White fruit. Pink fruits: names with photos, taste

Thailand has always been famous for its abundance of exotic fruits. There are so many of them that your eyes run wide and you want to try everything at once. Thanks to the tropical climate, fresh fruits in Thailand are on the table all year round. And no matter what season you visit this country, you definitely won’t be left without fruit. Each fruit in Thailand has its own characteristics and it is better to prepare in advance in order to know how to peel it, eat it, what taste it has, what dishes it can be added to and what time of year it is harvested. Let's now plunge into the world of Thai fruits and study them more closely.

(Thai name - Mangkhud)

In Thailand, the mangosteen is called the "Queen of Fruits". Season from April to September. Throughout the rainy season, the stalls are bursting with mangosteen, at this time the prices for this fruit are the lowest and amount to 25-35 baht, but out of season the cost of the fruit can be 100 baht or more.

Outwardly, the mangosteen looks like a round eggplant. Under the thick dark purple peel hides the flesh white color in the form of garlic, sometimes hard bones are found in the pulp. The taste of mangosteen is delicately sweet with a slight tart aftertaste. It is eaten fresh and is also used in desserts. Mangosteen contains a huge amount of antioxidants and vitamins. For me personally, mangosteen is the most delicious fruit 🙂

How to clean and eat mangosteen?

It has a rather thick fleshy peel, it should not be cut in half, just cut around the circumference and open. The flesh is best eaten with a fork.

Rambutan

(Thai name - Ngaw)

Season from May to September. One of the most visible on the counter and the most exotic exclusively Thai fruits.Rambutans grow throughout Southeast Asia and differ only in varieties. Thais are very fond of these fruits and in August they even celebrate a holiday dedicated to rambutan.In season, the price per kilogram is 25-35 baht.

Very often, rambutan is called a hairy fruit, as its red skin is covered with pale green bristles. Inside the fruit is a large bone. The taste is vaguely reminiscent of grapes, only sweeter. Rambutan is eaten fresh, canned, made in desserts, jams and more.

How to choose rambutan?

The brighter the fruit, the better. The hairs on the rambutan should be green, not yellow or brown, and bouncy. These fruits are fresh and tasty.

How to clean and eat rambutan?

Rambutan, like mangosteen, should not be cut in half, as there is a bone inside. It is best to cut around the circumference and open, then remove the entire peel and put the white flesh in your mouth, then spit out the bone.

Lychee

(Thai name - Linchi)

Season from April to June. At first, lychee was brought to Thailand from China, so the fruit was considered quite expensive. However, now lychee is grown in Thailand, but despite this, prices for lychee have remained higher than for other fruits. The cost of lychee in season is 55-75 baht.

Lychee is a small pink fruit, usually sold along with branches. Under the peel is a white pulp with a black bone inside. The taste of lychee is bright sweet, you can’t confuse it with anything. Lychee is eaten fresh, and various desserts, juices, jams and syrups are also prepared. The fruit quenches thirst well and refreshes.

How to choose lychee?

The color of the lychee should be bright pink or even red, the fruit is elastic, it should not sag and juice should not flow from it.

How to clean and eat lychee?

The peel is easily separated from the pulp, so you can peel the lychee with your hands, and the white pulp should be eaten, just do not forget to spit out the bone.

Longan

(Thai name - Lamyai)

Season from June to August. The fruit came to Thailand from China and its name is borrowed from the Chinese "Long yang", which means "dragon's eye". Its cost per season is approximately 50-70 baht. It is sold in bundles on twigs that are intertwined with an elastic band.

Longan is a small fruit, covered with a light brown skin, inside a translucent fruit with a stone. Longan pulp is sweet with a honey flavor. Longan is eaten fresh, desserts are prepared from it and served with ice cream. You can also find dried longan, which is very similar to raisins.

How to choose longan?

The fruit should be elastic without cracks and dents.

How to clean and eat longan?

You tear off one fruit from the branch, the peel is soft, so you can clean the longan with your hands. Translucent pulp and you need to eat, be sure to spit out the bone.

Longkong

(Thai name - Long Kong)

Season from May to November. It grows in the south of Thailand, originally from Malaysia. Grows in clusters right on tree trunks. The cost of a longkong is 50-80 baht per kilogram.

Longkong is covered with a sand-colored peel, under which there is a pulp consisting of five slices of white translucent color and a stone inside. The taste of longkong is sweet with sourness. They eat the fruit fresh, but be careful with the bone, although it is soft, it tastes bitter. Longkong is rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and vitamins B1, B2 and C.

How to choose longkong?

The peel should be a light sandy color, not dirty, the lighter the better. The fruits should sit tightly on the branch. There should be no dents or cracks.

How to clean and eat longkong?

It is quite convenient to clean the longkong with your hands. We separate the peel from the pulp and eat it. Each slice contains a small bone, it is not necessary to eat it.

durian

(Thai name Durian)

Season from May to August. Durian is called the king of all fruits because of the huge amount of vitamins and minerals. Durian is famous for its unusual taste and specific unpleasant odor. The cost of durian is on average 80-100 baht per kilogram.

Durian fruits are quite large and can reach up to 10 kilograms. Outside, the fruit is covered with a peel with large spikes. Inside, it is divided into several departments, in which the flesh is light yellow. The pulp contains large bones. The pulp has a specific taste. When I first tried durian, it seemed to me that I was eating potatoes with garlic and rotten cabbage. Personally, I didn't like the taste or smell. However, the third time the durian seems to taste better. Also, durian should not be stored in your home, as the whole room will have a smell of durian. It is not for nothing that in many hotels it is forbidden to bring durian into the room. Durian is eaten fresh and made into desserts, sweets, dried.Durian is a fairly high-calorie dish: 147 calories per 100 g. It is not recommended to combine it with alcohol, as this can cause heart problems and blood pressure. Also, it should not be eaten by pregnant women and women during lactation.

How to choose durian?

You should not focus on the color of durian, it can be either green or brown. Personally, when choosing a durian, I recommend contacting the seller himself and asking for help choosing a durian. It is also possible to buy already cut durian. In this case, look for the pulp to be fleshy, elastic, but soft. If the durian flesh is firm, then it is not ripe enough. And if the pulp has lost its elasticity and begins to spread in the package, this indicates that it has long been taken out of the durian fruit and it is no longer fresh enough. In general, ideally, it is best to eat durian immediately after cleaning, as then it will taste completely different.

How to peel and eat durian?

Durian peel is quite hard, so you need to cut it with a sharp knife. With the help of a knife, we peel the peel and take out the pulp, which can be eaten with your hands or a fork.

Papaya

(Thai name Malakor)

Papaya season all year round. Thais mostly cook from it spicy salad som tam (sliced ​​unripe papaya, dried shrimp, garlic and chili). Tourists prefer to eat fresh ripe fruits. The cost of papaya is 40-50 baht per kilogram.

Papaya looks like a zucchini. When unripe, the papaya peel is green, the flesh is light orange, and there are many small black seeds inside. This papaya has a sour taste and is used as a vegetable for cooking various dishes.

A ripe papaya has a bright orange skin and sweet flesh. In this form, papaya is used as a fruit. Eat it fresh or prepare desserts.

How to choose papaya?

A green and firm papaya will have a sour taste and is used as a vegetable. If you bought a green papaya, then you can put it in the sun and it will ripen on its own. Lovers of sweet papaya need to buy bright orange fruits.

How to peel and eat papaya?

There are many ways to clean papaya. I recommend that you first peel the papaya with a knife, then cut it in half, remove the seeds with a spoon and cut into pieces. Eat papaya with a fork.

dragon fruit

(Thai name Geow mangon)

Season all year round. Dragon fruit grows on a cactus native to Australia. Its price is on average 50-70 baht per kilogram.

Its fruits are quite large, covered with a bright pink peel with large scales of green or light green color. The flesh inside is white or pink with small black seeds. The fruit tastes sweet and sour, a bit like kiwi.

How to choose dragon fruit?

The peel should be bright pink, the scales green or light green, not yellow or brown.

How to peel and eat dragon fruit?

It can be cleaned in different ways. I usually cut off the scales first, cut the fruit into 4 parts and eat the pulp either with my hands or with a spoon.

carambola

(Thai name Ma feung)

Season from October to December.

The fruits of carambola are yellow or green in color, oblong in shape. If you cut the carambola across, the pieces will have the shape of a five-pointed star, because of this, the fruit received the second name star fruit. The taste of carambola is pleasant, floral, not very sweet. Unripe fruits have a sour taste. The fruit can be eaten fresh. And also it is used for preparation of salads, sauces, juices and as decorative elements. Carambola contains a large amount of vitamin C.

How to choose carambola?

The brighter the yellow color of carambola, the sweeter it is. It should not be soft or sluggish.

How to eat carambola?

It is not necessary to peel this fruit, it is enough to wash it thoroughly. And then you just need to cut the carambola into slices. You can eat with a fork or your hands.

Tamarind

(Thai name Makham Thad)

Season from December to March. Tamarind is a sour fruit, but the sweet variety grows in Thailand. Thais usually boil the fruits in water to make a refreshing drink. The cost of tamarind is on average 80-150 baht per kilogram.

Tamarind fruits are pod-shaped, the peel is quite hard light brown. Under the skin are dark brown flesh and hard bones. The taste of tamarind is sweet and sour and looks more like a dried fruit than a fruit. Tamarind is consumed fresh, it is used to prepare sauces, drinks, sweets and various desserts.

