All tropical fruits. Pink fruits: names with photos, taste. Cainito, the star apple

The countries of Southeast Asia are a paradise for tropical fruit lovers. Dragon fruit, mangosteen, tomarillo, durian, snake fruit, and many other exotic names cease to amaze and become the norm here.

Surely, in Russia, in large supermarkets, there are many of these tropical fruits, only, firstly, their prices may differ by an order of magnitude, and secondly, in order for them to appear on the shelves in an attractive form, they are pretty stuffed with chemicals or sent unripe, which can not but affect the taste and useful qualities.

But in Southeast Asia, at home, many of these tropical fruits are cheap - for example, ripe and juicy mango in the season can be bought for 40 rubles, and sweet papaya for 50-60 rubles. As for the usual apples and pears, here they, on the contrary, are one of the most expensive fruits. In addition, there are almost no berries here, with the exception of strawberries, which sometimes pleases us.

We enjoy a variety of fruit flavors every day. 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 well fruit lovers live here 🙂

The same tropical fruits that we tried in, and often differ not only in flavor, but also in name and shape. The eyes in the market or in the store keep running up, it is difficult to choose a specific 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, depend on the country, seasonality, variety and ability to bargain. In general, most tropical fruits are cheaper than our usual ones in St. Petersburg, even seasonal ones.

So, we begin our acquaintance with tropical exoticism.

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

Fruits are round or pear-shaped, tapering towards the top in a wedge, covered with a scaly brown skin resembling snake skin, from which the name of the fruit comes.

The peel is thin and easily removable, it is enough to cut or tear it at the edge, and then remove it, like a shell from an egg. The pulp is white or beige in color and consists mainly of three segments. If the fruit is unripe, then because of the high content of tannin, it knots 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, Baltic herring, as one of the most common tropical fruits, quickly became familiar, we tried it again, and, one might say, fell in love 🙂

Bali has 2 varieties. One, more elongated, consists of 3 identical segments, has a pleasant refreshing sweet taste, reminiscent of pineapple and banana with a slight nutty flavor. The second, more rounded, with two large segments and the third small without pits, tastes similar to gooseberries and pineapples. Both varieties are quite interesting, we buy different ones with equal success 🙂

Baltic herring contains tannin, which removes harmful substances from the body, has astringent, hemostatic and antidiarrheal properties.

Mango ( mango)

Of the many tropical fruits, mango still remains one of our favorites - it seems that you can eat it as much as you want and never get bored 🙂 In St. Petersburg, we sometimes bought them in a store and the concept of different varieties did not exist for us - there is just mango and that's all, what was our surprise that, it turns out, there are several dozen species.

India collects about 13.5 million tons of mango fruits a year (just think about the number!) And is thus the main producer (the most famous variety is mangifera indica 'Alphonso'), China is the second most productive (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 to even ginger

Arriving in India in early November, we were very surprised not to find mango on sale - it turned out that the season begins in April. We left at the end of March, and literally in the last week the first harvest 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 mango varieties 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 gorge ourselves on 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 ceases to please us. Our favorite Harumanis is a green mango with orange, sweet, honey flesh.

Mangoes are high in vitamins and fructose and low in 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, mangoes are used to stop bleeding, to strengthen the heart muscle, and to improve brain function.

Dragon fruit or dragon fruit ( dragon fruit), he is pitaya or pitahaya

Belongs to the cactaceous family. Due to its interesting and unusual shape, as well as its 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 it by cutting it into 2 halves, scooping out the pulp with a spoon. Dragon fruit may seem bland and not very tasty to some, but if you taste it properly, then this unusual tropical fruit will certainly like it (like, for example, Mozzarella cheese, which also does not have a strong taste).

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

The fruit is round, 4-8 cm in diameter, covered with a thick (1 cm) burgundy-purple inedible rind, under which there are 5-8 segments of white, very juicy pulp, with large seeds inside each segment. We met mangosteen on - seeing them for the first time, we thought that some kind of strange persimmon here))

We were not going to buy them, but the seller at the last moment held us back, 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 fruit has a very pleasant taste, creamy sweet and slightly tart.

In hot weather, it is a great thirst-quencher.

Papaya ( papaya)

The fruits have pink-orange or golden flesh with seeds in the middle - they are removed when slicing. Sweet juicy pieces of papaya melt in your mouth. The fruit is extremely nutritious, and the most interesting thing is that papaya does not get boring at all, we have enjoyed eating it very often in India, Bali and Thailand - this is our traditional breakfast dish for the sixth month. In and in Bali, papaya is very sweet, especially we like the California variety, and 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 unripe and even with salt and chili :).

Papaya is a valuable source of beta-carotene; a third of an average fruit satisfies the daily requirement of an adult for vitamin C, and also provides the required amount of calcium and iron.

Papaya fruit is not only for appearance, but also chemically close to melon, contain glucose and fructose, organic acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals, so that papaya is sometimes called the "melon tree".

They say that when baked on a fire, papaya fruits smell like fresh bread, which gave this plant another interesting name - "breadfruit".

Green papaya has contraceptive and abortifacient properties - Asian women wanting to terminate a pregnancy ate large quantities of the unripe fruit.

Other fruits

We talk about the rest of the fruits in our book " Asian exotic. 30 must-try fruits in Asia". To get it (for free), just follow this link, enter your e-mail, and in a few minutes the link to download the book will come to your mail.

From the book you will learn about the following tropical fruits:

Jackfruit

Rambutan

Cocoa

Coconut

A pineapple

Durian

Bananas

The countries of Southeast Asia are a paradise for tropical fruit lovers. Dragon fruit, mangosteen, tomarillo, durian, snake fruit, and many other exotic names cease to amaze and become the norm here.

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 pretty stuffed with chemicals or are 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, a ripe and juicy mango can be bought in season for 5 rubles, and a large (3 kg), sweet papaya for 30 rubles. As for the usual apples and pears, here they, on the contrary, are one of the most expensive fruits. In addition, there are almost no berries here, the exception is strawberries, which sometimes please us.

We have been living in Bali for six months now and enjoy a variety of fruit flavors every day. 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 well fruit lovers live here.

