Since our 10 Must-try Exotic Fruits was so well-received by you, our readers, we decided to look for some more healthy and delicious fruits that you absolutely must try if you ever have the chance, and here’s what we have on the menu for you:
Ugli is a citrus hybrid between grapefruit and tangerine that grows in Jamaica. Its weird name may be spelled wrong but it really comes from “ugly” in reference to its unappealing, wrinkled skin. But the looks of the Ugli have nothing to do with the taste, it is incredibly delicious and juicy, it takes more from the sweet tangerine and less from the sour grapefruit.
As a curiosity, you should know Ugli is the only fruit in the world that starts with the letter U.
Langsat is an egg-shaped fruit, about 5 centimeters in diameter, usually found in clusters of two to thirty fruits. The firm, translucent flesh is covered by a brown, leathery skin and has an acidic taste, resembling a grapefruit, but riper ones are quite sweet. It originated in Malaysia, but over time it has spread in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and India. It was also successfully introduced in Hawaii in the early 1900s.
8. Sugar Apple (Noi-na)
One of Thailand’s most popular fruits the Sugar Apple has a white, creamy flesh covered by a lumpy green crust that makes it look like a giant, green raspberry. The incredibly sweet pulp is eaten with a spoon after the fruit is easily broken into two halves. Sugar Apples are usually blended with coconut milk, chilled and served as a delicious, light ice-cream. This is one fruit you have to try if you’re ever in Thailand.
Guava is often referred to as a superfruit containing large quantities of vitamins A and C, Omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and high levels of dietary fibers. Guava is a very aromatic fruit, with a pungent and penetrating odor, with lots of seeds (from 112 to 535) but great taste. It’s native to Mexico and Central America but it’s cultivated extensively in Florida and Hawaii.
When picking out Guava fruits, check if they’re ripe, that’s when they taste the best. Just pick them up and pressure them with your fingers, if your fingers sink into the fruit a little, they’re ready to eat. Enjoy!
6. Salak (Snake-fruit)
Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, Salak is called Snake-fruit because of its brown, scaly skin resembling that of a serpent. It grows in clusters at the bottom of a palm tree and it has the size and appearance of a fig. The skin can be peeled after pinching the tip of the fruit, exposing three garlic-looking lobes, each containing a large seed. Salak tastes sweet and acidic at the same time and its consistency can vary from dry and crumbly to moist and crunchy.
5. Soursop (Guanabana)
Soursop is native to Mexico, Central America, the Carribean and northern South America but these days it’s also being cultivated in countries in South Asia. Guanabana has a white, creamy pulp, very difficult to eat because of the large number of inedible seeds, but if you have the patience, you can enjoy a flavor that has been compared to strawberry and pineapple mixed together.
Very rich in vitamins C, B1 and B2, Soursop is a very popular desert ingredient in Mexico and countries around Central America, usually processed into ice-creams, fruit-bars, sherbets or soft-drinks.
4. Lamut (Sapodilla)
Sapodilla originates from Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula but it was also introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization. Lamuts look like potatoes, reaching 4-8 centimeters in diameter and are incredibly tasty when ripe. Many have compared the sweet flavor of the Lamut with cotton candy or caramel. The seeds resemble black overgrown beans with a hook at one end that can get caught in the throat if swallowed. Lamut fruit only become ripe after being picked.
Santol look like overgrown apples but don’t share their flavor. They are some of the most popular fruits in the Philippines, the kids especially love them, but the fruit is native to Malaysia and former Indochina. Santol is often referred to as the “lolly fruit” due to the fact that you have to suck the flesh of the seed because it’s very strongly attached to it. It has a very sweet flavor and it is used to make delicious marmalade, very popular in markets around Europe and the US.
2. Sweet Tamarind
The Sweet Tamarind is one of the signature fruits of Thailand. It’s an ancient fruit that grows pretty much all over the country, although you can find the best ones in the Phetchabun province. It is normally eaten raw but there are some who prefer to combine it with rice and eat it as an appetizer. To eat the fruit you must first crack the pod, throw it and the strings away and only eat the pulp. The seeds are put in a pan over medium flame for about five minutes, their shell is cracked and thrown away and they can be carefully chewed.
1. Rose Apple
Common around South Asia, Rose Apple, also known as Champoo is one of the most interesting exotic fruits on the planet, just for the fact that it smells and tastes a lot like roses. Unfortunately they are rarely found in markets around the world because they spoil very quickly after being picked. The bell-shaped fruits are crisp, crunchy and have a delicious fresh flavor. It can be eaten whole but as with apples, many people prefer to leave the core.
Rose Apples are also boiled in hot water to make scented Rose Water.