How to choose tamarind?

Choose larger fruits, without cracks and holes in the shell.

How to peel and eat tamarind?

Tamarind is most convenient to eat with your hands, you just need to press the shell and it will crack. Then just peel the pulp from the shell, remove the fibers near the pulp and the stone. And the remaining brown pulp should be eaten.

Jackfruit or breadfruit

(Thai name Kha nun)

Season from January to May. Jackfruit is considered the largest fruit in the world and its fruits can reach a weight of 40 kilograms. The jackfruit comes from India. Its cost is about 100 baht per kilogram.
The fruit of the jackfruit is covered with a greenish-yellow skin, under which there are segments of yellow pulp, which have a sweet taste and strong aroma, with numerous seeds inside. The ripened pulp is eaten fresh, the unripe is pre-cooked. Jackfruit is quite high-calorie and consists of 40% carbohydrates, so it is not for nothing that this fruit is called a bread fruit.

How to choose jackfruit?

I don't think it's worth buying a whole jackfruit, it's quite large, it's better to just buy the pulp in the package. Ripe jackfruit has yellow and firm flesh.

How to peel and eat jackfruit?

The whole fruit is cut in half and the yellow flesh is taken out, which is then eaten.

Guava

(Thai name Farang)

Season all year round. The homeland of guava is South America and it is still not clear how the plant got to Thailand, but despite this, guava is now one of the most popular fruits in Thailand. Thais eat unripe green guava when the flesh is still green and firm. The cost of guava is 25-50 baht per kilogram.

Guava in appearance resembles a large green apple, inside is white or pink flesh with numerous seeds. The taste of the fruit is sweet. Guava is eaten fresh with the skin on or cut into slices and eaten with sugar, salt or spices. It contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

How to choose guava?

In Thailand, only green unripe guava is mainly sold. See that the fruits are limp and without dents.

How to peel and eat guava?

Cut the guava into four parts, cut out the place with the bones and eat the pulp.

rose apple

(Thai name Chom poo)

Rose apple season all year round. The cost is 70-100 baht per kilogram.

The rose apple is shaped like a bell and smells like a rose. Covered with pink or green skin. The texture is similar to an apple, but the taste is somewhat sour. There are no bones inside.

How to choose a rose apple?

See that the fruits are not sluggish, without dents and cracks.

How to peel and eat a rose apple?

Can be eaten whole regular apple, or you can cut into slices and eat with a fork.

sapodilla

(Thai name La moot)

The sapodilla season is from September to December. The cost is 30-50 baht per kilogram.

Sapodilla is a small oval light brown fruit. Under the skin is brown flesh with a sweet caramel flavor and a few seeds. Sapodilla is eaten fresh and used for serving dishes because of the beautiful brown hue of the flesh.

How to choose sapodilla?

The darker the peel, the riper and tastier the sapodilla. The peel should be without any damage, and the fruit itself should be soft.

How to clean and eat sapodilla?

First, peel the peel, and then cut into slices and eat with a fork.

Salak

(Thai name La Kham)

Herring season all year round. The fruit is also called snake fruit because of its numerous scales that look like snake scales. The cost of herring is 60-80 baht per kilogram.

The shape of the herring is oval with slightly elongated edges. The peel of the fruit is dark brown, thin and covered with small scales. The flesh is white with a yellowish tint and is divided into several segments. The taste of salak is sweet and sour. The fruit is eaten fresh and desserts are prepared from it.

How to choose salak?

Give preference to larger fruits. Salak should not be hollow, the peel without any damage.

How to clean and eat herring?

The peel is quite easy to remove, so you can clean it with your hands, just be careful with the scales so as not to prick your fingers. The pulp can be eaten with your hands, then spit out the bone.

Mango

(Thai name Mamuang)

Mango season from March to June. Varieties of Thai mango are very different from those that are brought to Russia. Varieties that grow only in Thailand have gained wild popularity in neighboring countries and are now exported by the Thais in tones. The cost of mango is 35-70 baht per kilogram.

Mango is an oval fruit with a yellow or green skin, under which is yellow flesh and a large flat stone in the center of the fruit. The taste of mango is sweet, has a pleasant aroma. They eat fresh fruit and prepare desserts from it. Thais also use unripe mangoes, prepare various dishes, salads from it.

How to choose mango?

The skin of the mango should be smooth, without dents. The fruit should be soft to the touch.

How to peel and eat mangoes?

Cut the mango in half along the pit on both sides. The pulp can be eaten with a spoon or cut into small pieces and eaten with a fork.

Coconut

(Thai name Maphrao)

Coconut season all year round. If not for the coconut Thai cuisine would not be so tasty and varied, and was a combination of Chinese and Indian. Coconuts in Thailand are added to a large number of dishes, just like we are potatoes. The cost of one coconut is 25-35 baht.

Coconut in Thailand looks different from what we are used to, it is covered with a green, not brown, hard shell. Beneath it is a white hard pulp and coconut milk. Coconut milk tastes sweet and has many health benefits. Coconuts are eaten fresh and added to various dishes; soups are cooked in coconut milk. Coconut is also often used for cosmetics.

How to choose a coconut?

The more coconut the better. Fresh coconuts are green in color. Sometimes the top peel is cut off and then it has a white color.

How to peel and eat coconut?

You can ask the seller to open the coconut on the spot, since the coconut itself is quite hard and it is not always easy to open it yourself. They usually open its upper part along the circumference, and then drink coconut milk with a straw, and eat the pulp with a spoon.

Here is a basic list of exotic fruits in Thailand. Of course, there you can find all the familiar bananas, watermelons and pineapples. I did not describe them, because you yourself know perfectly well what they are. The only difference is that these fruits in Thailand are more juicy and sweet, and also have a large number of different varieties.

Come to Thailand and enjoy a wide variety of fruits. And if you were in the country of smiles, then write e in the comments which fruits of Thailand you liked the most.

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 lobules that have a pleasant sweet taste and the same scent.

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 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 is 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 forms 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 a 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 a strawberry in appearance. 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. She possesses 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 of a 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 frequently.

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. Their size is smaller than that of 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 included in the list of the most dangerous fruits in the world. 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 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 the size of an ordinary potato. 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.

Blooms and fruits 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.

It 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.

Tatyana Solomatina

TOP 10 exotic fruits: where are they and what do they taste like?

Hello, friends! Gathered in a southern country on vacation? Then you just need to find out what exotic fruits are. Today we will talk about tasty and healthy.

Read a brief overview: appearance and taste of fruits, ripening season, storage features. See photos and videos.

This round tropical red fruit can reach up to 5 cm in diameter. There is one seed in the middle of the berry. In its shape, texture and stone, the fruit is similar to lime-eye, but only with a more pronounced aroma and taste. The fruit is very tasty, sweet and juicy, although sometimes slightly sour. Under the peel, which is easily removed, is the pulp of a white plum.

Lychee can be found fresh only during the harvest season, which begins at the end of May and lasts until the end of July. Between the ripening seasons of the fruit, you can find it canned in jars or plastic containers. Lychee is usually preserved in its own juice or in coconut milk.

Ripe exotic fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks. If they are peeled and immediately frozen, then they will lie in the freezer for up to 3 months and retain all their useful properties.

Where to try: Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Australia, China.

It is worth noting that lychee fruits contain pectin substances, proteins, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. Consuming in enough these exotic fruits, due to their very high content of nicotinic acid (vitamin PP), usually do not suffer from atherosclerosis. Therefore, in the region where lychee grows, the level of this disease is quite low.

Rambutan - "hairy fruit"

The fruits of this exotic fruit are round, red in color, about 5 cm in diameter, covered with a peel with soft processes resembling thorns. Under the skin, white-transparent flesh is sweet in taste and sometimes sour. The stone is quite difficult to separate from the pulp, but it is also edible.

The tropical fruits of rambutan contain vitamin C, as well as a lot of carbohydrates, protein, phosphorus, calcium, iron and nicotinic acid, which is very beneficial for health. The shelf life of such fruits is small - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

The period of ripening and harvesting of these fruits is quite long, from May to October.

Where to try: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba.

Jam is made from the fruits of rambutan, jelly is made, and the pulp is also preserved.

Mangosteen can also be called garcinia or mankut

These exotic fruits are dark purple and about the size of a small apple. The rind of the fruit is very thick and inedible, and the edible white flesh looks like garlic cloves. Delicious, sweet pulp with a slight sourness has a peculiar taste unlike anything else. There are no seeds inside, although some fruits sometimes contain small soft seeds, but they can be eaten.

Sometimes there are defective mangosteen fruits, they have a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. But in appearance, such fruits cannot be distinguished from normal ones until the peel is removed.

Harvested from April to September.

Where to try: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica.

Tropical mangosteen fruits contain beneficial natural biologically active substances that help relieve inflammatory reactions such as redness, swelling, high fever, and painful weakness.

Dragon's eye - pitahaya, pitahaya

These tropical cactus fruits are so called in the Russian version, in the world this product is better known as the Dragon Fruit.

The fruits themselves are oblong and large, about the size of a palm, the color of the fruit is red or pink. The pulp inside the pitahaya, studded with small black bones, is white in color, sometimes with a reddish tint. It tastes very juicy, tender, slightly sweet, with a taste unlike anything else. The pulp can be eaten with a spoon, scooping from a fruit cut in half.

