Edible Passion Flower, Granadilla. Homeland is South America, but can be found in most tropical countries, including the countries of Southeast Asia. Passion Fruit got its second name because it is credited with the properties of a strong aphrodisiac.

Passion fruit fruits have a smooth, slightly elongated rounded shape, reaching 8 centimeters in diameter. Ripe fruits have a very bright juicy color and are yellow, purple, pink or red. The yellow fruits are less sweet than the others. The pulp also comes in a variety of colors. Under the inedible peel is a jelly-like sweet and sour pulp with seeds. You can’t call it especially tasty, juices, jellies, etc. made from it are much tastier.

When used, it is most convenient to cut the fruit in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. The bones in the pulp are also edible, but they cause drowsiness, so it is better not to abuse them. Passion fruit juice, by the way, also has a calming effect and causes drowsiness. The most ripe and delicious fruits are those whose skin is not perfectly smooth, but covered with "wrinkles" or small "dents" (these are the most ripe fruits).

The ripening season is from May to August. Passion fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for one week.

Avocado

Avocados are also called Perseus Americana and Alligator Pear. Avocado is considered to be a fruit. It may be scientifically true, but it tastes more like a vegetable.

Avocado fruits are pear-shaped, up to 20 centimeters long. Covered with a tasteless and inedible peel. Inside there is a dense pulp like a pear and one large bone. The flesh tastes like an unripe pear or pumpkin and is nothing special. Avocados are more commonly used for cooking than for eating raw. So do not chase to be sure to try this fruit. But dishes prepared with Avocado can greatly diversify the festive table. On the Internet you can find many recipes for avocado dishes, including salads, soups, main courses, but on vacation you are unlikely to need all this, so you can not look at Avocado.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, breadfruit, pana)

Don't confuse breadfruit with jackfruit. The jackfruit, although known as the Indian breadfruit, is actually a completely different fruit.

Breadfruit can be found in all tropical regions, but mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Due to the very high yield of Breadfruit, its fruits are in some countries the main product of kicking, like our potatoes, for example.

Breadfruit fruits are rounded, very large, can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and four kilograms of weight. In its raw form, like a fruit, ripe fruits are used, and unripe fruits are used as vegetables in cooking. It is better to buy ripe fruits on vacation, and even better already cut into portions, because. you can hardly cut and eat the whole fruit. In a ripe fruit, the pulp becomes soft and slightly sweet, it tastes like a banana and a potato. Not to say that the taste is outstanding, and therefore breadfruit is not often found in tourist fruit markets. The taste of bread can only be felt when preparing an unripe fruit.

Breadfruit ripening season, 9 months a year. Buy fresh fruits possible all year round.

Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba)

Jaboticaba (Jaboticaba) is also known as the Brazilian grape tree. You can meet it mainly in the countries of South America, but sometimes it is also found in the countries of Southeast Asia.

This is a very interesting, tasty and rare exotic fruit. If you can find it and try it, consider yourself lucky. The fact is that the Jaboticaba tree grows very slowly, which is why it is practically not cultivated.

The way the fruits grow is also interesting: they grow directly on the trunk, and not on the branches of a tree. The fruits are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), dark purple. Under a thin dense peel (inedible) there is a soft jelly-like and very tasty pulp with several seeds.

The tree bears fruit almost all year round.

Kiwano Melon is also known as Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antilles Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria. Kiwano really looks like a big cucumber in a section. Although it is a fruit, another question. The fact is that the fruits of Kiwano grow on a vine. It is cultivated mainly in Africa, New Zealand, on the American continent.

Kiwano fruits are oblong, up to 12 centimeters in length. The color is yellow, orange and red depending on the degree of ripening. Under a dense peel, the flesh is green, the taste is somewhat reminiscent of cucumber, banana and melon. The fruit is not peeled, but cut into slices or halves (like a regular melon), and then the pulp is eaten. In raw form, both unripe and unripe fruits are consumed. The unripe fruits can be eaten with the pits as they are soft. Also used with salt.

Magic fruit (Miracle fruit)

The magical fruit grows in West Africa. It does not have an outstanding exotic taste, but it is known and interesting in that after you eat it, for about an hour, all foods will seem sweet to you. The fact is that the Magic Fruit contains a certain protein that blocks for some time the taste buds on the tongue, which are responsible for the sour taste. So you can eat lemon and it will taste sweet to you. True, only fresh plucked fruits have this property, and during storage they quickly lose it. So don't be surprised if the trick doesn't work on purchased fruit.

The fruit grow on small trees or shrubs, have a rounded oblong shape, 2-3 centimeters long, red in color, with a hard bone inside.

The magic fruit bears fruit almost all year round.

Bael (Bael, Aegle marmelos)

Bail is sometimes called the "Stone Apple" because of its peel. Very widespread in Southeast Asia.

Bail fruits are not so easy to find in fruit markets in their entirety. And even if you meet him, you yourself will not cope with him. The fact is that its peel is hard as a stone, and it is impossible to get to the pulp without a hammer or hatchet.

Fruits are round or pear-shaped in diameter up to 20 centimeters. Ripe fruit is yellow. Inside the pulp and a few seeds covered with hairs. The flesh is yellow, fragrant, not too sweet and slightly astringent.

If you can’t taste the fruit fresh (which, in general, you shouldn’t worry about), you can buy tea from the Bail fruits, called Matum. It is a fruit cut into slices and dried. It is believed that it is very effective in the treatment of colds, bronchial and asthmatic diseases.

The Buddha Hand is a variety of Citron. It is also called Buddha Fingers and Finger Citron.

We decided to mention this very exotic fruit so that you do not try it during your vacation in a tropical paradise. This fruit is not one that you will enjoy the taste of. Undoubtedly, the fruit is very interesting and useful, and when you see it, you will most likely have a desire to try it. But don't rush. It is widely used in cooking, but you are unlikely to eat it. The fruit of the Hand of the Buddha is composed almost entirely of a rind (the pulp is inedible), which is similar to the rind of a lemon in taste (bitter and sour taste) and violet in smell.

The shape of the fruit is very interesting and looks like a palm with a large number of fingers, reaching a length of 40 centimeters. You can only buy it in order to bring it home with you as a souvenir, and already at home cook from it different dishes with citrus flavor (compote, jelly, candied fruit).

The countries of Southeast Asia are simply a paradise for lovers of tropical fruits. Dragon fruit, mangosteen, tomarillo, durian, snake fruit, and many other exotic names cease to amaze here and become the norm. Surely in Russia, in large supermarkets, there are many of these fruits, only, firstly, the prices for them can differ by an order of magnitude, and secondly, in order for them to appear on the shelves in an attractive form, they are fairly stuffed with chemicals or sent unripe, which cannot but affect the taste and useful qualities. But in Southeast Asia, at home, many of these fruits cost a penny - for example, ripe and juicy mango in season you can buy for 5 rubles, and a large (3 kg), sweet papaya for 30 rubles. As for the usual apples and pears, here, on the contrary, they are one of the most expensive fruits. In addition, there are almost no berries here, with the exception of strawberries, which sometimes pleases us. For the sixth month we have been living in Bali, and every day we enjoy a variety of fruit flavors. There are several dozen tropical fruits here, and if you consider that each of them, as a rule, has several varieties, and the taste of each variety is unique and inimitable, it becomes clear how good life is for fruit lovers here. The same fruits that we tried in Mexico, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia often differ not only in taste, but also in name and shape. The eyes in the market or in the store run up, it is difficult to choose a particular fruit, so we buy huge boxes that can hardly fit on a bike. We deliberately do not write about prices, since they are different everywhere, depending on the country, seasonality, variety and ability to bargain. So, we begin our acquaintance with tropical exotics.

Snake fruit (snake fruit), the Balinese call it salak

The fruits are round or pear-shaped, tapering to a wedge at the top, covered with a scaly brown peel resembling snake skin, from which the name of the fruit comes. The peel is thin and easily removed, it is enough to cut it or tear it at the edge, and then remove it like an egg shell. The flesh is white or beige in color and consists mainly of three segments. If the fruit is unripe, then due to the high content of tannin it knits the mouth, this is how we first tried it in Malaysia in the spring - we did not like it, and we safely forgot about it. Here in Bali, salak, as one of the most common fruits, quickly became familiar, we tried it again, and, one might say, fell in love. In Bali, 2 varieties are common. One, more elongated, consists of 3 identical segments, has a pleasant refreshing sweet taste, reminiscent of pineapple and banana with light nutty smack. The second, more rounded, with two large segments and a third small pitted, tastes similar to gooseberries and pineapples. Both varieties are quite interesting, we buy different ones with the same success. Salak contains tannin, which removes harmful substances from the body, has astringent, hemostatic and antidiarrheal properties. In the north of Bali, in the forests, we somehow found a wild herring. Unlike the garden one, its peel is prickly in small needles, no more than 1 mm long, and the fruits themselves are smaller in size. They taste sweet, but peeling because of the thorns is not very pleasant, so we fed them to the monkeys, who were not a hindrance to the thorns and they coped with cleaning as quickly as they do with bananas.

