Especially amazing fruits grow in Asian countries, which Europeans have not even heard of – let alone tasted. Some of them are delicious, others not so much; some are fragrant, others smell like stale socks… Let’s get acquainted with outlandish fruits from Asia!
1.Durian
Those who have tried it assure that durian smells like decaying meat, rotten onions, cat urine, rotten eggs. But the same people call it the king of fruits and say that its taste is like custard, melted ice cream, whipped cream with strawberries … The pulp is eaten raw, and the seeds are fried and eaten like nuts. Interestingly, due to the specific smell in Thailand, this fruit cannot be seen in public places: at the entrance to cafes and shops there is a sign with a crossed-out image of this fruit.
2.Lychee
These fruits are small in size – about 3.5 cm in diameter, and weight – up to 20 grams. The rind of the lychee is dense, pimply and bumpy, and the flesh is white or creamy, very tender. Its consistency resembles jelly, it smells great and has a pleasant, refreshing sweet and sour taste. In India, it is called the “fruit of love” and is considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
3.Tamarind
Outwardly, these are brown pods 15-20 cm long with seeds and brown sticky pulp. Tamarind has a wonderful taste – refreshing, tart, sour, but devoid of bitterness.
4.Guava
Light green fruit, outwardly resembling an apple, has a rough green skin and dense white flesh with many small seeds. Guava is very sweet and juicy. Asians often eat it like this: cut into slices, sprinkle with salt and spices – so the juiciness and sweetness of the fruit is revealed even more.
5.Sapodilla
The oval light brown fruit looks like a kiwi, but without the villi. Slightly crunchy brown flesh has a honey aroma and a creamy caramel, very delicate taste. Sapodilla can be stored for only 2-3 days, so you can only try it in Asia.
6.Pitahaya (“dragon fruit”)
Outwardly, this fruit resembles a bright pink cone and gives the impression of something inedible. Cutting the fruit, you can see the white pulp and small black seeds, similar to poppy seeds. They eat pitahaya like this: cool it like a watermelon, cut it and eat the pulp with a spoon. Even its flowers are used – they make a very fragrant tea.
7.Longan
This fruit resembles a round brown nut. These “nuts” grow in clusters, like grapes. Inside there is a hard bone and white translucent pulp, unusually tender and juicy, with a bright honey aroma. Longan is eaten not only fresh, but also dried, as well as in desserts.
8.Salak (“snake fruit”)
It vaguely looks like a strawberry, but has a dense burgundy peel (it looks like snake scales, for which the salak got its name). Under this peel lies a white pulp, divided into slices, which has a sweet, slightly sour taste.
9.Rambutan
It is a fruit of the same family as longan and lychee. Their fleecy peel resembles chestnuts, however, non-standard chestnut colors: orange, red, yellow. Its pulp is almost transparent, pleasant in taste, has a delicate aroma. The stone is also edible, but does not differ in special taste qualities and resembles an acorn.
10.Mangosteen
The skin of the mangosteen has a dark purple color, under which there are 6-7 slices of juicy white pulp, which has a sour-sweet refreshing taste. These tangerine-sized fruits are not only tasty, but also extremely nutritious.