Pitaya fruits are harvested all year round.

Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Japan, USA, Australia, Israel.

These exotic cactus fruits are considered useful in the treatment of endocrine diseases, diabetes, and stomach pain.

Durian - the king of fruits

Exotic durian fruits are very large, up to 8 kg. The peel of a round fruit of dark green color resembles cone spines, such as a large hedgehog.

This tropical fruit is famous for its smell. Many have heard of it, some are familiar with its smell, and very few have tasted it. The smell is reminiscent of the smell of garlic, onions and old socks. Because of this smell, it is forbidden to bring the fruit to public places: hotel, transport, beauty salon. For example, in Thailand, signs with the image of a crossed-out fruit are hung in front of the entrance.

Although the pulp of the fruit itself is sweet and tender, which is not combined with an unpleasant odor. But not many decide to try this fruit. And in vain, because the taste is very pleasant, and durian fruits are considered in Asia valuable product with useful properties. Durian is the strongest aphrodisiac.

The harvest period starts in April and ends in August.

Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines.

It is worth noting that durian should not be combined with alcohol, because blood pressure can rise sharply and this will lead to unpleasant consequences.

Sala, other names: salak, snake fruit, rakum

The fruits are small in size, oblong or round in shape, have a red (rakum) or brown (salak) color, covered with small spines on top.

This fruit has an unusual, bright sweet and sour taste. Some say it resembles a pear, others a persimmon. Worth a try for yourself - at least once.

When peeling an exotic fruit and removing the peel, you need to be very careful, as the spines are quite dense and can dig into the skin. It's better to use a knife.

Fat ripens from April to June.

Where to try: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Carambola - "star of the tropics"

If you cut a tropical fruit in half, then you will get a star in the cut. The color is yellow with a hint of green, the size of the fruit is small, there are small seeds inside.

A distinctive feature of an exotic fruit is an edible peel (you can eat it whole) and, of course, an unusual shape. It has nice smell, and the taste does not stand out in any way - a little sweet or sometimes even sweet and sour. The fruit itself is juicy - you can quench your thirst.

Ripens all year round.

Where to try: Borneo, Thailand, Indonesia.

The fruits of carambola are not advisable to use for those who have pronounced malfunctions in the kidneys.

Longan or lam-yai

Exotic longan fruits are small, reminiscent of small potatoes, they are covered with a thin inedible peel, and inside there is one inedible bone.

The taste of longan pulp is quite peculiar, juicy and sweet, even fragrant.

Longan fruits are harvested from July to September.

Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China.

These tropical fruits are very useful because they are rich in vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and contain many bioacids. To prevent the fruit from spoiling quickly, you should choose a ripe fruit, with a dense skin, without cracks.

Longkong is another name for lonkon

Longkong fruits are also similar to longan and small potatoes, only larger in size and pale yellow in color. Inside the pulp in appearance resembles garlic.

The exotic longkong tastes sweet and sour. Its fruits contain phosphorus, calcium, carbohydrates and vitamin C. If you dry and burn the peel of the longkong, then a pleasant aromatic smell will also be useful, as it serves as a good repellent.

This tropical fruit is not stored for a long time (in the refrigerator - 4-5 days), despite the fact that the peel of a ripe fruit should be dense and without cracks.

Fruit picking takes place from April to June.

Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia.

You can find a variety of longkong - langsat, they do not differ outwardly, but the second one has a bitter aftertaste.

Jackfruit or eve - the fruit of the Indian breadfruit

The jackfruit fruit is perhaps the largest exotic fruit among those that grow on trees. Its weight can reach 35 kg. The edible pulp inside the fruit looks like several large yellow slices.

The taste of jackfruit pulp is sugary-sweet, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. The fruits of this fruit are very nutritious, they contain a lot of starch, contain about 40% carbohydrates - this is more than in bread.

Tropical fruits ripen for a long time: from January to August.

Where to try: Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore.

It is inconvenient to store such a large fruit as a whole (it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months), it is better to buy slices of pulp already cut and packed in polyethylene. It is worth knowing that some people after eating jackfruit have an allergic reaction: spasms in the throat, it becomes difficult to swallow. This usually goes away after a while, but you need to be careful.

Appetizing, right? All these tropical fruits are exotic only for us, they are familiar to the inhabitants of southern countries. For dessert, I suggest you watch an interesting video that details many of the fruits from my selection.

You may have noticed that many of the above tropical fruits grow in Thailand. I have tried almost everything. I just couldn't appreciate the taste. stinky durian. It turned out to be beyond my strength. Have you tried? Write in the comments, it is interesting to know your feelings. Better yet, send stories, testimonials and reviews about your vacation. I will definitely publish them in the “Readers' Journey” section, read the details.

Subscribe to blog updates, there is still a lot of useful information ahead. Now I say goodbye for a while, until we meet again!

Tatyana Solomatina

It is believed that a person needs to eat those vegetables and fruits that grow in his habitat, northern peoples there is no need to feast on overseas pineapples, such an experiment will not bring benefits, but it can do harm. However, few people are able, being in an exotic country, to resist the temptation to try unusual fruit or not to taste forbidden fruit from the hands of one who had 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 shapes.

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 they want to know what it is, because exotic fruits with names fascinate with their 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. Native to South America and New Zealand, this yellow tropical fruit 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. Tastes like 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 a 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 magnificence 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 like rather 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 rind 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 is an exotic fruit of a 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. Grows in most tropical and sub tropical 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 properties of guava are on top. 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 birthplace of the fruit is 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 the shelves of supermarkets, 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.

Traveling abroad, especially in warm countries, a Russian tourist comes across completely unknown, hitherto unknown fruits. I, too, often do not even believe my eyes, what wonders of nature can be found on fruit stalls. And so, in order not to bulge out in surprise next time at the sight of another amazing fruit, I decided to make a list for myself of what you can buy and try in the “foreign countries”.

But I didn’t even suspect how much I would have to print! It turns out that there are so many exotic fruits on our wonderful planet that, most likely, few people will be able to try them all in their lifetime. So now on my list 85 exotic fruits , and this is not just a photo with names, but a description and interesting information. I definitely plan to update it periodically, so if you want to know about all the fruits, check back here from time to time!

In addition to the name and common synonyms, for each fruit there is also a description of its appearance, a photograph, and, if possible, taste qualities are characterized in comparison with tastes known to most people. Since I tried as it turned out) only a small part, then I will talk about the taste of many exotic fruits based on the reviews of the lucky ones who actually ate them, and in many cases I had to look for information on the bourgeois Internet.

I immediately warn connoisseurs of botany that in the article the concepts are given at an everyday, understandable level. That is, there is no need to be indignant that in science the concept of " fruit" is absent, but there is only a general term " fetus". Here, I will refer to “fruits” as tasty treats that grow on trees, shrubs or vines, usually sweet or sweet and sour, which can be bitten several times before it is finally eaten. And we will consider small fruits as a “berry”, which can be eaten in one bite entirely or even eat a handful and do not need to be peeled.

By the way, the article contains not only tropical fruits, because a representative of temperate latitudes can easily turn out to be exotic.

For ease of navigation through our very voluminous article, use the alphabetical index:

abakashi(Abacaxi) is mainly grown in Brazil. Most readers, looking at a photo of a fruit, will say that it's just a pineapple and it has long been no longer exotic. But don't be in a hurry! Yes, "abakashi" ( a word from the language of the Indian peoples Tupi-Guarani) is one of the varieties of this prickly fruit, but it is called differently for a reason. Strictly speaking, in Portuguese abacaxi" And " ananas”- these are synonyms, but with this, the second word familiar to us, they denote the fruit familiar to us. At the same time, in the markets in Brazil and Portugal, people prefer to buy abacachi, which many consider to be a separate fruit.

Abakashi is rounder, yellower, sweeter, juicier than a regular pineapple ( translated from the words of the Portuguese and Brazilians) and its price is higher. I repeat, this information was taken from the "natives", that is, from people who know the differences not in theory, but in practice, but for some reason in some articles you will find the opposite statement that abakashi is larger than pineapple and has an elongated shape ...

Like other types of pineapples, abakashi is rich in sucrose, vitamin C, minerals ( potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine), it contains vitamins of group B and provitamin A.

With your permission, I will not add a simple, familiar pineapple to the article, we will manage with a more exotic abacus.

Avara(Awarra, Tucum, Awara, Wara, Awarra, Tucum, Tucumã-do-Pará). This palm tree is actively cultivated in the north of the South American continent in countries such as Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, Guiana. A tree of medium height (up to 15 meters) is notable for being covered with thorns ( both trunk and leaves) and the fruits grow in bunches.

The fruits are oval in shape and have a size close to normal. chicken egg, their color varies from reddish brown to orange ( this one is more typical). The pulp is quite juicy, fragrant, its taste is most often compared with an apricot, although, in fact, there is little pulp in them, since most of it is occupied by a bone.

Of course, the fruit contains both carbohydrates and proteins, but a particularly valuable component is fats, or rather oils with a high content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (for example, Avara is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9). And there is also a lot of vitamin A in Avar ( about three times more than in carrots) and B2.

Actually, as an independent product in its raw form, avara is almost never used. Residents of the region where it is actively grown, prefer to eat steamed fruits as a side dish or make a kind of paste from it, which is used as the basis for other dishes. In addition, oil is extracted from Avars ( more from the seeds than from the pulp), which, due to its composition, has found application not only as ordinary palm oil, but also as a cosmetic product.