Tamarillo (tamarillo)

Tamarillo fruits are egg-shaped, about 5 cm long. The shiny peel is hard and bitter, inedible, and the flesh has a sweet and sour, tomato-currant taste, almost without aroma. The skin color can be orange-red, yellow, or purple-red. The color of the pulp is usually golden-pink, the seeds are thin and round, black, edible. The fruits resemble long-fruited tomatoes, which is why they called it a tomato tree. Tomarillo can be cut into 2 halves and simply squeeze the pulp into your mouth, or peel it with a knife, holding the tail - you get such a flower
Tamarillo contains a large amount of vitamins A, B6, C and E, as well as trace elements - iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. The fruit will be useful for those who suffer from migraines. We fell in love with this fruit because of the berry-currant taste - there are very few berries in Bali, mostly all imported (with the exception of strawberries). Tamarillo makes an excellent sauce when lemon juice, ginger and honey are added to it. The sauce is suitable for both spicy dishes and desserts.

mango

Of the many tropical fruits, mango is still one of our favorites - it seems you can eat it as much as you like and never get bored. In Russia, we sometimes bought them in a store and the concept of different varieties did not exist for us - there are just mangoes and that's it, what was our surprise that, it turns out, there are several dozen species of them. India harvests about 13.5 million tons of mangoes per year (just think about the number!) and is thus the main producer (the most famous variety is mangifera indica 'Alphonso'), China is in second place in terms of productivity (just over 4 million tons) , on the third - Thailand (2.5 million tons), Indonesia 2.1 million tons. Ripe fruits of different varieties taste very different, most often they are sweet and have pleasant aromas of different shades from honey even to ginger.
Arriving in India in early November, we were very surprised not to find mangoes on sale - it turned out that the season begins in April. We flew away at the end of March, and literally in the last week the first crop appeared on sale - these were small red mangoes, very fragrant and sweet, for several days we could not tear ourselves away from them. We really liked the variety of mangoes in Malaysia - from Thai light yellow, with beige flesh inside, to green thick-skinned, unripe in appearance, but with bright orange, sweet flesh. But for real, we overeat mangoes in Bali. In May and June, the choice was not very large, but in August, September and, especially, in October, the variety of varieties and prices never cease to please us. Our favorite Harumanis are green mangoes with orange, sweet, honey-colored flesh. Mango has a lot of vitamins and fructose, and few acids. Vitamin A has a beneficial effect on the organs of vision, helps with "night blindness" and other eye diseases. Regular consumption of mango improves immunity and protects against colds. Green mango is also rich in vitamin C. Mango fruits are often used in home medicine, for example, in India, mango is used to stop bleeding, to strengthen the heart muscle, and also to improve brain function.

Jackfruit (jackfruit)

Everyone who sees a jackfruit for the first time is very surprised, and there is something - this is the largest fruit in the world that grows on a tree. The length of the fruit is 20-90 cm, the diameter is up to 20 cm, and the fruits weigh up to 35 kg (in the photo, for comparison, there is a tangerine next to it). The thick peel is covered with numerous cone-shaped protrusions-thorns. Young fruits are green, when ripe they become green-yellow or brown-yellow. If the fruit has fallen and is not ripe, it is eaten as a vegetable, in India we have repeatedly tried jackfruit curry. But the fresh one was first tasted in Sri Lanka at the end of April, the season had just begun there. You can find a ripe fruit from May to September; when tapped, it makes a hollow sound (immature fruit is deaf). Inside, the fruit is divided into large lobes, which contain a sweet yellow pulp, consisting of juicy, slippery fibers. Each lobe contains an oblong seed 2-4 cm long, in one fruit there can be up to 500 seeds
The peel and seeds of a ripe fruit have an unpleasant putrefactive odor, while the pulp smells pleasant, there is something in common with banana and pineapple, but the taste is still specific, for an amateur, we liked it very much. All parts of the plant, including the peel, contain sticky latex, so it is recommended to cut the fruit by lubricating your hands with sunflower oil or wearing rubber gloves :) The fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. In supermarkets and markets, jackfruit is sold mainly in a chopped form, since whole fruits, firstly, scare away with their thorns, and secondly, not everyone is ready to master such a giant. Due to its weight, it is not uncommon for a jackfruit to fall from a tree and break. Due to the strong smell, it is easily found by animals, which carry seeds throughout the forest, which contributes to its active spread. Jackfruit fruits are very nutritious, they contain about 40% carbohydrates. In particular, for this reason, and also because of the cheapness and universal availability, jackfruit in India is called "bread for the poor" or breadfruit. The seeds are also nutritious - they contain 38% carbohydrates, they are roasted and eaten like chestnuts. They taste a little dry, but they go well with salads.

Dragon fruit or dragon fruit (dragon fruit), aka pitahaya or pitahaya

Belongs to the cactus family. Due to its interesting and unusual shape, as well as bright pink color, the fruit cannot go unnoticed. The fruit has a white or red (depending on the variety), creamy flesh and a delicate, slightly perceptible aroma. The pulp is eaten raw, the taste is sweet. It is convenient to eat, cut into 2 halves, scooping out the pulp with a spoon. To some, dragon fruit may seem insipid and not very tasty, but if you taste it properly, you will definitely like the fruit (like Mozzarella cheese, for example, which also does not have a very pronounced taste). The fruit grows on cacti and blooms only at night. The flowers are also edible and can also be made into tea. The fruit is low in calories, helps with stomach pains and has a beneficial effect on the quality of vision.

Rambutan (rambutan)

The fruits are round or oval, 3-6 cm in size, grow in clusters up to 30 pieces, sometimes they are sold right on the branch. As they ripen, the fruits change color from green to yellow-orange, and then to red. If you want to get the most pleasure, choose fruits that are bright red in color. Juicy white fruits are covered with a dense skin, strewn with curved, hard yellow-brown hairs, 1-2 cm long. The pulp is gelatinous, white, very fragrant and has a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Inside is an inedible oval seed, up to 1.5 cm long. Raw seeds are poisonous, but if they are fried, they can be eaten. The seed oil is used in the manufacture of soaps and candles. Rambutans contain carbohydrates, proteins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid and vitamin C. The fruits are eaten mostly fresh, sometimes canned with sugar. Moreover, in Malaysia these canned fruits sell on every corner, as a snack, and also make refreshing drinks. For the first time we got acquainted with rambutans in their homeland - in Malaysia. From Malay rambutan is translated as "hairy". Fruits are very light in weight, so 1 kilogram can contain several dozen of them. By the way, after bananas, which we pretty much got hooked on in India (not only because of the taste, but also for reasons of sanitary safety), this is the number 2 fruit that you can easily and safely eat while traveling. A bunch of rambutans can be bought at the market or on the side of the road and eaten right away, which you can’t do with the same papaya or mango, not to mention the fruit, which is eaten with a peel. You just need to tear the peel in the middle and remove the upper half (the hairs are not prickly at all), then send the pulp into your mouth and stay in your hand with the second half of the peel - you don’t even need to wash your hands. In Malaysia, we got just in the season of rambutans (May) and the cost for 1 kg was the same as for 1 kg of mango (about $ 1), but in Bali, they turned out to be 3 times more expensive, although in October they had already fallen in price to $ 1.5 .

Mangosteen (mangostin), aka mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mangkut

The fruit is round, 4-8 cm in diameter, covered with a thick (1 cm) maroon-violet inedible peel, under which there are 5-8 segments of white, very juicy pulp, with large seeds inside each segment. We met mangosteens in Sri Lanka - when we saw them for the first time, we thought that some kind of strange persimmon was here. We were not going to buy them, but the seller stopped us at the last moment, showing a clever trick, opening this fruit in a second. Seeing the juicy pulp, we could not resist the desire and tried it, and then of course we bought it. The taste of the fruit is very pleasant, creamy-sweet and slightly tart. Mangosteen is recommended to be used to combat obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney stones, colds, depression and a huge list of different diseases. In hot weather, this is a great fruit to quench your thirst.

Melodi (melodi), aka pepino, melon pear or sweet cucumber

Fruits are diverse, differ in size, shape, color and taste. Some have an exotic color - bright yellow, others purple, which is reminiscent of eggplant. The flesh of a ripe fruit is light yellow or completely colorless. Melody tastes like a mixture of pear and cucumber with a melon flavor. It can be added to sweet desserts and salads (depending on the variety). Here in Bali, we love to add it to salads - the fruit costs about the same as cucumbers, and the taste is more tender and interesting. Shades of taste, by the way, are different - from sweet and sour to sweet. The melody itself is very juicy, it is 92% water, so it is great for quenching thirst. Vitamin C gives the sourness to the fruit, the fruit is also rich in iron, keratin and a large amount of vitamins A, B1, B2 and PP.