The same fruits we tasted in Mexico, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia often differ not only in flavor, but also in name and shape. Eyes in the market or in the store keep running up, it is difficult to opt for a specific 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, depend on the country, seasonality, variety and ability to bargain. So, we begin our acquaintance with tropical exoticism.
Snake fruit, the Balinese call it salak

Fruits are round or pear-shaped, tapering towards the top in a wedge, covered with a scaly brown skin resembling snake skin, from which the name of the fruit comes.

Here in Bali, Baltic herring, as one of the most common fruits, quickly became familiar, we tried it again, and, one might say, fell in love.

Baltic herring 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. In contrast to the garden, its peel is prickly in small needles, no more than 1mm long, and the fruits themselves are smaller in size. They taste sweet, but they are not very pleasant to peel because of the thorns, so we fed them to the monkeys, who were not hindered by the thorns and they coped with the cleaning as quickly as they do with bananas.
Tamarillo

Tamarillo fruits are egg-shaped, about 5 cm long. The shiny peel is hard and bitter, inedible, and the flesh has a sweet-sour, tomato-currant taste, almost without aroma. The skin color can be orange-red, yellow, or violet-red.

The color of the flesh is usually golden pink, the seeds are thin and round, black, edible. The fruits resemble long-fruited tomatoes, which is why they christened it the tomato tree. Tomarillo can be cut into 2 halves and just 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 its berry-currant flavor - there are very few berries in Bali, mostly all imported (with the exception of strawberries).

Tamarillo makes an excellent sauce when you add lemon juice, ginger and honey 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 as much as you want 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 is just mango and that's all, what was our surprise that, it turns out, there are several dozen species of them.

We really liked the variety of mango varieties in Malaysia - from Thai light yellow, with beige flesh inside, to green thick-skinned, unripe in appearance, but with bright orange, sweet flesh.

Mango fruits are often used in home medicine, for example, in India, mangoes are used to stop bleeding, to strengthen the heart muscle, and to improve brain function.
Jackfruit

Everyone who sees jackfruit for the first time is very surprised, and there is something - this is the world's largest fruit growing 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 mandarin duck). The thick rind is covered with numerous cone-shaped spines. Young fruits are green, when ripe they become green-yellow or brown-yellow.

If the fruit has fallen, and not ripe, it is eaten as a vegetable, in India we have repeatedly tried jackfruit curry. But fresh was first tried in Sri Lanka at the end of April, where the season had just begun.

You can find a ripe fruit between May and September; when tapped, it emits a hollow sound (unripe fruit is deaf). Internally, the fruit is divided into large lobes that contain a sweet yellow flesh composed of juicy, slippery fibers. Each lobe contains an oblong seed 2-4 cm long; one fruit can contain up to 500 seeds

The peel and seeds of a ripe fruit have an unpleasant putrid smell, while the pulp smells nice, 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 greasing your hands with sunflower oil or wearing rubber gloves. The fruit can be stored for 1-2 months in the refrigerator. In supermarkets and markets, jackfruit is sold mainly already cut, since whole fruits, firstly, scare away with their thorns, and secondly, not everyone is ready to master such a giant.

Due to its weight, jackfruit often falls from the tree and breaks. Due to the strong smell, animals can easily find it, which carry seeds throughout the forest, which contributes to its active distribution.

Jackfruit is very nutritious and contains about 40% carbohydrates. In particular, therefore, and also because of its cheapness and general availability, jackfruit in India is called "bread for the poor" or breadfruit. The seeds are also nutritious - they contain 38% carbohydrates, they are fried and eaten like chestnuts. It tastes a little dry, but goes well with salads.
Dragon fruit or dragon fruit, aka pitaya or pitahaya

Belongs to the cactus family. Due to its interesting and unusual shape, as well as its 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 it by cutting it into 2 halves, scooping out the pulp with a spoon. To some, dragon fruit may seem bland and not very tasty, but if you taste it properly, you will definitely like the fruit (like, for example, Mozzarella cheese, which also does not have a very pronounced taste).

The fruit grows on cacti and blooms only at night. Flowers are also edible and can be brewed into tea. The fruit is low in calories, helps with stomach pains and has a beneficial effect on the quality of vision.
Rambutan

Fruits are round or oval, 3-6 cm in size, grow in clusters of 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 the most enjoyment, choose bright red fruit. Juicy white fruits are covered with a dense skin, covered with curved, hard hairs of yellow-brown color, 1-2 cm long. The flesh is gelatinous, white, very aromatic and has a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Inside, 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 production of soaps and candles. Rambutans contain carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, niacin, and vitamin C.

Fruits are eaten mostly fresh, sometimes canned with sugar. Moreover, in Malaysia, these canned fruits are sold on every corner as a snack, and they also make refreshing drinks.

We first met rambutans in their homeland - in Malaysia. From Malay, rambutan is translated as "hairy".

Fruits are very light in weight, therefore, several dozen of them can be contained in 1 kilogram. By the way, after the bananas, which we pretty much got hooked on in India (not only because of taste, but also for health reasons), this is fruit number 2, which 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 cannot do with the same papaya or mango, let alone fruit that is eaten with the skin.

You just need to tear the peel in the middle and remove the top half (the hairs are not at all prickly), then send the pulp into your mouth and stay in your hand with the other half of the peel - you don't even need to wash your hands.

In Malaysia, we got just in the rambutan season (May) and the cost per 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, though in October they already dropped 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) burgundy-purple inedible rind, under which there are 5-8 segments of white, very juicy pulp, with large seeds inside each segment. We met mangosteen in Sri Lanka - when we saw them for the first time, we thought that there was some strange persimmon here.

In hot weather, it is a great thirst-quencher.
Melody (melodi), aka pepino, melon pear or sweet cucumber

The fruits are varied, differing in size, shape, color and taste. Some have an exotic color - bright yellow, others purple, which resemble eggplant. The pulp of a ripe fruit is light yellow or completely colorless. Melody tastes like a melon-flavored mixture of pear and cucumber. It can be added to both 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 softer and more 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 your thirst. Vitamin C gives acidity to the fruit; the fruit is also rich in iron, keratin and a large amount of vitamins A, B1, B2 and PP.
Longan or dragon 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, a black bone appears, which, against the background of transparent beige pulp, resembles Longan's eye, growing in clusters on evergreen trees, the height of which can reach twenty meters. Over 200 kg of fruit are harvested from each tree over the summer.