Avocado(Avocado, American Perseus, Alligator pear). For many, not at all. exotic plant, and a very frequent guest of salads, was on this list simply because he was the first to remember the letter “A”. Avocado comes from Mexico, and nowadays it is grown in almost all countries with a suitable tropical and subtropical climate. There are more than 400 varieties that have their own characteristics, I think that even true avocado connoisseurs will not be able to try everything.

The length of the avocado is up to 20 centimeters, the peel is inedible, the flesh is dense, yellow-green or greenish, with one large bone.

A ripe avocado is slightly oily with a slight nutty flavor. Avocados are the favorite of nutritionists around the world because of their many health benefits. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, vitamin E, potassium, which is very useful for the prevention of many cardiovascular diseases and has a positive effect on skin health, and also helps to fight insomnia.

Aguaj(Aguaje, Aguaje, Ita, Buriti, Canangucho) grows in the humid tropics of South America, where it is so incredibly popular that there are fears for the plant's population. The popularity is due to the supposedly special properties of the fruit, thanks to which girls who use it regularly maintain a slender figure without any effort, in addition, it is believed that aguaj is a strong aphrodisiac.

The oval fruits are covered with reddish-brown scales, and underneath are yellow flesh and one large seed. The taste of aguaja is characterized as pleasant, reminiscent of ... carrots. In addition to fresh consumption, juices, jams, ice cream are made from it, and interesting wine is obtained from fermented fruits.

It contains many vitamins A, C, as well as phytohormones that mimic female hormones.

Azimina(Nebraska banana, Mexican banana, Asimina, banana tree, Pawpaw, Pow-Pow) comes from North America, more precisely from the territory of the southern states of the United States. But this amazing, seemingly thermophilic plant is able to withstand severe colds down to -30 Celsius! And thanks to such persistence, one of the ten species - " Azimina three-bladed"- grown by amateur gardeners in our country.

The fruits are collected in inflorescences up to 8 pieces, they have an oblong oval shape and reach up to 15 cm in length and up to 7 cm in diameter. The thin skin of the fruit, as it ripens, changes color from greenish ( unripe) to yellowish and even dark brown. The pulp is juicy, light sweet and very fragrant, often compared with custard. Up to 10 large flat bones are hidden inside. The disadvantage of pawpaws is the poor preservation of the harvested fruits, so they are most often eaten freshly picked or various jams are prepared.

Azimina is rich in amino acids and microelements, sucrose, vitamins A, C. The fruits do an excellent job of normalizing the work of the gastrointestinal tract, strengthen the immune system.

Akebia quintuple (Climbing cucumber). A very exotic plant can be found in Japan, China and Korea.

The length of the oblong fruits is about 8 centimeters, they are fleshy and painted in a purple-violet color. Outwardly, it may seem completely unattractive - an oblong fruit of a purple-lilac color with falling out pulp. But the appearance is deceiving - the taste of the pulp is similar to raspberries with a very pleasant aroma.

Aki(Ackee, Bligiya is delicious). The homeland of this tree is West Africa, it is also currently found in Central and South America, on the islands of the Caribbean.

Reddish pear-shaped fruits up to 10 centimeters in length. The pulp of a ripe fruit has a creamy color and tastes like Walnut with cheese.

Ambarella(Citera's apple, Otaheite-apple, Tahitian quince, Polynesian plum, Yellow plum, Spondias dulcis, Mombin sweet - not to be confused with Mombin purple). This tree is native to numerous islands. Pacific Ocean in Polynesia and Melanesia, from where the plant spread west to the tropical regions of America, as well as east to Australia, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, India and a little to Africa; later, ambarella began to be grown on the islands of the Caribbean and brought to the tropical countries of the Atlantic coast of America.

Ambarella fruits are oval ( they resemble a plum in shape, hence the pair of “aliases” of this fruit - the Polynesian plum or the yellow plum), not very large, from six to nine centimeters in length, grow in clusters. The skin is smooth, thin and tough; in unripe fruits it is green, in ripe fruits it thickens and becomes golden yellow, the same color and flesh.

The flesh is fibrous, juicy, crispy, sour, slightly reminiscent of an unripe pineapple in aroma and taste to some people. Be especially careful with bones! They are simply dotted with bent spines, up to 1 centimeter long, so that sometimes they penetrate the pulp of the fruit, and there are from 1 to 5 such "surprises" in each fruit.

Ambarella makes excellent jams, jellies, marmalade and juice, but it is better to eat it raw. You can also use green, then there will be more sourness. In addition to fruits, leaves are eaten - raw ( like a street food) or boiled / stewed with meat / fish, as well as in soups.

Ambarella is rich in proteins and fats, keeps the immune system in good shape, is very useful for digestive system and even promotes faster wound healing.

Araz(Arazza, Arazá, Araçá-boi, Amazonian Pear or Amazonian Pear; in Latin - Eugenia stipitata). At first, this heat-loving tree grew in the forests of the Amazon basin, later the plant began to be actively cultivated in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, as well as in Central America and the Caribbean. This fruit does not tolerate transportation very well, so you will not find it outside the regions of growth.

Fruits in diameter, they can be from 4 to 12 centimeters ( such large ones reach a weight of 750 grams). Their peel is yellow, it is thin and, depending on the variety, can be smooth or slightly velvety. The juicy fragrant yellow pulp is very sour, so arazu is rarely eaten just like that, raw, but is actively used for compotes and jelly. Inside the fruit there are several large elongated "bones".

Due to the huge amount of vitamin C, as well as the high content of microelements (potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus) and the macronutrient zinc, araza is excellent as a tonic product.

Watermelon cucumber, cucumber watermelon - (Rough melotria, Melothria scabra, Mouse watermelon, Mouse melon, Mexican sour gherkins, Sandita, Cucamelon). A very strange subject on our list ... Decide for yourself what to attribute it to - a fruit or a vegetable. The external coloring is very reminiscent of a watermelon, and inside there is an easily recognizable texture of a cucumber, while the size of the fruits growing on a vine is more reminiscent of grapes: only up to 2 - 4 centimeters in length. The homeland of this strange plant is part of America from Mexico to Panama, it is not a hybrid, but an independent plant, known even in pre-Columbian times. It is better known abroad as "Cucamelon", which, as in Russian, is formed by adding two words: cucumber and watermelon, that is, "cucumber + watermelon".

The skin of the fruit is thin, but hard enough, and the pulp is very juicy. The taste is described as more like cucumber with a slight citrus sourness, and those who have tasted "cucumber-watermelon" liked the taste. They can be eaten just like that, but more often they are added to salads, to french fries, various salty dishes, and pickled watermelon cucumbers. In addition, the creeper has edible tubers!

The composition is rich in lycopene ( antioxidant that improves heart function), beta-carotene ( Helps maintain eye health and youthful skin), minerals and vitamins K, E, C and fiber.

Atemoya. This is a hybrid of two plants of the Annon family - cherimoya and noina, and many confuse them. Like her "parents", Atemoya appeared in the tropics of South America.

The fruits are conditionally heart-shaped (up to 10 cm long and up to 9 cm wide). The pulp of the fruit melts in the mouth like cream or ice cream, and the taste is a combination of mango and pineapple. Due to the tenderness of the pulp, atemoya is best eaten with a spoon. Often there is a statement that atemoya is the most delicious of exotic fruits. It must be remembered that her seeds are poisonous!

bail(Bael, Wood apple, Wood apple, Egle marmalade, Stone apple, Quince Bengal, Stone apple, Limonia acidissima, Feronia elephantum, Feronia limonia, Hesperethusa crenulata, Elephant apple, Monkey fruit, Curd fruit). Widely cultivated in Southeast and South Asia.

Ripe brown fruit up to 20 cm in diameter. Ripe pulp - brown mushy, divided into segments by seeds. The peel of the fruit is very hard, without a hard and heavy object at hand, it will not be possible to get to the pulp (therefore, one of the names is “stone apple”). The taste is usually sweetish, astringent, but can also be sour.

Vani(lat. "Mangifera caesia", White mango, Wani, Belunu, Binjai, Yaa-lam, White mango, Bayuno, Mangga wani, sometimes the name Jack is found, that is, Jack, but not to be confused with Jackfruit!) is actively cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei ( these three states divide between themselves the island of Borneo, which is considered the birthplace of Vani), Singapore, Papua New Guinea and the Philippine Islands.

The name, of course, is misleading, because this fruit has only a distant relation to all the familiar mangoes, since they both belong to the same Anakrdiev (Sumach) family, but ordinary mango belongs to the genus Mango of the same name, and Vani belongs to genus "Anacardium" and is a type of cashew! So "White Mango" is just a trick, it's better to use some of the local names, the most common is the Indonesian version of "Vani" ( accent on "and") and the Malay "Binjai".

It is important that the fruits are ripe for consumption, as the juice of unripe fruits can cause skin irritation and serious consequences if ingested. Unripe fruits are green in color and firm to the touch. When ripe, white mango fruits are quite large, they are oval in shape and reach a length of 15 centimeters, and a diameter of 8 cm. The peel is very thin, dark with even darker spots, it is difficult to peel. The flesh is white, juicy, very tender and fibrous in texture, and inside there is one large bone. Ripe fruits are very fragrant, and everyone who has tried it is delighted with the sweet taste of the pulp. The most interesting comparison is with the taste of ice cream ( it's not the same for everybody…).