Longan (longan) or dragon's eye

The first name comes from the name of the Vietnamese province of Longan. And the second from the structure of the fruit - if you break the "berry" in half, then a black bone appears, which, against the background of a transparent beige pulp, resembles a Longan's eye, grows in clusters on evergreen trees, the height of which can reach twenty meters. More than 200 kg of fruits are harvested from each tree during the summer. Outwardly, the fruits are similar to nuts, easy to clean. The color of the inedible outer shell of the fruit is spotty yellowish. Lognan tends to ripen after being removed from the tree. Under the peel hides a transparent juicy pulp - sweet and very fragrant with a musky flavor. Under the pulp is one large bone. Longan is quite rich in vitamins, it contains a lot of vitamin C, B1, B2 and B3, as well as micro and macro elements such as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese and, in addition, a lot of bioacids useful for the skin. With such richness, the fruit is low in calories. Longan can be eaten fresh, or as a snack with hot and spicy dishes, a drink from it perfectly quenches thirst and improves appetite
For the first time we tried the fruit in Bali - somehow walking around the market with our Balinese friend Budi, we asked him about his favorite fruits and he, without delay, pointed out this rather inconspicuous fruit. Budi comes from Java, and longan is very popular there. The first time we did not really like it, the aroma was not as pronounced as expected. We decided that we simply didn’t taste it, and after a couple of days we bought it again - this time the longan turned out to be very tasty and juicy. Against the background of other exotic, more appetizing-looking fruits, it certainly loses outwardly, but the palette of useful components included in it and the refreshing taste push you to buy again and again. Longan is used in Chinese traditional medicine as a tonic for weakness, fatigue, tachycardia, dizziness, and impaired vision. Also, the pulp of the fruit is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, reduce body temperature during fever, calm with unreasonable excitement, normalize sleep and improve memory, and focus.

Kepundung (kepundung) or Asian gooseberry

By appearance very reminiscent of Longan, but the taste is completely different. The skin is thick but easy to peel. The fruits inside are white-pink, have a viscous jelly structure, there is a stone that is difficult to separate from the pulp - this is one of the reasons why kepundung is easier to use for making syrups and sauces, and not to be consumed fresh. The taste of the fruit is very pleasant, sweet and sour, refreshing with a light delicate aroma. Kepundung is a well-known source of vitamin C in Asia, making it useful for treating throat and respiratory problems. The fruit is considered sacred among Indian and Tibetan healers who use dried fruits for a wide range of problems such as indigestion, high fever, liver problems and anemia. Kepundung is good for the prevention and treatment of stress, fever, arthritis.

Tamarind (tamarind) or Indian date, he is asam, asem, sampalok

It is actually a plant in the legume family, but it is sold in the fruit section, and because of its sweet taste, many actually consider it a fruit. A fruit is hidden under the shell - a brown pod-shaped bean, similar, sorry, to a "turd", consisting of a soft pulp and many dense seeds. The pulp can be eaten fresh as a fruit or a sweet for tea. It is also widely used as a spice in both Asian and Latin American cuisines. The pulp of green fruits is sour and is used in the preparation of spicy dishes, but the ripe fruits are sweeter, with a fruity taste, they are used to make desserts, drinks, and snacks. In Latin America, especially in Mexico, this fruit is very popular and is used in all sorts of ways. It was in Mexico that we first got acquainted with its taste - we tried "Tamarindo" sweets - hard candies with seeds, with a characteristic aroma and taste. We did not like sweets, but here, in Bali, we bought fresh tamarind, not even suspecting that we had already tried it before - this time we liked it. Due to its healing properties, the pulp, leaves and bark are used in medicine. In the Philippines, the leaves are traditionally used for cooking herbal tea, to relieve fever in malaria. And in India, in Ayurveda - for the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract. Tamarind contains a large amount of vitamin C, as well as vitamins A and E. Protects against colds and heart disease. The tamarind is the official tree of Santa Clara in Cuba and is featured on the city's coat of arms.

Papaya (papaya)

Sweet juicy pieces papayas melt in your mouth. The fruit is exceptionally nutritious, and the most interesting thing is that papaya is not boring at all, we enjoyed eating it very often in India and Sri Lanka, and in Bali this is our traditional breakfast dish for the sixth month. In India and Bali, papaya is very sweet, we especially like the "California" variety, but in Thailand, as our friends say, it is more watery. In Mexico, we liked it only in combination with yogurt or honey - there it is more customary to eat it a little underripe and even with salt and chili peppers. Papaya is a valuable source of beta-carotene, a third of a medium-sized fruit satisfies the daily requirement of an adult for vitamin C, and also provides the necessary amount of calcium and iron. Papaya fruits not only in appearance, but also in chemical composition are close to melon, contain glucose and fructose, organic acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals, so papaya is sometimes called "melon tree". They say papaya fruit smells when roasted over a fire. fresh bread, which gave this plant another interesting name - "breadfruit". Green papaya has contraceptive and abortive properties - Asian women who want to terminate their pregnancy ate in large quantities unripe fruit. In tropical countries, papaya juice is used for diseases of the spine, as it contains an enzyme that regenerates the connective tissue of the intervertebral discs. Perhaps precisely because of frequent use eating papaya, Asians are less prone to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, even despite the tradition of wearing weights on their heads.

Coconut (cocos, coconut)

Although they are often referred to as " coconuts", in fact, these are not nuts, but drupes - stone fruits (like peaches). The weight of a coconut is 1.5-2.5 kg, its outer shell is green, brown or yellow, depending on the variety, pierced with fibers, and the inner , hard - the same "shell" that many are accustomed to seeing on store shelves. In a young coconut, the liquid (coconut water) is clear and tasty, it is these coconuts that are bought as a drink. Gradually, with the appearance inside drops of oil secreted by the bark, the liquid turns into a milky emulsion, then thickens and hardens, solidifying on the walls of the shell.In Mexico, we mainly bought already solid, sliced ​​​​coconuts.When eaten with chocolate, they are very reminiscent of Bounty bars.But coconut water for the first time tried it in India where young coconuts are sold on every corner and they are very cheap ($0.3 vs. $1-1.5 in Bali) They are not sold in fruit stalls, but often just from a cart, sometimes right under a tree on the ground, lies a mountain fresh coconuts and broken bones. Sellers deftly, in 2-3 steps, cut off the top and insert the tube - the drink is ready
A young coconut contains about 2 cups of "coconut milk". After the natural container is empty, you can ask to split it into 2 parts and with a spoon made right there by the seller from one cut along the outer layer, scrape out the pulp - a translucent jelly slurry. In Bali, there are plenty of different varieties of both young and hard coconuts, the latter being sold already shelled, which is very convenient. The 1st place in the world in the production of coconuts, and this is about 20,000 thousand tons of fruits per year, is occupied by the Philippines. Indonesia and India are in 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. Coconut is a strong aphrodisiac, it normalizes the reproductive system. Milk and pulp of coconut well restore strength and improve eyesight. Coconut oil is generally a versatile product, it is used in cooking, for medical and cosmetic purposes. Strengthens and nourishes hair, as well as moisturizes and softens the skin, smoothing wrinkles; improves the functioning of the digestive system and liver; normalize thyroid function; relaxes muscles and helps with joint problems; increases immunity and resistance to various infections, reduces the adaptability of bacteria to antibiotics. The pulp normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood; helps with colds, diarrhea, and gallbladder diseases; has antimicrobial, antiviral wound-healing effect; reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as cancer and degeneration processes. Hard coconuts contain B vitamins and vitamins C and E, as well as various mineral salts. In general, not a fruit, but a whole natural pharmacy.

Pineapple (ananas, pineapple)

The largest pineapple plantations are concentrated in the Hawaiian Islands, which is about 30% of world production. Did you know that pineapples grow on bushes, not on trees? For the first time as they grow, we are in Sri Lanka, and we were very surprised. Pineapple, along with bananas, is one of the most popular fruits in Asia, they are found in every country - of different varieties and sizes. Most delicious pineapples we ate in Sri Lanka - bright, sweet and juicy, with a rich aroma, just a heavenly delight. Our friends from Sri Lanka even brought such pineapples home to Russia as souvenirs. And in India, we liked the way of peeling pineapples on the beaches. In the states of Kerala and Goa, vendors carry fruits for sale in large bowls on their heads, including pineapples. They are turned upside down, deftly peeled with a knife, and literally a minute later they are handed over like an ice cream cone. Pineapple is low in calories, and the high content of potassium salts helps to get rid of excess fluid and even several kilograms of weight. Pineapple dessert improves the digestion of fatty foods and improves metabolism. Due to the complex of biologically active substances, pineapple stimulates digestion and reduces blood viscosity. Pineapple contains vitamins A, B and C, as well as numerous trace elements, including bromelain, which improves the absorption of protein substances by the body.