Outwardly, the fruits look like nuts, they are 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 there is a transparent juicy pulp - sweet and very aromatic with a musky aftertaste. There is one large bone under the pulp.

Longan is quite rich in vitamins, it contains a lot of vitamins C, B1, B2 and B3, as well as micro- and macroelements such as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese and, in addition, many bioacids, useful for the skin. With this wealth, 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 tasted the fruit in Bali - once walking around the market with our Balinese friend Budi, we asked him about his favorite fruits and he, without delay, pointed to this rather inconspicuous fruit. Be a native of Java, and Longan is very popular there.

The first time we didn't really like it, the aroma was not as pronounced as expected. We decided that we just hadn't tasted 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 are pushing to buy again and again.

Longan is used in traditional Chinese 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 in case of fever, calm down with unreasonable anxiety, normalize sleep and improve memory, focus.
Kepundung or Asian gooseberry

It looks very much like Longan in appearance, but the taste is completely different. The rind is firm but easy to peel. The fruits inside are white-pink, have a viscous jelly structure, there is a bone 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 fresh. The fruit tastes 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 by Indian and Tibetan healers who use dried fruit to treat 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, aka asam, asem, sampalok

It is actually a legume, but it is sold in the fruit department, and because of its sweet taste, many people really consider it a fruit. The fruit is hidden under the shell - a brown pod-shaped bean, similar, sorry, to "poop", consisting of soft pulp and many dense seeds.

The pulp can be eaten fresh, like a fruit or sweetness 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 ripe fruits are sweeter, with a fruity taste, they are used to prepare desserts, drinks, snacks.

In Latin America, especially in Mexico, this fruit is very popular and is used in all kinds of ways. It was in Mexico that we first got acquainted with its taste - we tried the Tamarindo sweets - hard sweets with seeds, with a characteristic aroma and taste.

We didn't like the sweets, but here in Bali we bought fresh tamarind, not even suspecting that we had already tried it before - this time we liked it.

Thanks to its healing properties, pulp, leaves and bark are used in medicine. In the Philippines, the leaves are traditionally used to make 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, vitamins A and E. Protects against colds and heart disease.

Tamarind is the official Santa Clara tree in Cuba and is featured on the city's coat of arms.
Papaya

Sweet juicy pieces of papaya melt in your mouth. The fruit is extremely nutritious, and the most interesting thing is that papaya does not get boring at all, we enjoyed eating it very often in India and Sri Lanka, and in Bali it has been our traditional breakfast dish for the sixth month. In India and Bali, papaya is very sweet, especially we like the California variety, and 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 unripe and even with salt and chili.

Papaya is a valuable source of beta-carotene; a third of an average fruit satisfies the daily requirement of an adult for vitamin C, and also provides the required amount of calcium and iron.

The fruits of papaya, 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 that papaya is sometimes called "melon tree".

They say that when baked on a fire, papaya fruits smell like fresh bread, which gave this plant another interesting name - "breadfruit".

Green papaya has contraceptive and abortifacient properties - Asian women wanting to terminate a pregnancy ate large quantities of the 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, it is precisely because of the frequent consumption of papaya that the inhabitants of Asia are less susceptible to diseases of the locomotor system, even despite the tradition of wearing weights on their heads.
Coconut (cocos, coconut)

Although they are often called “coconuts,” they are not actually nuts, but drupes - stone fruits (like peaches). The weight of the coconut is 1.5-2.5 kg, its outer shell is green, brown or yellow, depending on the variety, is permeated with fibers, and the inner, hard shell is the very "shell" that many are used 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 of drops of oil secreted by the bark inside, the liquid turns into a milky emulsion, then thickens and hardens, solidifying on the walls of the shell.

In Mexico, we mostly bought already hard, sliced \u200b\u200bcoconuts. When eaten with chocolate, they are very similar to Bounty bars.

But coconut water was first tasted in India. There, young coconuts are sold on every corner, and they are very cheap ($ 0.3 versus $ 1-1.5 in Bali). They are sold not in fruit trays, but often just from a cart. Sometimes, right under the tree on the ground, there is a mountain of fresh coconuts and split bones. Sellers deftly, in 2-3 steps, cut off the top and insert a tube - the drink is ready

A young coconut contains about 2 cups of "coconut milk". After the natural container is emptied, you can ask to split it into 2 parts and use a spoon, made right there by the seller from one incision along the outer layer, to scrape the pulp - a translucent jelly slurry.

In Bali, various varieties of both young coconuts and hard coconuts are abundant, and the latter are sold already peeled from the shell, which is very convenient.

1st place in the world for the production of coconuts, and this is about 20,000 thousand tons of fruit per year, the Philippines. Indonesia and India are in 2nd and 3rd places, respectively.

Coconut is a strong aphrodisiac, it normalizes the reproductive system. Milk and coconut pulp are good for restoring strength and improving vision.

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 the function of the thyroid gland; relaxes muscles and helps with joint problems; increases immunity and resistance to various infections, reduces the adaptability of bacteria to antibiotics.

The pulp normalizes blood cholesterol levels; 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 degenerative 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, pineaple)

The largest pineapple plantations are concentrated in the Hawaiian Islands, accounting for about 30% of world production. Did you know that pineapples grow on bushes, not on a tree? 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 in different varieties and sizes. We ate the most delicious pineapples in Sri Lanka - bright, sweet and juicy, with a rich aroma, just a heavenly delight. Our friends even took such pineapples from Sri Lanka home to Russia as souvenirs.

And in India, we liked the way pineapples were peeled on the beaches. In the states of Kerala and Goa, saleswomen carry fruits for sale in large basins on their heads, including pineapples. They are turned "tail" down, dexterously peeled with a knife, and literally a minute later they are handed over like an ice cream cone.