In addition to being eaten raw, Vani is also consumed by dipping in chili and soy sauce... The local population also makes the base for spicy sambal sauce out of it.

From the sweet taste of this fruit, it is clear that it is rich in various sugars, but in addition, it contains many vitamins (A, B, D, E and especially a lot of C), essential amino acids, of course, micro and macro elements.

Guava(Psidium, Guayava, Guayaba). Native to South America approximately from the territory of modern Peru), today, in addition to the tropics of America, it is cultivated in Asia, Israel and Africa.

A fully edible fruit can be round, oblong, and pear-shaped. Diameter up to 15 centimeters. The taste of guava does not coincide with the expectation of something exotic - completely inexpressive slightly sweet, while the aroma is pleasant and strong. In countries where guava grows, they often like to use it slightly unripe, as if this helps to cool the body on a hot day. You can also often see how such an unripe guava is eaten, dipped in a mixture of salt and pepper, they say it is very tonic.

In addition to the usual, there are also such varieties: red-fruited (" strawberry guava"") and yellow (" lemon guava"). Red-fruited pulp is juicy, translucent, has a pronounced strawberry flavor. Yellow fruits and inside the same color, have lemon flavor. The name guava is often found, which is one of the most common varieties of guava in cultivation.

Guanabana(Guanabana, Annana muricata, soursop, Annona prickly, Graviola, Soursop). A relative of noina, cherimoya, cream apple, so it is easy to confuse them the first time, and just like them, Guanabana comes from Latin America, but is now grown in so many countries with a suitable climate.

A ripe, round, irregular heart-shaped fruit can reach 12 kilograms. The bones are large, there are many of them. The fruit looks thorny, but in fact it will not be able to prick you, since the thorns are more fleshy than hard. Ripe pulp is fibrous-creamy white in color with a taste unlike anything else. The aroma may slightly resemble pineapple.

Dacryodes(Safou, Sappho, African pear). This evergreen tree can mainly be found in the north of Nigeria and in the south of Angola, in the Asian region it is cultivated so far only in Malaysia.

Oblong fruits of blue and purple hues ( similar to eggplant). The pale green pulp is very fatty - up to 48% fat, contains a large number of various useful and necessary substances for the body. Those who have tried this fruit say that it has a pleasant delicate taste.

The fruits, which range in color from dark blue to purple, are also known as African pears and are oblong in shape with pale green flesh inside. These fatty fruits have been claimed to end hunger in Africa as 48 percent of the fruit is made up of essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and triglycerides. It is estimated that from one hectare planted with Safu trees, 7-8 tons of oil can be obtained, while all parts of the plant can be used.

Jaboticaba (Jabuticaba, Brazilian grape tree). By the name it is clear that this plant comes from South America, but sometimes you can find it in Southeast Asia, if not on the shelves, then at least in the botanical gardens ( I definitely saw it in Singaporean). The tree grows slowly, so there are difficulties with its cultivation.

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 skin ( inedible) is a soft jelly-like and very tasty pulp, somewhat similar to grapes, with several seeds.

Jackfruit(Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian Breadfruit). A relative of the Polynesian breadfruit tree and the Malaysian chempedak.

These are the largest fruits growing on trees. The official jackfruit record is a fruit with a girth of 1 meter 120 centimeters and a weight of approximately 34 kg.

The peel of the jackfruit smells unpleasant, but under it are several slices of very tasty sweet yellow pulp. It is difficult to describe the taste - a certain combination of banana, melon, marshmallow.

durian(Durian). Even if you have never seen this fruit, you have certainly heard it more than once. He became famous all over the world thanks to his amazingly disgusting smell.

But in the world, especially in Southeast Asia, there are a lot of connoisseurs of durian, they even called it the “King of Fruits”. Everyone who has tried durian pulp claims that it is unusually tasty. I believe in my word, but I personally can’t overcome myself and eat at least a small piece.

Yellow watermelon. A hybrid of wild watermelon, the flesh of which has a natural yellow color, and the watermelon familiar to us with red flesh. This was necessary, since it is impossible to eat wild watermelon, and as a result of its crossing, a watermelon that is quite pleasant in taste, similar to the usual one, but with yellow flesh, was obtained. Although the sweetness of yellow watermelon is much inferior to red watermelon and the taste is not so pronounced.

figs(Fig, Fig tree, Fig, Wine berry, Smyrna berry, Ficus carica). I think you have met him more than once on the fruit stalls of your city, and if you haven’t tried it yet, be sure to do it. The skin color of figs can vary from yellow-green to purple. Red flesh with small seeds, juicy and sweet. The undoubted advantage of figs is that nutritionists classify it as one of the products with which you can get rid of excess weight!

Kaimito(Abiu) - do not confuse with another Kaimito ( Chrysophyllum or Star apple). Originally from the upper reaches of the Amazon River, it is cultivated in Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Trinidad.

The fruits are round or oval with a smooth bright yellow skin. White translucent creamy flesh is very sweet. The aroma is vaguely reminiscent of caramel with cream. It is recommended that you wet your lips before eating fresh Kaimito, otherwise they may stick together due to the latex in the pulp.

Kaimito fruits contain a lot of phosphorus, calcium, iron, amino acids, vitamins A, C, PP and various useful organic substances.

Kanistel(Canistel, Tiesa, Egg fruit, Yellow sapote). The region of origin is southern Mexico and Central America, in addition, it is also grown in the Antilles and the Bahamas, and can often be found in Southeast Asia.

The fruits can be up to 7.5 cm wide and up to 12.5 long, their shape is very diverse, there are spherical, oval, ovoid, twisted. The color of the peel of ripe fruits is yellowish-orange. The pulp is mealy, yellow with 1-4 large seeds. It's funny that the flavor of the pulp is similar to fried pies, but the taste is very sweet due to the high content of sugars.

Kanistel is rich in delicate fiber, nicotinic acid, carotene, amino acids, calcium, phosphorus.

carambola(Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Phuak, Carambola, Star-fruit). "Tropical star" or "Star of the tropics" this fruit is called simply because in the context it looks like a star. The fruit is edible as a whole, and if the taste of its juicy pulp does not seem bright enough to you, then the aroma is unlikely to leave you indifferent.

Kasturi(Kasturi, Kalimantan Mango, Mangga Cuban, Pelipisa, Mangifera casturi). Endemic plant of the island of Borneo ( kalimantan).

Without going into biological details, we can say that this is a wild mango. However, the orange fibrous flesh of kasturi has a more pronounced taste and milder flavor compared to ordinary mangoes, although not as sweet as mangoes.

Kiwano(Kiwano Melon, Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antilles Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria). Native to Africa, and most widely grown in Central America, New Zealand, Israel.

This is a vine with oblong fruits that are yellow, orange or red. The flesh is green, it really looks like a cucumber. The taste is described as a mixture of cucumber, banana and melon. The dense peel is not peeled off, the fruit is simply cut into slices and eaten like a melon or watermelon.

Kiwano is rich in vitamins (A, groups B and C), macronutrients (sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium), it also contains many trace elements (iron, copper, zinc and manganese).

cocoon(Nightshade nightshade) grows in South America in mountainous regions.

Oval or spherical fruits (up to 4 cm long and up to 6 cm wide) resemble tomatoes, have three fruit color options; yellow, orange and red. The pulp is jelly-like yellow in color with many small seeds. Some say it tastes like lemon and tomato, while others say it tastes like cherry.

Cocoon fruits are rich in B vitamins, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and citric acid.

Coconut I don’t even know if it’s worth mentioning it here, because even though it is an exotic plant for the inhabitants of Russia, even children know what it is. In regions of growth ( all over the tropics) Coconuts are consumed in their entirety, from eating the pulp and juice, to making crafts from the shell using the rind as fuel. Down south, coconuts are sold green on the outside, but inside they have soft translucent flesh and delicious coconut water ( or "milk"). In our stores, they are already in a different stage of ripening - with a fibrous peel on the outside and a thick layer of pulp inside with a little liquid.

Coconut Marine (Coco de mer, Double walnut, Seychelles walnut) grows exclusively in the Seychelles, and only on two.

In shape, it is very different from an ordinary coconut and most of all looks like ... a woman's buttocks. The fruits are very large, on average about 18 kilograms, specimens over 25 kg are often found. And even 40 kg.! Each harvested coconut is numbered and a certificate is issued upon purchase. In terms of taste, it is clearly inferior to ordinary coconuts, but if possible, you should definitely try it.

candy tree (Hovénia dúlcis, Sweet Govenia, is known abroad as the Japanese raisin tree or oriental raisin tree, that is, the Japanese raisin tree or Oriental raisin tree). Historically grown in Japan, East China, Korea and up to 2000 meters in the Himalayas. Due to its beautiful spreading crown, it was brought to some countries as an ornamental plant, as a result, for example, in Brazil, it is considered one of the most common "invaders" of subtropical forests.

The fruits of the candy tree are small, like large peas, and the plant is not valued at all by them, but by what the fruits are held on. The fleshy stalk, although it looks very strange, is actually very fragrant and sweet, it is suitable for eating raw. But more often the stalks of the candy tree are dried, then they become like raisins - both in taste and in appearance ( hence the western name "Japanese raisin tree"). The extract from seeds, twigs and young leaves is used as a substitute for honey, goes to the production of local wine and for sweets.