Passion fruit (marakujya), aka edible passion flower, or edible passionflower, or purple granadilla

For the first time we tried this passion fruit in Bali, and I must say that from the first time it did not make much impression on us, but the second time we tried it - passion fruit is really very tasty and unusual. The color of the fruit, depending on the variety, varies from light yellow to maroon, the jelly-like pulp can be transparent, beige, greenish. Taste shades are also quite different - from sweet and sour to very sweet. We are not yet addicted to a particular variety, we are trying different ones. It is enough to cut the fruit in half, after which the fragrant sweet pulp can be eaten with a spoon. Passion fruit seeds are also edible - they are used to decorate cakes and other confectionery. Sweet and sour passion fruit juice is valued in cooking, and since it also has good tonic properties, it is used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetology. The fruit is very effective in relieving headaches, muscle tension and insomnia.

Guava (guava) or guava

The fruit is usually round, oval or pear-shaped, with a pleasant musky odor. The color of the fruit is very different - yellowish-white, bright yellow, reddish, greenish-white or completely green, the skin is always very thin. Fruits are different in size - from very small to large, depending on the variety. The flesh is white, yellow, pink or bright red, filled with hard seeds. The number of seeds ranges from 112 to 535 (and some fruits contain no seeds at all). Guava gives one main crop, up to 100 kg per tree - and 2-4 additional much smaller ones. The best mature trees give 200-250 kg each. in a year. The first time we tried guava in India, they prefer to eat it unripe, green there. It is cut in half and sprinkled with pepper (we abstained from this additive). The taste is unusual, we liked it, but the stomachs of unripe fruits did not really like it. In Bali, we tried another variety of guava, and this time we ate ripe fruit. These fruits are similar in size and color to Asian lemons, and the pale pink tender flesh tastes like strawberries.
Guava is a storehouse of health, it is the only fruit that contains 16 vitamins, minerals, salts and trace elements. Interesting fact: Guava contains 5-10 times more vitamin C than orange. Guava fruits are widely used not only in food (jelly, jams, sauces, marmalade, juices), but also in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Guava juice has a psychostimulating effect, in ancient times it was added to the drinks of warriors and hunters to give them vigor and strength, and Cuban women fed their lovers with these fruits, they contain aphrodisiacs - substances that strengthen "male strength" and enhance sexual desire. Guava is also used as an air freshener - if the cut fruits are brought into a smoky room, then after 10 minutes the smell of tobacco will disappear.

Yellow watermelon (yellow watermelon)

It looks like an ordinary striped watermelon, only inside it is an unusual, bright yellow color. Such a watermelon was born as a result of crossing a wild watermelon (which is just yellow) with an ordinary one. In addition to the unusual coloring, this watermelon contains very little, compared to red, seeds - sometimes we come across no seeds at all. The first time we tried yellow watermelon in Malaysia and it turned out to be not very sweet, but in Bali we buy them often and always come across sweet ones. Once we bought both red and yellow to compare tastes, and so red turned out to be less sweet, even seemed watery, although if you eat it separately from yellow, it is quite fragrant and sweet
Despite the fact that it is a hybrid, yellow watermelon, like regular watermelon, contains many vitamins and is excellent for regulating the excretory system.

Sapodilla (sapodilla) aka savo, aka chiku, aka akhra

Brown-green egg-shaped fruit, up to 5 cm in size. Smaller fruits look like small potatoes, and those that are larger look like kiwi. The peel is soft and easily peeled with a knife. The flesh is yellow-brown, juicy, very sweet with a caramel-date taste, sometimes even cloyingly sweet if the fruit is ripe. It is better to choose soft fruits, even if they are a little "shrunken", they will definitely be sweeter. We first tried this fruit in India and it immediately became our second favorite (after bananas). In India it is called "chiku", so we are more accustomed to this name. In Bali, it is known as "savo", or "Balinese kiwi". They eat the fruit both raw and cooked - in the form of jams and salads, they are also stewed with lime juice and ginger, put in pies and even make wine based on it. Chicu is rich in vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, iron, potassium and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C. The beneficial properties of chicu are used by cosmetics manufacturers - the fruit has antiseptic and regenerating properties.

Durian

In Southeast Asia, durian is considered the king of fruits. It is ovoid or round in shape, about 15-30 cm in diameter, weighing from 1 to 8 kg. Durian is covered with pyramidal hard thorns and is somewhat similar to Jackfruit, many tourists, due to inexperience, even confuse them. The fruit is a five-leaved capsule, each of the 5 chambers of the fruit contains one pale yellow seed with pulp, having the consistency of a pudding and an incomparably "delicious" aroma. The smell of a ripe fruit is really peculiar, very corrosive, sweetish-putrefactive. The raw pulp of ripe durian fruits is considered a delicacy, fruits are eaten with the hands, breaking them at the seams and removing the pulp with the seed from the chamber
Its taste is reminiscent of sweet almond cream with the addition of cream cheese, onion sauce, cherry syrup and other products that are difficult to combine. Durian, if it is not overripe, smells only when cut, and the smell does not appear until half an hour after the fruit has been cut. The smell of durian is sometimes described as a mixture of rotten onions, cheese, and turpentine. Because of this, in many countries of Southeast Asia it is forbidden to bring durian into public places and transport, in many hotels of those countries where durian grows, there is even a poster with a crossed-out image of the fruit, especially we saw a lot of such posters in Singapore, there is even a fine for it is supposed to. The composition of durian includes a rich set of minerals - potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc, these are vital elements for the work of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune and other body systems. A decoction of the leaves and roots of durian is used as an antipyretic, and the pulp as an anthelmintic. It is eaten fresh, added to confectionery, as a filling in chocolates, ice cream, drinks, fried as a side dish, or mixed with rice. For the first time we decided to get acquainted with the taste of durian in Malaysia by trying ice cream with this flavor. We did not like it at all, although it was unlikely that it had anything in common with the taste of a real fruit - it contained soy milk and a dozen flavors, stabilizers, etc. We have not met anyone indifferent to this fruit - it is either dearly loved or disgusted. Previously, we avoided even talking about trying durian, but recently we nevertheless decided on this feat. Our verdict is that durian has a very rich taste with many shades, we really liked it, so we will definitely buy it in the future.

Carambola (carambola) or star fruit

There are mainly 2 types: sour, usually green and sweet - yellow. The fruits of both varieties are very juicy, and slightly herbaceous. Sour varieties have a pronounced tonic effect, we first tried them in Bali, these varieties are ideal for salads. We met sweet varieties a long time ago, while still traveling around Europe, we especially fell in love with them in the Canary Islands. Juicy pulp most of all resembles a harmonious combination of gooseberries, apples and cucumbers. The sweet varieties are delicious raw, they can also be added to fruit smoothies, or used as an edible decoration for ice cream and cakes - when sliced, the fruit makes pretty stars. Thanks to its juiciness, carambola is ideal for quenching thirst. The mineral and vitamin complex of fruits is represented by calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, beta-carotene and vitamins B1, B2, B5, and C. The aroma of carambola is greatly enhanced if it is slightly boiled in syrup until soft.

Asian lemons (lemon)

Of course, lemons are everywhere, and they can be attributed to tropical fruits with a stretch, but we decided, nevertheless, to write about them, because in appearance they are very different from the usual ones. Asian lemons are small, round, yellow-green or green, which gives them a resemblance to a lime, with which tourists often confuse them. By the way, lemon changes or transforms the taste of familiar fruits very cool. Try, for example, sprinkle papaya with lemon juice and get an unusual taste, papaya will seem even sweeter. We also often use lemons to make lemon-ginger-honey tea. Lemon contains so much vitamin C that even with a short heating lemon juice up to 100°C, the content of vitamin C almost does not decrease, which allows you to add it to tea without losing its beneficial properties (the main thing is not to boil it). Lemon juice is a prophylactic against heart attacks, strokes, and is also capable of killing several dozen viruses.