Pineapple is low in calories, and a 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. Thanks 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, due to which the absorption of protein substances by the body improves.
Passion fruit (marakujya), aka passionflower edible, or passionflower edible, or granadilla purple

For the first time we tried this passion fruit in Bali, and I must say that from the first time it did not make a special 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. The flavors 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 passionfruit juice is appreciated 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 or guava

The fruit is usually round, oval or pear-shaped, with a pleasant musky scent. The colors of the fruits are very different - yellowish-white, bright yellow, reddish, greenish-white or even green, the skin is always very thin. The fruits are different in size - from very small to large, depending on the variety. The pulp is white, yellow, pink or bright red, filled with tough seeds. The number of seeds ranges from 112 to 535 (and some fruits do not contain seeds at all). Guava yields one main crop, up to 100 kg per tree - and 2-4 additional much smaller ones. The best mature trees yield 200-250 kg. per year.

The first time we tried guava in India, they prefer to eat it unripe, green, cut it in half and sprinkle it with pepper (we abstained from this addition). The taste is unusual, we liked it, but the stomachs did not like the unripe fruit very much. In Bali, we tried another guava, and this time we ate ripe fruit. These fruits are similar in size and color to Asian lemons, and the pale pink tender pulp tastes like strawberries.

Guava is a treasure trove of health, it is the only fruit that contains 16 vitamins, minerals, salts and trace elements. Interesting fact: Guava is 5-10 times more vitamin C than orange.

Guava fruits are widely used not only in food (jellies, 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 these fruits to their beloved, they contain aphrodisiacs - substances that strengthen "masculine strength" and enhance sexual desire.

Guava is also used as an air freshener - if the cut fruits are introduced into a smoky room, then after 10 minutes the smell of tobacco will disappear.
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 exactly yellow) with an ordinary one. In addition to the unusual color, this watermelon contains very little, compared to red, seeds - sometimes we come across completely without seeds.

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 there is it separately from yellow, it is quite fragrant and sweet

Despite the fact that it is a hybrid, yellow watermelon, like ordinary watermelon, contains many vitamins and perfectly helps to regulate the excretory system.
Sapodilla (sapodilla) aka savo, aka chiku, aka achra

A brown-green egg-shaped fruit, up to 5 cm in size. The smaller fruits look like small potatoes, and those that are larger are like kiwi. The skin is soft and easy to peel with a knife. The pulp is yellow-brown, juicy, very sweet with a caramel-date flavor, sometimes even sugary sweet if the fruit is ripe.

It is better to choose soft fruits, even if they are a little "skewered", they will definitely be sweeter. We tried this fruit for the first time in India and it immediately became our second favorite (after bananas). In India it is called "chiku", so we are more used to this name. In Bali, it is known as "savo" or "Balinese kiwi". The fruit is eaten both raw and cooked - in the form of jams and salads, it is also stewed with lime juice and ginger, put in pies and even made wine based on it.

Chiku is rich in vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, iron, potassium and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C. The beneficial properties of chiku are used by cosmetics manufacturers - the fruit has antiseptic and regenerating properties.
Durian

In the countries of 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 all over with pyramidal hard thorns-thorns and is somewhat similar to Jack Fruit, many tourists, out of inexperience, even confuse them.

The fruit is a five-leaf box, each of the 5 chambers of the fruit contains one pale yellow seed with pulp, which has the consistency of a pudding and an incomparably "delicious" aroma. The smell of a ripe fruit is really peculiar, very corrosive, sweetish-putrid. The raw pulp of ripe durian fruit is considered a delicacy, the fruit is eaten by hand, breaking them at the seams and removing the pulp with seed from the chamber

Its taste is reminiscent of sweet almond cream with the addition of cream cheese, onion gravy, cherry syrup, and other difficult foods.

Durian, if not overripe, smells only when cut, and the smell appears only half an hour after the fruit has been cut. The scent 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, even a poster with a crossed-out image of a fruit hangs, especially we saw many such posters in Singapore, there is even a fine for it is supposed to.

Durian contains 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 agent, and the pulp is used as an anthelmintic.

It is eaten fresh, added to pastries, 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 to know the taste of durian in Malaysia by trying ice cream with this taste. We absolutely didn’t like it, 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 decided to do this feat. Our verdict is that durian has a very rich taste with many shades, we liked it very much, so in the future we will certainly buy it.
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 herbal. Sour varieties have a pronounced tonic effect, we first tried them in Bali, these varieties are ideal for preparing salads.

We got acquainted with sweet varieties a long time ago, while traveling around Europe, we especially fell in love with them in the Canary Islands. The juicy pulp most of all resembles a harmonious combination of gooseberry, apple and cucumber. The sweet varieties are delicious raw, and can also be added to fruit cocktails, or used as edible decoration for ice cream and cakes - when slicing the fruit, you get cute stars.

Thanks to its juiciness, carambola is ideal for quenching thirst. The mineral and vitamin complex of the fruit is represented by calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, beta-carotene and vitamins B1, B2, B5, and C. The aroma of carambola is significantly enhanced if it is slightly boiled in syrup until soft.
Asian lemons (lemon)

Of course, lemons are everywhere, and they can hardly be attributed to tropical fruits, 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 similarity to lime, with which they are often confused by tourists.

By the way, lemon changes or transforms the taste of familiar fruits very cool. For example, try sprinkling papaya with lemon juice and you get an unusual taste, the 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-term heating of lemon juice to 100 ° C, the content of vitamin C hardly decreases, which allows it to be added to tea without losing its beneficial properties (the main thing is not to boil it).

Lemon juice is a prophylactic agent against heart attacks, strokes, and is also capable of killing dozens of viruses.
Chomphu, jambolan, yambosili or Malay apple, also called waxy, pink, mountain or water apple

Fruits are oblong, bell-shaped. Although the fruit is called an apple, outwardly 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, inside is a white juicy crunchy pulp and 1 or 2 inedible brown seeds, although there are fruits and no seed. The ripe fruit has a pleasant, sweet aroma, and the fruit itself is good for quenching thirst. For the first time we 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 ripeness of the fruit.