Of the useful substances worth noting high content potassium, antioxidants, vitamins, protein and saccharides ( sucrose, fructose, glucose). In China, candy tree extract has been used for hundreds of years to combat hangover symptoms. And so, scientists from the University of California at Los Angeles isolated the active substance from this extract, which they called dihydromyricetin (DHM). It allows you to sober up very quickly and even reduces cravings for alcohol! Already now there are preparations. The main component of which is dihydromyricetin, in fact, this is the way to create a “sobriety pill”, which not only relieves the symptoms of intoxication, but also helps to overcome alcohol addiction. This is such a wonderful candy tree!

cream apple (Annona reticulata, Buddha's head, Bull's heart, Cream apple) confusion can arise here, since the name "cream apple" is often applied to the related plant "cherimoya". Originally from areas of Central America and the Antilles group, now it can often be found in Southeast Asia.

Fruits (from 8 to 16 cm) are similar in shape to the heart ( hence one of the names), the outside may be yellow or brown with a reddish tinge. Inside is a sweet white, almost creamy pulp that melts in your mouth and inedible seeds. There is no consensus on what the smell is like, but it is certainly pleasant.

Kumquat(Kumquat, Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges). The homeland of the kumquat is China, but at present it is grown everywhere where the climate is suitable for other citrus fruits.

This representative of citrus fruits has long been a rarity on the shelves of supermarkets, however, many still have not dared to try it, but in vain. Small oblong fruits (up to four centimeters long and up to two and a half wide) look like small oranges, but their taste is still different. The main feature of kumkavat is that it is eaten directly with the peel, it is very thin; only the bones are inedible.

Lychee(Litchi, Chinese plum, Litchi). Originally from southern China, it is now actively grown in many countries with a subtropical climate. One of the most popular fruits in Southeast Asia.

The fruits are round (up to 4 cm in diameter) with a reddish tuberous skin, with sweet, juicy jelly-like pulp and one seed. Many confuse it with Longan, they are really similar both in shape and in the consistency of the pulp, and in taste, but in lychee it is more pronounced.

Contains a lot of carbohydrates, pectins, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, a very high content of vitamin PP.

Longan(Lam-yai, Longyan, Dragon's Eye but also sometimes called a completely different fruit "pitahaya") a close relative of the above-described lychee, also comes from China, and is currently cultivated throughout Southeast Asia.

Round small fruits with a brownish peel inside have a juicy sweet translucent pulp and one inedible bone. The pulp is very fragrant and, in addition to sweetness, has a peculiar, recognizable shade.

Longkong(Langsat, Lonkon, Dooku, Lonngkong, Langsat) originally from Malaysia, and now grown in most countries of Southeast Asia, India, Hawaii.

Round fruits (up to 5 cm in diameter) are covered with a brownish peel and in appearance they can be confused with Longan, but inside Longkong has not a whole, but segmented pulp, resembling garlic in shape. But the taste, of course, is not at all garlic, but a pleasant sweet and sour. A variety called Langsat can have a slightly bitter taste.

Lukuma(Pouteria lucuma) is originally from South America, where it is currently grown and also in Mexico and Hawaii.

Oval fruits (up to 10 cm in length) are covered with a thin brownish-green skin with a reddish tint, and the yellow flesh is sweet and has up to 5 seeds. Lukuma belongs to the Sapotov family, among which there are many very tasty and unusual fruits, which you will also learn about from our article ( for example, until recently, I myself did not know that one of my favorite fruits "Sapodilla, it turns out, is also sapot).

Lulo(Naranjilla or Naranjilla, Kito nightshade, lat. Solanum quitoense) comes from the foothills of the Andes, that is, from South America, it is currently cultivated there, as well as in Central America and the Antilles.

Yellow-orange round fruits (up to 6 cm in diameter) most of all resemble tomatoes, but are covered with white hairs. The taste of the pulp is sweet and sour, very interesting, they say that it looks like a mixture of pineapple, strawberries and passion fruit. They are eaten both raw and in the form of juices and desserts. A very useful fruit - tones, cleanses the blood, even helps restore hair and nails.

magic fruit (Wonderful Berries, Sweetish Puteria, Miracle fruit) This member of the vast Sapotaceae family grows in West Africa.

Small red oblong fruits (up to 3 cm long) do not have an unusual taste in themselves, but nevertheless, they are very unusual. The protein contained in the magical fruit turns off the taste buds that perceive bitter and sour taste, and after eating it, absolutely everything that you eat within an hour will seem sweet to you.

Of course, the magic fruit is not considered as an independent dish, but it is great for gastronomic experiments so that you can surprise a person with the unusual taste of the most ordinary dishes.

Mammea americana (American apricot, Antillean apricot, Mammea americana) originated from countries in the American tropics and is now cultivated throughout the world in areas with suitable climates.

Round fruits (up to 20 cm in diameter) with orange pulp and one seed taste like an apricot, hence the second name.

Mame(Mamey-sapote, Mamey, Mamey-sapote, Marmalade fruit, Puteria, Pouteria sapota). A native of the southern regions of Mexico, it is also grown in the tropical zone of the Americas and Southeast Asia.

The fruits can be spherical or oblong, often very large (up to 20 cm long and weighing up to 3 kg.), covered with a thick reddish-brown skin. The color of the pulp can be pink, reddish, orange or gray, in its consistency it looks like marmalade ( which is reflected in the title), and the taste reminds someone of caramel, someone finds creamy shades. The fruit usually contains one large seed.

The fruits of the marmalade fruit are rich in vitamins A, C, carbohydrates, vegetable proteins, as well as iron, calcium and potassium.

Mango(Mango) is one of my favorite fruits, and many people around the world consider mango the most delicious fruit. On the one hand, of course, it is difficult to call it exotic, because you can buy it in any large supermarket in Russia, but anyone who has tried mangoes in the places where they grow will say that store-bought fruit is absolutely not the same as fresh. Mango comes from India, and now it is grown literally all over the world, where there are suitable conditions. And in each country, mango will have its own flavor notes!

The classic color of a ripe mango is yellow, but among the 35 mass-produced varieties there are other colors, such as purple, green or black. Therefore, when buying a green mango, you need to clarify, maybe this is such a variety and the fruit is already ripe.

In addition to the amazing aroma and rich, easily recognizable taste, mango has very useful properties, for example, it has a very good effect on the organs of vision and perfectly strengthens the immune system.

mangosteen(Mangosteen, Mangosteen, Mangosteen, Garcinia, Mankut) the birthplace of this plant is Southeast Asia, from where it spread further around the planet, up to Africa and Latin America.

Round fruits (up to 7.5 cm in diameter) are covered with a thick dark purple peel, and the pulp is segmented ( like garlic) into lobules with seeds. The taste is sweetish, with a slight sourness, many people like it ( But I still couldn't get into them...). Unfortunately, diseased fruits often come across, which outwardly you can’t distinguish from healthy ones until you peel them, such pulp will not be white, but creamy and unpleasant in taste ( we often met).

passion fruit(Passion fruit, Passion fruit, Passion fruit, Edible passion flower, Edible Passionflower, Granadilla purple) is native to South America, and is currently grown in many countries with a tropical climate.

Round fruits (up to 8 cm in diameter) can have a different color - yellow, purple, pink, red. In general, the taste is more sour than sweet, especially yellow ( Personally, they look a lot like sea buckthorn to me.), therefore, in its pure form, the fruit is an amateur, as a rule, they use passion fruit juice mixed with others. The pits are small and edible, but they can cause drowsiness.

And passionfruit got its other name "Passion Fruit" because of its alleged aphrodisiac properties, although there were no serious studies on this topic.

Marula(Marula, Sclerocarya birrea) - except in Africa, in the south and west of the continent, you will not find this tree. It is almost impossible to buy fruits outside the black continent, since ripe fruits very quickly begin to ferment inside, so that you can easily get a slight intoxication from eating overripe fruits.

The oblong fruits are covered with a thin yellow peel, and under it - the pulp is white, juicy, tart and one stone. Despite the tartness of taste, marula is quite an edible fruit, but more often it is used to make various desserts and the branded African liqueur Amarula. And from the peel, a drink is brewed that resembles tea, but with an unusual taste.

The fruits appear twice a year, in March-April and September-October. Due to the rich composition with a large amount of vitamins ( especially rich in vitamin C) and minerals, marula is very good for a general strengthening effect on the body, it perfectly removes salts of heavy metals and metabolic products. Marula is also suitable for the prevention and treatment of diseases of such body systems as cardiovascular, nervous and urogenital.

Mathis(South American Sapote, Matisa, South American Sapote) - there is very little information about this fruit, since it is not at all distributed beyond its region of origin, that is, beyond the tropical zone of South America.

The fruits are round, ovoid or oval, large (up to 15 cm long and up to 8 cm wide) with a thick velvety greenish-brown skin. The flesh is orange-yellow, soft, juicy, sweet with a pleasant aroma and 2 to 5 large seeds.

Mafai(Burmese grape, Mafai, Baccaurea ramiflora, Baccaurea sapida) grows in most South Asian countries, but most of all in Malaysia and India.