Chompu (chomfu), jambolan, yamboza or Malay apple, also called wax, rose, mountain or water apple

The fruits are oblong, bell-shaped. Although the fruit is called an apple, it looks more like a small pear 4-8 cm long. The fruit has a pink-red or dark red, sometimes red-green waxy skin, white juicy crispy flesh inside and 1 or 2 inedible brown seeds, although there are fruits and no seed. The ripened fruit has a pleasant, sweet aroma, and the fruit itself is good for quenching thirst. We first tried it in Bali - we bought it several times, and each time the tastes are different, from very sweet to tasteless watery, apparently we have not yet learned how to determine the maturity of the fruit. The ripe fruits of the wax apple are edible not only fresh, but also stewed with cloves and other spices, in cream. Unripe fruits are suitable for making jams, jams and marinades. Also, white and red wine are made from these fruits. The Malay apple contains bioactive substances that lower blood sugar levels, so it is very useful for diabetics. It is also actively used in folk medicine in many tropical countries. For example, a decoction of the bark of the tree is used for bowel disorders, a decoction of the root is used as a diuretic, and the juice from the leaves is used as a facial lotion or bathed with it. The fruit has an antimicrobial effect, is used to regulate blood pressure and in the treatment of colds.

Sirsak, guanabana, prickly annona or soursop

The fruits are heart-shaped or oval, irregular in shape, 15-20 cm long and weighing up to 3 kg. The peel is thin and tough, has small fleshy spines arranged in a mesh pattern, the color is dark green, sometimes with black patches, the ripe fruit turns slightly yellow. The pulp is juicy, fibrous, light cream, similar to custard, divided into segments, has a fragrant unique smell reminiscent of pineapple, the taste is sweet with a slight sourness, nutmeg. The fruit is eaten both fresh and used to make drinks, desserts, fruit salads and ice cream. The fruits are harvested unripe, hard, because if they are allowed to ripen on the tree, they fall and are damaged. At room temperature they mature and become soft. In Indonesia, unripe fruits are used as vegetables. We eat it fresh, we tried it for the first time in the Canary Islands, but then they did not appreciate the taste and did not buy it for a long time. And quite recently, when they wanted exotics and bought sirsak, they liked the taste. We simply cut it in half, by analogy with pitaya, and eat the pulp with spoons, but you can cut it into cubes and eat it with a fork, whichever is more convenient for you. Sirsak contains important minerals - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, as well as vitamin C and B vitamins. The fruit is good for intestinal microflora, improves liver function, normalizes stomach acidity, removes uric acid from the body, so it is recommended for people suffering from such diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis and gout. In folk medicine, the bark and leaves are used as an antispasmodic and sedative, they are used for insomnia, coughs, flu, asthenia, asthma and hypertension.

Bananas

This is definitely one of the most popular fruits on the planet. It's hard to believe when looking at a pile of identical bananas in Lenta or Auchan, but there are more than 40 different types all over the world. Most varieties, simultaneously on sale, we saw in India (about a dozen). Bananas of different colors, shapes and sizes are sold there, from very small ones with a little finger to giant ones under 30 cm and, of course, each of them has its own unique taste. In India, bananas were the number one fruit for us. Firstly, they are incredibly tasty, most of all we fell in love with yellow, finger and red ones, they are very sweet. Secondly, because of the convenience of their cleaning and safety in unsanitary conditions. Thirdly, they are very cheap - $ 0.3-0.5 for a large bundle, weighing 1.5 kg. By the way, red bananas are practically not exported, because they are very soft and tender, they are quite easy to damage during transportation. Ecuadorian bananas, which everyone is used to in Russia, cannot be compared with Asian varieties in terms of sweetness and aroma. Bananas are conditionally divided into two main groups: dessert bananas, which are consumed raw or dried, and plane trees, which require heat treatment. The pulp of dessert varieties is very sweet in taste, contains a large amount of sugars, carbohydrates and a small amount of proteins and fats, so they are often used in sports nutrition. Platanos are green or red-skinned fruits with starchy, tough, often unsweetened flesh that are fried, boiled, or steamed before consumption. Most often in the markets and in cafes they are sold as a snack - banana chips or a dessert "bananas in batter". Bananas contain more vitamin B6 than other fruits, it is this vitamin that is responsible for a good mood, and because of the high content of phosphorus, a banana is called a fruit for intelligence. In terms of weight, the banana crop ranks second in the world, ahead of grapes (third place) and behind oranges (first place). India grows the largest number of bananas in the world. Dried bananas - "banana figs", can be stored for a long time. In addition to fruits, young shoots of plants can be eaten, for example, in India, curry is prepared from them. In Bali, we tried to cook curry from young shoots on our own, but apparently we didn’t take into account something - it turned out to be very bitter in taste. By the way, you can buy bananas unripe and they will ripen at home, but you should not store them in the refrigerator, where they quickly turn black. Banana leaves serve as decorative elements in the ceremonies of Buddhist and Hindu cultures. They are also used as plates for traditional South Asian food in India and Sri Lanka. In Kerala we have often eaten from such a leaf, the Indians believe that the leaf on which dinner is served gives the food a peculiar taste. Fun fact: The world record for eating bananas is 81 bananas per hour! The world's largest collection of bananas, which includes more than 470 varieties and about 100 species, is located in Honduras.

Cocoa (cacao)

This is not about dried cocoa beans, but about the plant itself and its fruits. We first encountered him in Bali, sometimes you can find him in a fruit shop or on coffee plantations. The ripe fruit is bright yellow, large, 15-20 cm, shaped like a lemon, equipped with longitudinal grooves, inside there are many large seeds arranged in several rows and surrounded by white juicy pulp, which you can eat. We wrote more about the cultivation, drying and production of cocoa butter and cocoa powder, which are later used to make chocolate, in the article "Chocolate trees or how cocoa is grown in Bali".

Conclusion

In this article, we told you only about those fruits that we ourselves managed to get to know quite well and taste properly. There are still so many interesting fruits in Asia that we are only looking at or have tried once, but have not yet understood the taste that the fruit topic is not yet closed on this
What fruits do you like? Or maybe you have tried some interesting exotic fruit that we have not written about? Share it in the comments, we'd love to read it!

Our planet loves to surprise with its diversity. Fruit is no exception. In each country, they are grown in their own way and have an individual taste. In this article, we will look at the exotic fruits of Thailand, Vietnam, China and Malaysia and other countries.

fruits of thailand

Antillean gooseberry

The fruits of this plant are rich in vitamin C. This is the reason why it increases the acidity in the human body so much.

Guava

This fruit is a cross between an apple and a pear. It has a persistent pleasant aroma.

The skin of the guava is green, may turn yellow over time. The fruit does not have any distinct taste, so it is used for cooking along with spices and salt. Constant use of guava quickly leads to weight gain.

Coconut

Thais use coconut everywhere. With it, syrups, soups and various sweets are prepared. But, unfortunately, the taste of coconut milk is quite specific, although it perfectly quenches thirst.

You can buy coconut in any shop in Thailand. It does not go out of use throughout the year.

Jackfruit

This is one of the largest fruits (it can weigh up to 40 kg), having an oval shape. It is entirely covered with a kind of shell with spikes. Inside the fruit are yellowish segments that have a pleasant sweet taste and the same aroma.

Jackfruit is highly nutritious. Most often, it is sold already in a purified form.

durian

Thais call durian the king of fruits because its fruits are quite large and can reach several kilograms. It has an oval shape and spines that resemble a shell.

Inside the durian is a yellowish flesh. It's only good for the taste. The smell is disgusting. Because of this property, the fruit is forbidden to be brought into many public places and taken out of Thailand.

The fruit is consumed fresh or cooked.

Lychee

Lychees are small, round-shaped fruits with a red skin. The pulp in the berries has a sweet taste.

Lychees prefer to eat fresh, the fruits are very easy to peel and quickly relieve thirst. Also, the fruit is useful for people suffering from anemia.

You can enjoy this berry quite cheaply.

Longan

Longan is called dragon eyes because of the white flesh. The fruits themselves look like nuts, but grow in clusters like grapes.

Longan pulp has a sweet taste with a slight taste of honey. It is eaten fresh, dried or made into desserts.

Longkong

Grown in bunches. The fruits are surrounded by a brown shell. Behind it is the pulp, which is similar in consistency to jelly.

Thais consume this longkong fresh or cooked. Sometimes uses it to add to meat salads.

Longkong is very useful for human body, it maintains health and improves skin elasticity.

Mango

It is widely found in Thailand - many of its varieties are common here. Mango is an oval-shaped fruit that is slightly narrower. The classic varieties of this fruit have a yellowish color and a soft, smooth skin. Beneath it is a pulp that has a honey flavor.

Mango can be consumed fresh or cooked. Drinks and food are made from it.

Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a very famous fruit that is exported all over the world. Its fruits have a purple color with a burgundy hue.

Inside the fruit is white pulp. It has a sweet and delicate taste. In rare cases, bones are found. Mangosteen is eaten fresh or made into desserts. It perfectly relieves thirst.

passion fruit

This is a perishable fruit. In Thailand, different varieties of this plant are grown, so the colors of different fruits may vary.