Ripe wax apples 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 is made from these fruits.

The Malay apple contains bioactive substances that lower blood sugar levels, so it is very beneficial for diabetics. It is also actively used in traditional medicine many tropical countries. For example, a decoction of the bark of a tree is used for intestinal disorders, the decoction of the root as a diuretic, and the juice from the leaves is used as a lotion for the face, or take a bath with it. The fruit has antimicrobial properties and is used to regulate blood pressure and treat colds.
Sirsak, guanabana, annona prickly or sour cream apple

Fruits are heart-shaped or oval, irregular, 15-20 cm long and weighing up to 3 kg. The peel is thin and tough, has small fleshy spines located in a mesh pattern, the color is dark green, sometimes with black blotches, the ripe fruit turns slightly yellow. The pulp is juicy, fibrous, light creamy, similar to custard, divided into segments, has a fragrant unique smell reminiscent of pineapple, sweet taste 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, not ripe, firm, because if they are allowed to ripen on the tree, they fall and are damaged. At room temperature, they ripen and become soft. In Indonesia, unripe fruits are used as vegetables.

We eat it fresh, tried it for the first time in the Canary Islands, but did not appreciate the taste then and did not buy it for a long time. And more recently, when they wanted exotic things and bought sirsak, I liked the taste. We just cut it in half, by analogy with pitaya and eat the pulp with spoons, but you can cut it into cubes and eat with a fork, whichever is more convenient.

Sirsak contains important minerals - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, as well as vitamin C and B vitamins.The fruit is good for the intestinal microflora, improves liver function, normalizes stomach acidity, removes uric acid from the body, therefore it is recommended for people suffering from such diseases like rheumatism, arthritis and gout. In folk medicine, bark and leaves are used as an antispasmodic and sedative; they are used for insomnia, cough, flu, asthenia, asthma and hypertension.
Bananas (banana)

This is by far one of the most popular fruits on the planet. It's hard to believe in looking at a pile of identical bananas in Lenta or Auchan, but there are more than 40 different types around the world. Most of all 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.

Bananas were our number one fruit in India. Firstly, they are incredibly tasty, most of all we fell in love with yellow, finger and red, 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, since they are very soft and tender, and it is quite easy to damage them during transportation.

Ecuadorian bananas, to which everyone is accustomed in Russia, cannot be compared with Asian varieties in their sweetness and aroma.

Bananas are conventionally divided into two main groups: dessert, which are consumed, raw or dried, and plane trees, which require heat treatment.

The flesh of dessert varieties is very sweet in taste, contains a large amount of sugars, carbohydrates and a small amount of proteins and fats, therefore they are often used in sports nutrition.

Platano is a fruit with a green or red skin, with a starchy, tough, often unsweetened pulp, fried, boiled or steamed before eating. Most often in the markets and in cafes they are sold as a snack - banana chips or 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 its high phosphorus content, banana is called a fruit for intelligence.

By weight, the banana harvest ranks second in the world, ahead of grapes (third) and behind oranges (first). 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 make curry from young shoots on our own, but apparently we did not 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 shouldn't store them in the refrigerator, there 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 eaten from such a leaf many times, the Indians believe that the leaf on which lunch is served gives food a peculiar taste.

Fun fact: The world record for eating bananas is 81 bananas per hour!

The largest collection of bananas in the world, which includes more than 470 varieties and about 100 species, is located in Honduras.
Cocoa (cacao)

We're not talking about dried cocoa beans now, but about the plant itself and its fruits. We first encountered it in Bali, sometimes it can be found in a fruit shop or on coffee plantations.

The ripe fruit is bright yellow in color, 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 enjoy. 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 how to taste them. There are still so many interesting fruits in Asia, which we are only looking at or tried once, but have not yet understood the taste, that this fruit topic has not yet been closed.

What kind of fruit do you like? Or maybe you've tried some interesting exotic fruit that we haven't written about? Share it in the comments, we'll be happy to read it!
: vespig.wordpress.com