It has nothing to do with grapes, except for the second name, it has, well, wine is also made from mafai. Round fruits (from 2.5 to 4 cm in diameter) with a peel of various colors, depending on the variety, from yellowish-cream, red to purple. White pulp, slightly gelatinous in consistency, tastes sweet and sour, refreshes well, each fruit has one inedible bone. By the way, the taste of fruits with different skin colors may differ slightly, so if you, for example, tried yellow mafai and were not impressed, then you might like red more.

Mafai does not tolerate long-term transportation very well, ripe fruits are not stored for more than 5 days. Burmese grapes are full of useful elements, especially a lot of vitamin C and iron, so it is very useful for anemia and as a general tonic.

Mombin purple (Mexican plum, Spondius Purpurea, Spondias purpurea, jocote, Hog Plum, Makok, Amra, Sirigela, Siriguela, Ciriguela, Ciruela). Mombin is native to tropical America from Mexico to Brazil and the Caribbean, and was later naturalized in Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

One of the names for purple mombin is " Ciruela”, sometimes used in Latin America, is literally translated from Spanish as “plum”, and, in fact, is also used to refer to an ordinary plum. And the Spaniards themselves use a different name for mombin - “ jocote". So look, do not be surprised at the possible confusion with this cunningly conspiratorial fruit! In general, in addition to those listed by me, it has a bunch of local names, the listing of which would really take one more paragraph ...

The fruits are oval, oblong, up to 5 cm long, with a thin skin that can be red, yellow, purple or orange ( last option It looks a lot like a kumquat...). The yellow pulp has a fibrous structure; it is fragrant, juicy, and tastes sweet and sour. Inside is one large bone with grooves.

Contains a lot of B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper.

Monstera(Monstera delicacy, Monstera attractive, Monstera delicious, Monstera, lat. Monstera deliciosa) comes from Central America, and is also cultivated in India and Australia for its delicious fruits.

By the way, many Russian housewives grow monstera at home as an ornamental plant, but the fruits from flowers are obtained only in suitable climatic conditions. The fruits themselves are similar to corn, they are long, up to 30 cm, and wide, up to 8.5 cm, under a thick peel they hide juicy, fragrant pulp, which tastes like a combination of banana and pineapple.

Medlar Japanese (Lokva, Japanese Eriobothria, Shesek, Nispero, Nispero) - originally from Japan and China, this plant once spread quite widely in the Caucasus, and in former times the fruits of the medlar were quite familiar, but over time for some reason they were forgotten.

Orange-yellow round fruits up to 5 cm in diameter with juicy pulp and one large stone. To taste, someone resembles a pear with a cherry, someone an apple with an apricot, but always sweet with sourness. I first tried Medlar in Hong Kong, and before that I didn’t even know about its existence; really a very pleasant fruit, it seemed to me that its taste is absolutely independent, easily recognizable. Many useful properties, especially for people suffering from hypertension, arrhythmia, dropsy, heart failure.

noina(perhaps the most common name in Asia is sugar apple, Annona scaly, Sugar-apple, Sweetsop, Noi-na). It really resembles an apple in shape and size, but it has an original appearance with peculiar “scales”. This bumpy green fruit is very widely cultivated in countries with a tropical climate - from South America to Polynesia. ( Many often confuse it with the Guanabana fruit, they are really similar, as they are "close relatives", but they are not the same thing! Also, guanabanu is often called "sugar apple", but again, by mistake.)

Under the bumpy peel is sweet pulp, the taste is very pleasant and hard inedible bones (up to 60 pieces). A ripe fruit should be soft when pressed, its flesh will be really tasty, tender and can be safely eaten with a spoon. If you come across an unripe specimen ( hard to the touch), then it’s better to just let it lie down for a couple of days and ripen.

And the benefits of noina lies in the rich content of vitamin C, various amino acids and calcium.

Noni(Noni, Morinda citrifolia, Morinda citrus, Large Moringa, Indian mulberry, Useful tree, Cheese fruit, Nonu, Nono). The homeland of this plant is South Asia, and due to its unpretentious care and soil quality, it is currently actively grown in most countries with a suitable tropical climate.

The oval fruits, to some extent, resemble potatoes in their shape, only green and with pimples, and inside there are many small seeds.

You will definitely not forget this fruit if you try it, but you are unlikely to be delighted with the pungent smell of moldy cheese and bitter taste. That is, noni is definitely not popular with tourists ... But the population of the countries where it is grown actively eats it, often as the main everyday product, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, but has a very low calorie content.

Prickly pear(Indian fig, Indian fig, Indian fig, sabr, prickly pear, sabr). Cactus! The real one, only not so decorative that it might grow in your home, but a large tree-like plant. The main place of growth ( remember westerns) – America ( both continents). Do not be embarrassed that some variants of the name contain the adjective "Indian", if you remember the school history course, you understand that it has only an indirect relation to India ( Columbus sailed to open the way to India, hence the confusion).

They eat, of course, not thorns, but fruits ( though they are also spiky...) small sizes (up to 10 cm), which can be of different shades ( green, red or yellow). Their flesh is sweet and sour they say it looks like a persimmon), it is eaten with a spoon, but to get to it, you must first soak the fruit for 20 minutes in cold water, then remove the small spines and cut the peel.

Of course, this is one of the most exotic fruits that not every tourist will be able to try.

pineberry(Pineberry, Strawberry pineapple). It is a hybrid of the South American Chilean strawberry and the South American Virginia strawberry.

Pineberry berries are small, from 15 to 23 mm., Have a light color, from white to orange, and taste and aroma like a pineapple, for which it got its name.

It is almost impossible to find it on sale in Russia, since pineberry is extremely barren, it is highly susceptible to rot in rainy weather and does not tolerate transportation well. In relatively large quantities pineberry is grown in greenhouses in Europe.

pandanus(Pandan, Screw palm, Wild pineapple). Some of the readers are probably very familiar with this plant, as some of its species are ornamental house plants.

The round fruits are pineapple-like in shape and are orange-red in color when ripe. The fruits of only some types of pandanus are conditionally edible. That is, you can chew the juicy pulp and enjoy a taste similar to pineapple, but then you have to spit it out ( although nowhere did I find information about any complications in case of eating it ...). Basically, juice and essential oil are made from pandanus to flavor various dishes or even soap.

Papaya(Papaya, melon tree, Breadfruit). It comes from Central and South America, and nowadays it is cultivated in almost all tropical countries. Do not confuse it with other "Breadfruit" ( Jackfruit and Breadfruit Artocarpus altilis), there is nothing in common between these plants, just if you bake papaya on fire, it will start to smell like bread.

The fruits grow directly on the tree trunk, they are large, have an elongated shape and can reach a length of 45 cm and a diameter of 30 cm. The color of unripe fruits is green, and ripe fruits are yellow-orange. The taste of a ripe papaya is not some super exotic and memorable, but still very pleasant, something really resembles a melon.

Unripe fruits are also used for food for a wide variety of dishes. And papaya is also used to make preparations for the treatment of osteochondrosis and improve digestion. A very useful plant, but the abundance of milky juice in all its parts makes you be careful, as this juice can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Pepino(Melon pear, sweet cucumber, Solanum muricatum) this shrub is native to South America, where it is predominantly grown, also cultivated in New Zealand.

Quite large rounded fruits weighing up to 700 gr. They can vary significantly in shape and color, mostly shades of yellow, sometimes with purple or violet streaks. The pulp is very juicy, yellowish in color, sweet and sour taste resembles a melon, and the aroma is something between melon, pumpkin and cucumber. The small seeds in the axils of the pulp are edible. Pepino is used as a dessert, added to salads, sauces, it can be preserved or made into jam. Unripe fruits are used as regular vegetables.

Pepino is very saturated with vitamins A, B1, B2, C, PP, as well as iron, potassium and pectin. Ripe can be stored in the refrigerator for several months, and unripe ones are also stored for a long time and at the same time ripen.

Pitanga(Eugenia brasiliensis, Grumichama, Brazilian cherry, Southern cherry, Surinam cherry) with one of the names it is clear that the birthplace of this plant is South America, in addition, it is cultivated in the Philippines and African French Guinea.

From the second name it is also clear that the taste of pitanga is most similar to cherries, sometimes with a slight bitterness; its red flesh is very juicy with one stone. Rounded fruits can be various shades of red and even black. But their main feature, immediately evident - they are ribbed.

You can use it like an ordinary cherry - from eating it raw, to juices, mousses, jams, etc. Pitanga contains a lot of vitamins A and C, phosphorus, calcium, anthocyanins, antioxidants and carotene.

Pitahaya(Pitaya, Long yang, Dragon fruit, Dragon fruit, sometimes the Dragon's Eye). Only when I began to prepare this article did I find out that pitahaya is a cactus. It comes from America, but is now grown everywhere in regions with a suitable climate, especially in Southeast Asia.

Large oblong fruits are easy to recognize, as they look very peculiar. The color of the skin can be red, pinkish or yellow, and the color of the flesh is white or red.

The pulp is juicy, with many small edible seeds, slightly sweet in taste, but nothing outstanding, it can hardly be called exotic and memorable. Despite the inexpressive taste. For some reason, the fruit is quite popular and is grown on huge plantations all year round.

Pitahaya has a high content of phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins B, C, E. This fruit will be useful for diabetes or stomach pains.

Platonia is wonderful (Platonia insignis, Bacuri, Bacury, Pacuri, Pakuri, Pakouri, Packoeri, Pakoeri, Maniballi, Bacurizeiro). This tall (up to 25 meters) tree comes from South America and it is very difficult to try it somewhere other than in the countries of this region (Brazil, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay).