Passion fruit contains a pulp that is similar to jelly. The fruit itself is used to prepare food and drinks. .

noina

It is a small oval fruit that is covered with green scales. If it is ripe, then its skin begins to lighten. The pulp contains many seeds.

Noina is also allowed to be consumed in an unripe form. If the fruit is ripe, then it is cut and eaten with a spoon. It improves the tone of the body.

Papaya

Papaya resembles a zucchini or an oblong pear. If the fruit is not ripe, then the skin is green, and inside there are many seeds. In this form, papaya is used to create food.

If the fruit ripens, then the skin becomes yellow, and the flesh becomes soft and sweet. It is consumed fresh, cut into slices. Papaya helps improve digestion.

Pitahaya

This fruit first appeared in Australia, but was successfully transferred to Thailand. Its fruits have large shapes and scales. Skin color is pinkish. Inside the fruit there is pink flesh with small black patches, which resembles kiwi.

Pitahaya is used to make alcoholic and regular drinks, desserts. Also consumed fresh: the fruit is peeled and cut.

Pitahaya is forbidden to carry into almost all public places, because. its juice does not wash off clothes.

pomelo

Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit. It is covered with a thick skin of greenish or yellowish color, depending on the variety.

Inside the fruit are small slices. They are not as juicy as other citrus fruits. Pomelo is a very satisfying fruit; Thais prefer to eat it fresh.

The fruit is not very popular with tourists.

Rambutan

Rambutan is a fruit that always attracts tourists. Its fruits are small. They are surrounded by a red skin, which is entirely covered with villi of considerable length.

Rambutan is very easy to clean. Inside it is a pulp with a juicy sweet taste. There is also a small bone, it can also be eaten.

Malay apple

This fruit bears little resemblance to the apples we are accustomed to. The fruit may be pinkish or red in color. It is eaten whole, because. it has no bones.

The taste of the Malay apple is very juicy and sweet, has a refreshing property. The fruit helps to get rid of toxins accumulated in the body. It is sold on the shelves of Thailand at fairly affordable prices.

Salak

Salak is a fruit that resembles appearance strawberries. It has a dense burgundy skin that looks like a snake. Salak is hard to clean. For this, a knife or other special devices are used.

The pulp of the fruit is white. It has a sugary taste, gives a little sourness. Salak is eaten fresh.

sapodilla

Sapodilla is a brown fruit that has an oval shape and is somewhat reminiscent of kiwi. Inside is a cream-colored pulp. It has a sweet taste.

Sapodilla is kept very little. A few days after the purchase, the taste qualities change dramatically, from that moment they become unsuitable for consumption. Otherwise, you can get poisoned.

Santol

Outwardly, the fruit resembles a mangosteen, but has a different skin color - brown or red. Inside contains pulp, the lobules of which are separated.

The fruit has a sweet taste. It is used for the prevention of viruses and colds, and is also actively used in cosmetology.

Tamarind

Tamarind resembles a mixture of beans and peanuts. The fruits are very easy to clean from a soft brown peel.

The pulp is sweet and slightly sour, inside there are small seeds. Tamarind is consumed fresh, sometimes it is used to make desserts and refreshing drinks.

Thai plum

Reminiscent of a plum, which is known to us. The taste remains the same, only the color of the peel differs - here it is orange.

Thai plum is eaten with the skin. The ripened berry has a large amount of vitamins and nutrients.

carambola

An unusual and interesting fruit. It has a pentagonal shape.

Carambola is a low calorie food. It helps to increase the tone of the body and has a positive effect on the central nervous system person.

Kumquat

This fruit is very reminiscent of an elongated tangerine. It is eaten along with the skin.

Kumquat has an inhalation effect on a person, it also helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

Fruits of Vietnam

Tangerine

Let's start looking at the fruits of Vietnam with tangerines. These are tangerines, in which the bones are completely absent. It differs from other citrus fruits in its lighter orange skin and strong sweet taste.

The citrus properties of tangerine are less pronounced than those of an orange. It is easier to buy fruit in Vietnam.

Grapefruit

This is a citrus fruit that comes from mixing pomelo and orange. Its weight reaches up to 500 g.

Grapefruit has a sour taste. The Vietnamese use it cooked or fresh. Cocktails and various dishes are made from it.

star apple

The locals call it that because of the specific color of the pulp. The peel is not used, it is unpleasant in taste.

The ripened fruit has a sweet tart taste. It is widely used for the preparation of desserts, fresh is used less often.

rose apple

These fruits do not have a pronounced taste. Locals use them to quickly quench their thirst.

The fruit does not have any seeds. Inside there is a yellowish pulp.

Guanabana

It really does taste like sour cream. The fruits are characterized by a large weight (about 800 g per piece).

Soursop apples are quite tart in taste. Inside there is an almost white pulp, it also contains many large seeds.

Citron

The locals gave it their name - "Buddha's hand", and it is also mentioned in the Bible. This citrus fruit is widely used in pharmacology and cooking.

Fruits of China

Vampy

The fruits of China are practically little known in European countries. Vampires are no exception. It grows in South China. Vampi has a sweet taste with a slight sour taste.

Drinks and food are made from this fruit. Its leaves are also dried and then used for diseases.

Kabosu

Another citrus representative on our list. Kabosu has a pleasant smell, it tastes like a regular lemon.

This fruit is almost never eaten fresh. In China, it is used in drinks and dishes.

Malaysian fruits

Habyu

These are oval fruits. They are smaller than apples. The color of the haby depends on the season, usually yellowish or purple. Inside there is a sweet pulp.

The cheapest of all this fruit can be purchased from May to July. Locals eat it fresh, in some cases they prepare salads and drinks.

Marang

This fruit, indeed, should be included in the list of the most exotic fruits, because it grows only on the island of Borneo and the Philippines. Reminds me of a small brush. If the fruit is ripe, it is very easy to peel. Inside it is a pulp that tastes like caramel and vanilla.

Due to the fact that the fruit is quite rare, it is difficult to buy it. There is no fixed price.

Kanistel

The pulp of this fruit has a consistency that resembles a pâté. She has a rather sweet taste. If the fruit does not have time to ripen, then it is tasteless and difficult to eat.

The fruits of the plant ripen from May to November. They are used for fresh consumption, as well as for cooking various foods.

bam-balan

This is an exotic fruit that combines the taste of sour cream and mayonnaise. Outwardly, it resembles a mango, but there is no internal similarity. Some people compare the taste of the fruit with borscht.

The fruit ripening period begins in May and ends in August. It is worth noting that bam-balan is incredibly popular with tourists because of its taste.

Baldu apple

Outwardly, this fruit resembles a peach, it is just as hairy and soft. Inside there is a pulp that stretches very well. She is yellowish.

The fruit is very sweet and nutritious. Its ripening period begins in August.

marquise

The fruit is very similar to passion fruit. Inside is a pulp in the form of a thick liquid and seeds that can be eaten. The taste of the marquise is rather sour, slightly cloying.

Tomato - nightshade

They have nothing to do with ordinary tomatoes. Inside them is a red juice, which gives off sourness when consumed.

Fruits from other countries

Aki

It is a fruit that is shaped like a pear and has an orange peel. It ripens, after which it explodes and a cream-type pulp with seeds appears.

Aki is one of the most dangerous fruit peace. If they do not have time to ripen, then their flesh contains toxins that are dangerous to human health. It is allowed to use only after special processing.

bail

This fruit has an incredibly thick and durable skin, which turns yellowish during flowering. Because of this, it becomes difficult to get to its pulp without special devices.

On the shelves most often sold is a purified version of the bail, namely the pulp of the fruit. It is yellow in color and has small hairs. It also produces tea.

Kiwano

This fruit is also called horned melon. This happens because when ripe, the fruit is covered with small yellowish spikes. The pulp, during this period, also changes its color to a brighter and more saturated one.

The fruits themselves are not peeled before consumption. They are cut.

Kiwano has flavors of melon, banana and cucumber.

Kudrania, strawberry tree

Grows in East Asia. These are small sweet berries that are similar in shape to mulberries. Their taste is often compared to persimmons.

Mabolo

Grown in Asia. These are fruits of a reddish color, having a slight roughness on the skin.

The fruit is easy to clean. Its pulp consists of a white film. The taste is sweet, somewhat similar to apple and banana. Mabolo fruits are rightfully considered exotic.

Marula

This fruit is rare in Africa. The fruit ripens, but after a few it begins to ferment. Because of this, "drunk" animals can be found.

Noni

The fruits can reach regular potatoes. At the same time, it has the same shape. The skin of the fruit is almost transparent.

Noni has a very pungent odor and a nasty taste. Tourists and locals have found in it their miraculous properties - a cure for most diseases. Some people think that noni is the most useful fruit in the world.