November 17, 2009 2:06 am

Each of us has tried apples, pears, bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers .... You will not surprise anyone. But there are many more all kinds of fruits and vegetables in the world ...
Melon Kiwano (Antillean cucumber, horned melon, anguria). Kiwano, a Kiwi countryman, originally from New Zealand. Outwardly, the fruit resembles a yellow-orange cucumber with numerous horns. In fact, Kiwano is not as formidable as it seems: the thorns are soft, the crust is loose. The best way eating fruit - cut it in half and exhaust:) green pulp. Kiwano is like a cucumber and lemon at the same time - refreshing. It contains vitamins of the PP group, and there is more than enough vitamin C in it. The average fruit weight is 300 g, the average length is 12 cm. The fruits are unusually decorative and can be used to create original compositions and even as Christmas tree decorations.
Buddha's hand... These are the fruits of one of the representatives of the citrus subfamily (Rute family), popular in Asia. The contents of this fruit under the thick skin are very reminiscent of lemon. Has the largest of all citrus fruits. Their length is 20-40 cm. The diameter is 14-28 cm. Monstera... It grows in many homes. In nature, this plant produces delicious fruits. The ripe core of monstera fruit, despite the unpleasant pungent odor, is tasty and tastes like pineapple
Paw-paw... Few people know that there is a North American Paw-paw banana (prairie banana). This banana grows in the southeast of America. Outwardly, it is very similar to an ordinary banana, only slightly shorter and has a more aromatic smell. Sapodilla (Sappodilla)... Also known as sapodilla plum, woody potato, naseberry or chiku. This fruit was originally grown in South America. In the 16th century, sapodilla was brought to Thailand by the Spanish conquerors during the colonization of the Philippines. The fruit is vaguely reminiscent of kiwi in appearance - an oblong or round oval-shaped fruit with brown skin and reddish brown, sweet and juicy pulp. There are several black grains inside the fruit, they are not eaten.
Romanescu (or "coral cabbage", "crowe almog", "Romanesque broccoli") - it tastes like ordinary cauliflower, a little more tender and tasty. It looks even more amazing than in the photo. So, if you love kale, then this fantastic vegetable is sure to please. Plus, this vegetable is packed full of antioxidants. Yambu (jamboo, shompoo). This fruit is also called a pink apple, although in fact it looks more like a slightly rumpled pear, only red in color. Yambu flavor is a mixture between a green apple, pear, gooseberry and a bunch of other fruits. The pulp is bright white and almost half filled with air so that when you eat the iambu, you get the feeling that in fact the fruit does not go into the stomach, but simply disappears in the mouth. Yambus, however, have one serious drawback - they spoil very quickly and are tasty only when very cold (even better - frozen) when they are an excellent substitute for soft drinks.
Carambola... Carambola fruits are yellow, 5 to 12 cm long. In cross section, the fruit has the shape of a five-pointed star. Carambola is a crunchy, sweet and sour fruit that tastes like a cross between an apple, an orange and a grape. Some varieties have a slightly noticeable turpentine flavor. There are two types of fruit - sweet and sour. Outwardly, it is easy to distinguish them - the sour ribs are narrow, clearly separated, and the sweet ones are thick and fleshy. The peel of carambola is thin, shiny, translucent, through which a light yellow or yellowish-green (straw-golden when ripe) pulp is visible. Sweet fruits are consumed fresh, as well as candied in the form of slices and canned from them. Sour ones are used to prepare drinks. Partially the fruits are exported. The fruit is widely used to decorate a variety of dishes and fruit salads. Durian... The durian fruit resembles some kind of "alien" fruit the size of a soccer ball, covered with a tough prickly skin. The flesh inside the fruit is pale yellow in color. The smell is similar to dirty worn socks, rotting meat, or sewage (whichever you prefer). However, this fruit tastes amazing and dainty. The first European explorer to taste this fruit for the first time in the 1700s called it the "king of fruits". “It was worth going on a dangerous journey just to taste this fruit,” added the brave traveler.
Lulo... This fruit grows in Latin America: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Central America. Lulo looks like a yellow tomato, and tastes like a mixture of pineapple, strawberry and the same tomato. Lulo is consumed only raw, otherwise all the richness of vitamins remains "overboard". And lulo has something to value. The fruit contains water, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins of groups A, B, C. Lulo helps to strengthen sleep, cleanses the blood, restores hair and nails. Lulo juice is an excellent tonic drink. True, when using this fruit there are restrictions and contraindications. It is not recommended to use it for liver disease, as well as for low blood pressure and high levels of allergens in the blood.
Dragon fruit (pitaya). A very sweet and tasty fruit with white flesh covered with small edible seeds like kiwi. Many who have visited Thailand have already "tasted" the pitaya. Nowadays, this fruit is rapidly gaining popularity in the Western world. It is possible that it will soon appear on our shelves. Rambutan. The fruit of rambutan is covered with a tough skin with soft "hair" and outwardly very reminiscent of some kind of marine nasty filth. Under the peel - a white fruit vaguely resembling a plum (only white) with a hard white stone. This fruit grows in large clusters on trees, the height of which can be up to 20 meters. Rambutan is believed to be a Malaysian fruit. The name "rambutan" comes from the Malaysian word for "hair". Rambutan began to be grown centuries ago in the countries of South Asia, neighboring Malaysia, including Thailand. Cherimoya (annona scaly). This fruit is widely distributed in India, Brazil, Mexico, South and Central America, and Barbados. Sometimes this fruit is also called a sugar apple. Its skin, as well as the pulp, consists of segments, in each segment there is one grain. The pulp of a sugar apple has a delicious taste, but remember that apple grains are poisonous, so do not give in to the habit and pick out any seeds for a spicy-smelling kernel. Nucleolus poisoning of a sugar apple can lead to very sad consequences. The pulp of this fruit is eaten both raw and mixed with milk - an excellent soft drink is obtained, and it is also used to make ice cream.
Lychee... Lychees are also called "paradise grapes". This stone fruit is round or oval in shape, 3-5 cm long. The hard skin of the lychee is covered with small red thorns. The pulp is translucent white or pink, juicy sweet or sour-sweet, with a pleasant specific aroma, reminiscent of strawberries and partly pineapple. Lychee is often used for making desserts. Lychees are also added to salads, fillings for pies and puddings are made. Lychee is used medicinally as a tonic. Tamarind ("Indian date"). A tropical tree native to East Africa. Currently grown in most tropical Asian countries, Latin America and the Caribbean. Fruits - dark brown, brittle beans, inside - delicious "peas", with pulp that tastes like apple candy. Desserts are made from fruits, eaten raw, dried, added to pastes, sauces, meat dishes. Flowers are eaten raw and canned, and soups are made from the leaves. There are two varieties of tamarind - sweet, with which all of the above is done, and green - it is served with capsicum and sweet sauce.
Jackfruit... Jackfruit is about the size of a large melon. Its weight can reach 40 kg. It is grown mainly in southern Thailand. Inside, under the yellow-greenish peel, there are large yellow slices with a specific taste and strong aromatic odor. Too strong smell indicates that the jackfruit is already overripe. Jackfruit is eaten both raw and cooked. A popular dish is jackfruit, cut into strips, doused with syrup and crushed ice. Peeled jackfruit is added to sweet pasta, vegetable sauces, and unripe jackfruit is used as a vegetable - added to soups in dried or pickled form. All components of the jackfruit are edible. Blanched fruit flowers are added to hot peppers or shrimp sauce. Young leaves can be added raw to papaya salad. The rind can be candied or pickled and is also suitable as animal feed. Even in Thailand, jackfruit is mixed with other fruits. Add to ice cream or coconut milk. The seeds are prepared separately and added to many dishes.
Jaboticaba... Jaboticaba fruits resemble grapes with one seed inside, and grow on trees, sticking to the trunk or branches. As they ripen, the fruit goes through stages from a pale green color, then a red tint, and when fully ripe, they become almost black, while remaining translucent. They eat this fruit raw, as well as make jam from it, make jams and marmalades. Just remember that the skin of the jabothikaba is bitter, so they do not eat it, but squeeze the fruit between the fingers and squeeze the fragrant pulp directly into the mouth, while the skin is thrown away. Also, before processing, jabothikaba is first peeled. By the way, when preparing jabothikaba for storage, I use the skin as a dye, it gives wines, jellies and marmalade a deep red color. Longan... Longan's homeland is either the land west of Burma or the area of \u200b\u200borigin of the litchi in China. It is in these regions that they are grown on a large scale. Longan tastes like litchi and in general, these two fruits are very similar. Longan has another name - "longyan" - which means "dragon's eye" in Chinese. Longan is believed to be originally grown in southern India and the island of Sri Lanka. Longan's skin is thin and dense, but in fact it is very easy to peel off. Longan's color ranges from brown to yellowish red, and the flesh is translucent, white or pinkish. Longan has a sweet, juicy taste with a distinct musk flavor. Longan grows in clusters on evergreen trees, the height of which can reach ten to twenty meters. Goat beard... Goat beard root is very popular in Europe and the southern United States. It is spicy and tastes like oysters. It is commonly used as an additive to various dishes, from soups to stews.
Guanabana... Guanabana is one of the largest exotic fruits, its weight can reach 12 kilograms. Guanabana looks like a green melon, elongated, but furry. This exotic grows in tropical America. The taste of this fruit is not sugary-sweet, but refreshing, with a piquant sourness. It perfectly quenches thirst, the pulp just melts in the mouth, leaving a delicious aftertaste. It is highly recommended by nutritionists as regular consumption of this fruit contributes to weight loss. But guanabana will not only help fat people. It cures arthritis, gout, rheumatism, and improves liver function. A serving of guanabana is said to do a great hangover.
Mangosteen... Mangosteen is called the "queen of fruits". Mangosteen, unlike durean and some other fruits, are liked by everyone, regardless of what kind of fruit they prefer at home. If there were a competition on earth for the best fruit in the world, then no doubt mangosteen would have won by a huge margin. In shape, the mangosteen fruit resembles an orange, 4-8 cm in diameter with a thick skin that contains 7-18% tannin and is used as a tanning agent, and in medicine as an astringent. Inside the fruit there are 6-8 snow-white, rarely orange lobules with a very sweet, jelly-like aromatic pulp that melts in the mouth. The pulp contains up to 10% sugar. Each lobule contains a seed. Ripe fruits have dark purple or reddish-purple rind. Canistel (Egg Fruit). Origin - Central America. An evergreen tree with fragrant flowers. Fruits vary greatly in shape; they can be round, oval, with an elongated beak-shaped apex. The fruits are smooth and glossy, with different shades of yellow and pale orange. The canister is rich in niacin and carotene, as well as vitamin C. 100 g of the fruit contains 1.68 g of protein; 0.13 g of fat and 36.69 g of carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins, vitamin C; amino acids tryptophan, methionine and lysine. It is eaten fresh, with ice cream and fruit desserts, baked. Sweet potato flavor. This fruit can rather be called a vegetable. It is added to soups, salads, sauces. P.S. I tried some fruits while vacationing in Thailand and Indonesia. For example: mangosteen, lychee, rambutan, dragon fruit, carambola. The taste of mangosteen and rambutan impressed me the most. What fruit have you tried and who would you like to taste?