It blooms and bears fruit all year round.

melon pear

There are a couple more names for this plant - pepino or sweet cucumber. Grows in hot climates. The fruit has a light yellowish color.

The pulp contains bones. The taste of the fruit is very similar to cucumber and pear. These fruits can very quickly rid the body of toxins.

Kepundung

These exotic fruits grow in Asia. Locals call them Asian gooseberries. Outwardly, the fruits resemble small tangerines, have a light yellow color.

The pulp is red. It has a viscous texture and a sour taste.

pandanus

The fruits are red. Almost never consumed fresh. They are mashed or mixed with coconut milk.

Mame

Grown in Asia. Its appearance resembles an orange, but has a darker shade.

Has a tart taste.

Outcome

We looked at the most exotic fruits grown in our world. All of them deserve attention because of the abundance of flavors and colors. Be sure to pay attention to the photo with the names.

Dragon fruit (geow mangon) or pitaya - covered with bright pink scales with bright green edges. White, red or purple flesh with many small seeds is especially delicious with yogurt.

The translucent pulp of rambutan is very sweet and contains vitamins C, B1 and B2, carbohydrates, proteins, calcium, phosphorus. Canned rambutans are often stuffed with pineapple and served over ice. In Asia they say: "Eat at least one rambutan - lengthen your life."

Guava fruits at first glance can be mistaken for an unripe watermelon. This tropical fruit has a dense green skin and a pale pink content with a pleasant smell. In the distant past, the aroma of guava trees made the Spaniards think they were in heaven on earth.

The mangosteen is a small, round fruit with a thick dark purple skin and large green leaves. The mangosteen is considered one of the most exquisite fruits in the world. The aroma of mangosteen fruits combines the aromas of apricot, melon, rose, lemon and something else elusive.

Jackfruit is a fruit the size of a large melon with a huge number of seeds inside. The taste of jackfruit is somewhat reminiscent of a pear. All parts of the plant, including the peel, contain sticky latex, so you need to butcher this beauty by lubricating your hands with sunflower oil or wearing rubber gloves.

Longkong grows in clusters and is very similar to petrified grapes: each fruit has a hard rind. But it is easy to eat: press on the skin, and a small yellow ball of translucent white pulp with a delicate pleasant taste will pop out from there.

Carambola is one of the most beautiful fruits because carambola fruits are star shaped. Carambola has a pleasant floral taste, but is not sweet. Carambola is used to make salads, sauces and soft drinks. You do not need to peel the fruit, you can just cut into pieces.

Durian (thurien) is a large, green, prickly fruit that smells monstrously but has a tender and pleasant taste. You need to eat it, like drinking vodka: exhale and put the pulp in your mouth without breathing. With durian, you will not be allowed into a hotel, or on a plane, or in a restaurant.

Sapodilla is a fruit that is light brown in color and shaped like an egg. The pulp of sapodilla has a pronounced milky-caramel taste.

Salakka is not a fish. These are scaly, dark brown bulb-like fruits. They have orange flesh inside. The taste of herring is, as usual, specific.

Lychee is a small, round fruit with a hard, thin red shell that hides a sweet, juicy white flesh that is slightly tart in taste. Lychee fruits are used fresh for food, various sweet dishes are prepared from them (ice cream, jelly, creams, etc.).

Sugar apple. Under the bumpy marsh-green skin of this fruit, sweet, fragrant milky flesh is hidden. Before consumption, the rough skin of the fruit is usually opened, then the segments of the pulp are eaten, and the seeds are spit out. If the fruit is ripe enough, that is, it can be spooned. The pulp is also used to make desserts and soft drinks. Ripe fruits are soft to the touch, unripe - hard.

Rose apples taste very similar to ordinary apples, only Thai ones are somewhat sourer.

Tomarillo. Woody tomato with a touch of wild rose ripens on evergreen bushes 2-3 meters high. The fruits are usually orange, red or purple, similar in shape and size to a chicken egg. The sweet and sour taste of tomarillo - somewhere between tomato, melon and rosehip - is very good for drinks and salads. The skin must be removed before use.

Nispero. It is similar in shape to a large plum, with two or three dark seeds inside and a sweetish-sour juicy pulp. Nispero is low in calories and rich in vitamins A, B2, C, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Physalis (aka Peruvian gooseberry, (so named for the taste slightly reminiscent of gooseberries), aka earth cherry, aka strawberry tomato, Physalis, cape gooseberries) is the closest relative of the tomato and potato. This light fruit mainly grown in South and Central America, it is available almost all year round. It is nothing more than an edible version of decorative "Chinese lanterns". A winged crinoline of withered petals rises to reveal a matte golden berry underneath. Sweet and sour, with a slight bitterness and slightly reminiscent of strawberries in taste, the pulp is full of tiny grains. The main advantage of physalis is that it is a wonderful source of vitamin C.

Cherimoya. This fruit often grows in the shape of a heart, with a smooth green surface similar to a closed pinecone. If you break such a cone in half, then inside you will find a white pulp with a pear flavor and inedible black seeds. It is most convenient to eat this pulp with a spoon directly from the shell, or you can cut it into a punch of sweet white wine.

It is believed that a person needs to eat those vegetables and fruits that grow in his habitat, northern peoples do not need to feast on overseas pineapples, such an experiment will not bring benefits, but it can harm. However, few people are able, being in an exotic country, to resist the temptation to try an unusual fruit, or not to taste the forbidden fruit from the hands of someone who has just returned "from the south." Numerous types of tropical fruits excite the minds and gastronomic sensations of travelers. Going to a new country, one cannot help but try exotic fruits, the photos of which could only be seen in the picture before. Some have an incredibly alluring appearance, others repel, and even frighten with their non-standard beauty of bizarre forms.

In this article, we will look at exotic fruits, the list of which is very long. Perhaps, after looking at the description and photo, you will understand that you will never take THIS in your mouth, but you are ready to go beyond the seven seas for another exotic fruit. What is the name of the exotic fruit, the easiest way to understand it is from the photo and description. Get ready, the list is really long.

Lychee

The most famous exotic fruit from Thailand, which travelers try and bring back, is lychee. Lychee has a strange appearance, an original taste, reminiscent of a mixture of very sweet grapes and gooseberries, and, by the way, also grows in China and Indonesia. This is a small red fruit, about 4 cm in diameter, has a hard peel, which is easy to remove, only by adapting and eating a lot of pieces. The pulp is white-transparent, slightly jelly-like, very sweet, but with a slight sourness. Large bone inside. The fruit has a rich vitamin and microelement composition: pectins, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, PP. In addition, lychee is rich in proteins.

Longan

This yellow exotic fruit also comes from Thailand and resembles lychee in taste and appearance, but the name of this tropical fruit is different - longan or, as it is also called, the Dragon's Eye.

Some of the appearance of this fruit is compared with a small potato, but it is similar to it only in the size and color of the peel. The skin of the longan is also very tough, although thin. The yellow color of the longan peel hides the delicate pulp, like that of the lychee, white, translucent. This tropical fruit has a sweet taste. The texture is also jelly-like, elastic, the bone is large and hard. The fruits are rich in calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C, and sugars. The fruit also grows in China, Vietnam, Cambodia.

Pitahaya

Some of the tropical countries are brought local fruits as a souvenir, not everyone decides to immediately try the overseas miracle, but want to know what it is, because exotic fruits with names fascinate with beauty and play of colors. For example, many are interested in the question of what kind of exotic fruit it is - white with black seeds. White tender flesh, generously strewn with black small seeds in pitahaya.

The appearance of the pitahaya, otherwise, the Dragon Fruit, is also memorable: an oval fruit the size of a palm with a red or pink skin. The fruit is very juicy and soft inside, it is most convenient to eat with a spoon. The fruit is very interesting in appearance, but nothing remarkable in taste. Basically, it is added when preparing various desserts, but as an independent product, they try it rather out of curiosity. It grows in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, China, Thailand.

By the way, pitahaya is the fruit of a cactus, which can be guessed from its appearance.