It's strange why I haven't tried this fruit in Spain. Apparently, the name confused me - nisperos... I did not know the translation, and there was no one nearby who would suggest what kind of exotic it was.

This time I bought and tried it. And I was not disappointed - tasty, juicy, refreshing. The aromatic and fleshy fruits sparked an explosion of taste sensations. In surprise, I even coughed, as the juice popped out of the fruit, like a bottle of gas. Now I will not miss the opportunity to enjoy the fruit that is open to myself. So, live a century - and you will not try everything.

Nisperos ( Nisperos) in Spanish (stress on the first syllable) or japanese medlar is an Asian fruit that has existed on earth for several millennia. The homeland of this tree is China, its subtropical regions. Medlar has taken root well in Japan and hence its name.

Until the 19th century, medlar did not grow in Spain and other Mediterranean countries. She was brought to Spain by sailors about two thousand years ago. The warm coastal regions of the Mediterranean are perfect for the delicate tree, which grows in the same place as citrus trees.

There are many varieties of medlar, each with some differences. As a rule, it has a pear-shaped fruit up to 8 cm in diameter, with a smooth skin from yellow-orange to dark orange. It has a soft yellow very juicy pulp with a sweet and sour taste, similar to the taste of a mixture of apricot, apple, plum. In appearance, the medlar is very similar to the apricot.

The fruit contains 2-4 large seeds, which can be dried, roasted, ground and brewed like a core coffee. It is better not to eat raw bones, as they contain a small amount of toxic substances. But a decoction of seeds can be used to treat the gastrointestinal tract.

In Spain, 2 varieties are most commonArgelino and Tanaka... The evergreen tree begins to bloom in the fall, and the harvest ripens from May to June. The flowers resemble the scent of almonds.

The fruit is consumed raw. It can be served with cheese or cold meat, jamon. And those with a sweet tooth can experiment by combining nisperos with bananas, ice cream, and yogurt. Due to the high content of pectin, medlar is especially suitable for making jam or jam, you can make juice, compote, sauce.

it low-calorie productcontaining a lot of carbohydrates and fiber, is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It contains carotene, vitamin C and B vitamins. And you get tired of listing the number of minerals: selenium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, zinc, calcium, sodium - and that's not all.

Therefore, this amazing fruit can be safely used for losing weight and treating the urinary tract, relieving pain in kidney stones, to normalize the intestines, to cleanse the liver and blood vessels from toxins and toxins, and to reduce sugar. Medlar helps control blood cholesterol and blood pressure.

But you should not forget that you need to observe the measure when dieting: a fasting day can only be Once a week and don't eat anymore 1 kg per day. In case of bronchial asthma and respiratory diseases, an alcoholic tincture is prepared from the pulp of the fruit together with the seeds. Grind 5 pieces of medlar, add 2 tablespoons of honey and 100 ml of alcohol or vodka. Mix everything and leave in a dark place for a week. Take 30 g after straining 3 times a day before meals. There comes a relief of cough, removal of phlegm from the lungs and an improvement in general condition. Lovers of exotic plants have learned how to grow medlar from seeds and admire it like an ornamental shrub, and even harvest a small crop in 5 years at home. There is a Spanish site for lovers of this fruit http://www.nisperosruchey.com/

Fruit imported from hot countries has long ceased to be considered exotic. The supermarket offers products from anywhere in the world. Bananas that once seemed like a miracle have become the same as apples or pears. However, there are also exotic fruits on store shelves, photos with names of which are difficult to find even on the Internet. There are some that are well known, but you can buy them only in countries with a tropical climate.

The most unusual fruits in the world

Passion fruit. This is not the rarest exotic fruit. He came to Europe from South America. Due to its unusual taste, passionfruit is used in the production of confectionery. The juice of this fruit is often used in the manufacture of cocktails, including alcoholic ones.
Baltic herring. Herring got its second name "snake fruit" because its dark brown skin resembles the skin of a reptile. The peeled fruit is similar to garlic. Its flesh has a light brown color and a sweet specific taste. Peeling herring is not easy. This requires special dexterity to avoid cutting your hands.
Atemoya. The most exotic fruits in the world often hide under an inconspicuous shell, without attracting special attention to themselves. Atemoya refers precisely to such inconspicuous fruits. The fruit tastes like a cream made from pineapple and mango.
Durian. Not everyone will dare to try it. The fact is that this fruit has such a disgusting smell that it is forbidden to bring it into public places. A person who has managed to overcome disgust may be surprised at how excellent this green, foul-smelling exotic fruit tastes.
Pitaya. The second name is "dragon fruit". It grows in many countries of the world, but Mexico is considered its homeland.
Buddha's hand. The bright yellow fruit is often used to make perfumes. In China, the Buddha's Hand is considered a talisman. It is kept in the house as a talisman.
Akebia is five-fold. Fruit of inedible lilac color is also called "climbing cucumber". Most often, the fruits can be found in China, Japan and Korea. The akebia pulp tastes like raspberries. Besides, "cucumber" has many useful properties.
Rambutan. The red exotic fruit is well protected by a dense skin with soft needles. Despite its menacing appearance, rambutan is easy to peel. Its pulp tastes like grapes and has a jelly-like texture. It is no coincidence that the fruits of rambutan are used to make jelly. The seeds of this fruit are fried and also eaten.
Pandanus. Its second name is wild pineapple. Pandanus is found in the Malaysian islands. This red, pineapple-like exotic fruit is used to make paint.
Kiwano. The fruit can be found not only in exotic countries, but also in Europe. Under a bright yellow shell with thorns, there is a light green pulp, similar to a cucumber. Kiwano has a melon scent. The fruit tastes like a mixture of kiwi, lemon and banana.

Exotic fruits of Thailand

If you dream of trying as many exotic fruits as possible, go to Thailand.

It is not always easy for foreign tourists to navigate the Thai market, since not every foreigner knows how to eat this or that fruit. Even pineapples and bananas, well known to Europeans, are important to be able to choose the right one. For example, some pineapple varieties remain green after they reach maturity. Tourists believe they are dealing with unripe fruit. The most delicious pineapples are brought from Chiang Rai. They can be recognized by their miniature size. However, it is quite difficult to find such fruits, since they are not sold everywhere. Bananas in the Thai bazaar are also presented in a large assortment: large, small, green, yellow, pitted, etc. Locals know hundreds of recipes for this fruit. Bananas are dried, fried, boiled, and seasoned with spices.

Guava is a fruit that looks like an apple. Inside are light bones and friable pulp. Tourists who decide to try the green exotic fruit will be disappointed. Guava is practically tasteless. Thais eat it with sugar or spices. In order not to experience disappointment, you should only buy fruits soaked in sugar syrup.
Jackfruit is considered one of the largest fruits in the world. They sell it peeled, since it is impossible to peel the fruit yourself without special skills. Jackfruit tastes like marshmallow. The seeds removed from the fruit are sold separately, baked or boiled.
The graceful fruits of carambola are shaped like a starfish. In Thailand, they are widely used in salads, drinks and sauces. You can determine maturity according to your taste. It should be sweet (not sugary). An unripe fruit is usually sour.
Among the most popular exotic fruits in abundant Thailand are called mangoes. In this country, you can find a huge number of varieties of the fruit well known to Europeans. Depending on the variety, the color can be from light green to bright red. The taste also varies. Mango is highly regarded as a source of vitamins. It is used in the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as diseases of the cardiovascular system. The fruit is also recommended for those who suffer from diseases of the oral cavity.
The dirty green pomelo fruit is not considered exotic on European shelves. Despite the external unattractiveness, it has a pleasant taste. You don't have to travel abroad to taste this Thai-style fruit. It is enough to mix sugar, red pepper and salt in equal proportions. Eat pomelo by dipping it into this mixture.
The pink apple is of great interest to tourists. This fruit got its name due to a misunderstanding, since the fruit has nothing to do with real apples. The shape of the fruit is similar to a bell. Their color can hardly be called pink. Rather, it is a pale red. The scent of the fruit is reminiscent of the scent of roses. The skin of the fruit is thin and easy to peel. Loose pulp, mainly used for making desserts.
The huge brown beans are actually exotic and delicious fruits of Thailand. They are tamarind. This species has a sweet and sour tart taste. Thais eat tamarind raw, as most of the fruit is edible. You can also make a refreshing drink from the fruit. Sauces are also prepared from them. But for this it is necessary to choose a special, sour variety of the fruit.

You can buy unusual fruits in Thailand not only on the market. Not every tourist wants to spend his time visiting the noisy bazaar. You can buy the coveted jackfruit or guava right on the beach. Teenagers with huge baskets stroll along the coast and buy fruits and drinks made from them. However, it should be borne in mind that everything on the beach will cost significantly more than on the market. They also sell fruits in special tents in the city. Going to mysterious Thailand, do not forget to carefully consider in a book or on the Internet the exotic fruits sold there, photos with names will be an excellent reference point in the Thai market.