Kiwano

Kiwano is an exotic fruit similar to cucumber. The transparent green flesh of the kiwano resembles the pulp of a well-known vegetable. The fruit has other names, which are translated into our language as “Horned Melon”, “African Cucumber”, “Horned Cucumber”. The peel of the fruit is yellow-orange with thorns. Before use, the fruit is not peeled, but cut like a watermelon. The fruit tastes like a cross between banana, melon, cucumber and kiwi. In Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Guatemala, Israel and the United States, kiwano is added to both desserts and main dishes. Unripe fruits are also edible.

carambola

Many have managed to fall in love with an exotic fruit of bright yellow color, which has a funny shape and edible peel - carambola. In the context of this exotic fruit, it looks like a star, it is eaten whole, along with the skin and seeds. It has a pleasant smell and juicy pulp, sweet and sour in taste. Some argue that the taste of carambola is vaguely reminiscent of an apple. Carambola fruits will decorate the festive table, cocktail or dessert. It grows in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Buddha hand

Other yellow tropical fruits that stand out in appearance, but do not amaze with taste, are citrons, or "Buddha's Hand". The shape of the fruit resembles a human hand with long fingers, it does not look very appetizing. The peel here occupies more than 70% of the entire fruit, and the pulp is bitter in taste. It is not recommended to try fresh citron, you will not get pleasure from such a snack. You can bring it home as a souvenir, and then add it instead of lemon when preparing sweet dishes. For these purposes, they are used in their homeland - in India, Japan, Vietnam, China.

pepino

Considering the most exotic fruits, consider another one of them - pepino. This yellow tropical fruit is native to South America and New Zealand, is actually a berry. True, the weight of such a berry can be more than 700 grams. We call it Melon pear or Sweet cucumber. It tastes like a good ripe melon, the peel, like the seeds, is edible, but unpleasant in taste. Grown mainly in

Mafai

Mafai, or Burmese grape, is similar in appearance and taste to longan. The pulp is yellow, translucent, jelly-like. Inside the fruit is juicy, sweet and sour, refreshing. Inside the fruit is a few cloves, like garlic. And in each slice there is a bitter bone, which is difficult to separate from the pulp. These tropical fruits can be bought in Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Cambodia.

medlar

Medlar, or Lokva, is another rather unusual "sunny" yellow-orange exotic fruit. Outwardly, the fruits resemble an apple or persimmon, but the texture of the pulp is like that of a plum. The taste is reminiscent of sweet and sour blueberries, apple, persimmon and pear combined. Such is the "multifruit". You can buy not only in overseas countries, but also here, in Russia: in the Crimea and in the Krasnodar Territory.

Guanabana

Guanabana is a green tropical fruit with a bright appearance and original taste. The appearance of this fruit is deceptive: the prickly-looking spikes on the peel are actually soft processes that do not cause unpleasant tactile sensations. The fruits are large - on average, from 3 to 14 kilograms, and it is not surprising that his bones are the size of a large bean.

Guanabana pulp is oily and fibrous, sweet and sour with unique taste reminiscent of Citro soda. An unripe fruit is absolutely tasteless, so many tourists, having bought a “green” guanabana in every sense, do not find anything good in it. Ripe fruit should be elastic and bend when pressed. If the fruit is hard, then it is not ripe. Let it lie down for a few days, and you can enjoy the original taste. You need to eat guanabana, cutting it in half, scraping out the pulp with a spoon. Can be cut into slices and eaten like watermelon or melon. You can buy this splendor in South America.

Avocado

Green tropical fruit, which for Russians has almost ceased to be exotic - avocado. Yes, in fact, the fruit is a fruit, although it tastes more like a vegetable. Oily, oily texture flesh, somewhere between an unleavened pumpkin and a nut.

The stone inside the fruit is very large, inedible, but also there. More details can be found in a separate article on our website.

Like many other unusual overseas fruits, avocados are very useful fruit, which is best to buy in Vietnam, India, Cuba.

Spanish lime

Another green exotic fruit is the Spanish lime. Its taste properties are far from the qualities of limes known to us. The Spanish lime has a sweet flesh, not bitter, but the peel is also inedible. You can try it in Ecuador, Colombia.

Ambarella

Ambarella is an oval yellow-green fruit. The skin is hard, inedible, the stone is prickly and hard, but the pulp is very juicy, soft, a bit reminiscent of a mixture of mango and pineapple. Grows in India, Indonesia,

bail

Bail is an exotic fruit that looks like a pear or an apple, and has a second name, which translates as a tree apple. The skin is dense and rustling, like a nut, the flesh is hairy, sweet or sour, irritates the throat when consumed. The peel of the bail is so tough that you can only cut the fruit in half with a hammer. For this reason, it is sold mainly already cut up. It grows in India, Pakistan, Indonesia.

bam-balan

The original taste is distinguished by a fruit called bam-balan. Tourists claim that the taste of the fruit resembles the taste of borscht seasoned with sour cream. It grows on the island of Barneo, on the Malaysian side.

pink banana

Banana is a pink exotic fruit that grows in many warm countries and practically does not differ in taste from its yellow counterpart.

mangosteen

Mangosteen - exotic fruit dark purple hue. About the size of an apple, it has a thin but inedible skin. Elastic sweet and sour pulp with virtually no pits. If the bones are found, they can be eaten. Due to its composition, mangosteen is able to reduce inflammation in the body: swelling, pain, redness.

Marula

Marula is a greenish fruit with juicy, unsweetened and tasteless flesh that can ferment. The fruits begin to ferment immediately after ripening, so finding fresh fruit is problematic. However, this does not upset either the inhabitants of Africa or the animals: both of them love to eat "alcoholic" fruit.

Guava

Guava is a pink tropical fruit on the inside and green on the outside. It grows in most tropical and subtropical countries. The original appearance, unfortunately, does not match the taste: one should not expect something magnificent from the pulp of guava. The taste resembles an ordinary unsweetened pear, but the aroma and beneficial features guavas are top notch. It is worth buying such a fruit, if only for the sake of satisfying curiosity.

passion fruit

Passion fruit is a tropical fruit known in our country rather by name, but not by taste. It is called "Passion Fruit", it is considered a natural aphrodisiac. Fruits are oval-shaped, yellow, purple, pink or red. The skin is inedible, and the flesh has a jelly-like texture. The taste is not particularly attractive, passion fruit juices and desserts have much more intense notes. To eat the fruit, you need to cut it in half and pick it off with a spoon from the skin. The most delicious fruits are ripe, they can be identified by wrinkles and dents on the peel. The fruit is native to South America.

Coconut

Coconut is one of the few exotic fruits ubiquitous in our supermarkets and grocery stores. However, overripe, tasteless fruits, as a rule, fall on our shelves. A ripe but not overripe coconut has a smooth green shell, not the "hairy" one we usually see. "Green" coconut has a jelly-like pulp and sweetish milk, which quenches thirst well. As a rule, coconuts are specially opened for tourists, tubes are inserted so that the milk can be easily drunk.

Mammaya

Mammaya is an exotic fruit similar to an apricot in appearance and taste. The second name of the fruit is known - "American apricot". The berry is large, up to 20 centimeters in diameter, the pulp is sweet, the taste and aroma is akin to apricot and mango. You can buy it in almost all tropical countries.

Rambutan

Rambutan is an exotic hedgehog-like fruit also called the "Hairy Fruit". The fruits are red, round, covered with long shoots resembling thorns. The pulp is transparent white, elastic, jelly-like. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour, and the stone is edible. The brighter the skin color, the riper the fruit. It grows in Indonesia, India, Thailand, Philippines.

sapodilla

Sapodilla is an oval-shaped fruit up to 10 cm in diameter. The fruit is also called the tree potato. The color of the peel really resembles the skin of a potato. The pulp is soft and juicy, a little knit, like a persimmon, but has a caramel flavor. The bones have a pointed shape, so when eating, you need to make sure that they do not get into the throat. It grows in countries with a tropical climate - America, Indonesia, Thailand, India.

noina

Noina, or Sugar Apple, is an exotic fruit that looks like a cone. It has not only original appearance, but also taste. The fruits are bumpy, which makes them look like cones. Very tasty, sweet, ripe fruit pulp. The taste of the unripe fruit resembles a pumpkin. The fruit grows in Thailand. Due to the uneven, tough peel, but very tender pulp, the fruit can be difficult to cut.

A pineapple

Pineapples are also tropical fruits that look like cones. Of course, most of us have tried pineapples, even if we didn't include exotic countries. But the taste of "our" pineapples, which we see every day on supermarket shelves, cannot be compared with real tropical representatives. They are very juicy, fleshy, have an incredibly rich taste. This fruit can be found in Brazil, China and the Philippines.

Aki

Aki is a yellow or red exotic fruit, slightly shaped like a pear. But the content is not like anything, just look at the photo to be convinced of this. The large black "eyes" are the bones of the fruit, which protrude along with the pulp when the fruit ripens. The ripe fruit bursts, and its pulp tastes like walnuts. The fruit grows in Brazil, Jamaica and Hawaii.

Now you can easily determine the name of exotic fruits from photos and descriptions, if you are lucky enough to visit distant countries. Before you dare to try any fruit, look at the picture and the name, so as not to be disappointed in an unripe or overripe tropical fruit.

Of course, we did not give the entire list of exotic fruits, but tried to talk about the most popular and interesting representatives of overseas juicy wonders.