Spherical or oval fruits in diameter can be up to 12 cm. Thick yellow-brown peel hides fragrant white pulp and several large seeds. Sweet and sour pulp is eaten both fresh and in the form of desserts, marmalade, jelly. Platonium fruits contain a lot of iron, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Pluot(Plumcote, Aprium) - a hybrid of plum and apricot, with a predominance of plum characteristics, obtained in California.

It is similar in shape to both plum and apricot, but the skin is still smooth and elastic like that of a plum; the color depends on the variety, it can be from green to burgundy. The pulp is juicy and slightly reminiscent of an apricot, but much sweeter, the color is closer to purple.

Pluot is used in the same way as its "parents" - even just eat, even jam or compote, or dessert, even wine is made from it.

Rich in potassium, vitamin C, glucose, great for the period colds, as it has antipyretic properties and the ability to strengthen the immune system.

pomelo(Pomela, Pamela, Pomelo, Pummelo, Pumelo, Som-o, Pompelmus, Sheddok, Citrus maxima, Citrus grandis, Chinese grapefruit, Jaybong, Jeruk, Limo, Lusho, Dzhembura, Sai-sekh, Banten, Zebon, Robeb tenga). The birthplace of this citrus fruit is Southeast Asia, it is currently grown in many countries, it is quite a frequent product in our supermarkets, but many have not yet tried it, so for them it is definitely still exotic.

The fruits are spherical, large, sometimes even very, right up to 10 kilograms; The color can be green or yellow. Under the thick skin, the pulp, like most citrus fruits, is divided into segments, it is not as juicy as that of "relatives" such as orange or grapefruit, but tasty, sweet-sour, refreshing.

If you see this fruit in the nearest store, but have not yet bought it, then in vain, know that pomelo is a very healthy citrus, a dietary fruit, it contains trace elements, vitamins B1, B2, B5, C, beta-carotene. Pomelo is perfect for strengthening immunity and preventing colds.

Cancers(Salacca wallichiana) is the closest relative of the Snake Fruit (Salacca zalacca), which is discussed below. They are often confused, but the fruits of Rakama ( accent on the second "a"), as opposed to Rakuma ( Snake fruit, description and photo just below in the text) are more elongated, colored red and have a more pronounced taste. But otherwise, everything is the same - scales and spines on the peel, and one growing region in Southeast Asia.

Rambutan(Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit"). The funny appearance of rambutan is immediately remembered. Red round fruits (up to 5 cm in diameter) are really “hairy”, it is even named so from the Indonesian word “Rambut”, that is, “hair”. In addition to red, rambutan can be yellow or reddish-orange.

These fruit trees are cultivated throughout the countries of Southeast Asia ( especially rambutan is popular in Thailand), as well as in Africa, Australia, Caribbean countries.

The peel is soft, very easy to remove by hand, and under it is a very juicy translucent pulp, fragrant and sweet, often with a slight pleasant sourness. The color of the gelatinous pulp can be red or white.

It is better to eat a raw stone, as it can be poisonous, and it does not have a very good taste, but roasted seeds can be safely eaten. Rambutan is also used to make jams, jellies, and you can often buy it in canned form in our stores.

Rambutan fruits contain protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, iron, calcium, nicotinic acid, vitamins C, B1 and B2.

rose apple (Syzygium yambose, Malabar plum, Chompoo, Chmphū̀, Rose apple, Chom-poo). It is actively grown in the region of its origin - in the countries of Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand.

Chompa does not look like an apple at all, but rather looks like a pear or a bell. Fruit color may be red more often), pale pink or light green. The peel is thin, juicy pulp inside and a few small seeds, so the chompa can be eaten whole ( Don't forget to thoroughly wash all fruits!).

The taste of crispy pulp cannot be called expressive and memorable, which is why the fruit is not very popular with tourists. Remotely, the aroma and taste of chompoo resembles a rose (but, for example, I didn’t catch it at all), but, in my opinion, Rose Apple is more like an apple. So do not expect extravaganza of flavors from chompoo, but with its help you can perfectly quench your thirst.

rum berry (lat. Myrciaria floribunda, Rumberry, Guavaberry) - often found naturally in Central and South America, the Caribbean, also grown in the USA (Florida and Hawaii) and the Philippines.

Berries yellow-orange to dark red and almost black, very small, half the size of a cherry ( from 8 to 16 millimeters). The pulp is fragrant, sweet or sweet and sour, translucent, but there is very little of it, since a round bone takes up a lot of space inside.

Berries can be eaten just like that, but more often they are used to make jams, drinks, as a rule, alcoholic ones, for example " Guavaberry liqueu r", made from rum and is a popular Christmas drink among the inhabitants of the Caribbean.

Contains a lot of iron, vitamin C, amino acids, pectins, organic acids, flavonoids.

Buddha hand(Fingers of the Buddha, Citron finger). This strange fruit with its very unusual shape immediately attracts attention. But you don’t need to buy it for testing, you are unlikely to be happy that it almost entirely consists of a dense peel, like a lemon, and a small amount of inedible pulp.

Despite this, the Hand of the Buddha is on all fruit counters in Southeast Asia, as it is used in cooking, for flavoring pastries, jam, drinks, and candied fruits are made from it.

Salak(Salak, Salakka, Rakum, Snake fruit, Snake fruit, Salacca zalacca). A very popular fruit in Southeast Asia.

Teardrop-shaped fruits (up to 4 cm in diameter) are covered with a brown scaly peel, which really resembles snake skin to many. The peel is removed relatively easily, but it is covered with sharp small spines that easily dig into the skin of the hands, so you need to clean it carefully, preferably with a knife.

Under the prickly peel is a beige pulp, which is segmented into several fragments, and several inedible seeds.
You will remember this fruit not only for its unusual appearance, but also for its bright sweet and sour taste, in shades of which persimmon is felt to someone, pear to someone, pineapple or banana with a nutty flavor to someone, that is, you must definitely try, cannot be explained in words.

Salak contains calcium, vitamin C, beta-carotene, so its regular use has a positive effect on the condition of hair and nails, improves vision, and also has a good effect on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and brain activity.

Santol(Katon, Sandoricum koetjape, Santol, Compem rich, Kraton, Krathon, Graton, Tong, Donka, Wild mangosteen, False mangosteen). It is actively grown in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Spherical fruits (up to 7.5 cm in diameter) are covered with a thick velvety peel, which can be yellowish or reddish-brown. The white flesh is segmented into several slices, with one bone in each. The sweet or sour-sweet taste of santol is reminiscent of the more common mangosteen, giving it one of its names. Bones should not be eaten, as they lead to intestinal disorders.

Santol contains many vitamins, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, thanks to this composition, it has general strengthening properties, is useful for weakened immunity, diseases of the cardiovascular system, strengthens bones and teeth.

sapodilla(Hot tree, Tree potato, Oil tree, Achra, Sapodilla, Prang khaa, La-mut, Naseberry, Chiku) originally from Mexico, is now grown almost everywhere in the tropical countries of America and Asia.

Mostly oval, sometimes round fruits (up to 10 cm long) are covered with a thin skin of brown shades from light to dark, ripe fruits should be dark and soft. The pulp is very tender, juicy, brown in color, sometimes with a pink tinge. It tastes like caramel, one of my favorite fruits. There are about a dozen bones inside the fruit, each has a hook, so you need to be careful not to accidentally swallow them, otherwise they can catch in the throat with this hook ( but the bones are very easily separated from the pulp and I had no problems with them).

It is a pity that such a delicious fruit can be stored for no more than 3 days, because of this it can only be tasted in the regions of cultivation or the countries closest to them ( Russia, as you understand, does not belong to them).

Sapodilla contains potassium, a lot of vitamin C, calcium, iron, healthy carbohydrates, and, of course, fiber.

Sapote white (White Sapote, White sapote, Matasano, Edible Casimiroa, Casimiroa edulis, Mexican apple, Mexican apple). To the representatives of the Sapotov family described above ( sapodilla, lucuma) is irrelevant, as it belongs to another family - Rutaceae. A plant native to the central regions of Mexico, cultivated in Central and South America, on some islands of the Caribbean and neighboring Bahamas, in India, New Zealand, the Mediterranean.

Round fruits (up to 12 cm in diameter) with a thin smooth yellowish or green skin, and creamy white flesh. Similar in taste to vanilla cream or pudding. Bones (up to 6 pieces) should not be eaten, as it is believed that they are poisonous and have narcotic properties.

Sapote green (Green Sapote, Red faisan, Achradelpha viridis and Calocarpum viride). Originally from Central America, the territory of Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala. It is also grown in Australia and Polynesia.

Oval-shaped fruits (up to 12.5 cm in length and up to 7.5 cm in diameter) are covered with a smooth thin skin of olive or yellow-green color, may be speckled with red-brown. The flesh adheres tightly to the peel, it is red-brown in color, very tender, sweet and juicy. Each fruit has 1 or 2 dark brown seeds.

Sapote black (Black Sapote, Diospyros digyna, chocolate pudding Fruit, Chocolate Persimmon, Black persimmon, Chocolate persimmon, black apple, Barbacoa). Not to the Sapotovs ( sapodilla, lucuma), nor to the Rutovs ( White sapote) has nothing to do, despite the name, since it belongs to a completely different family - Ebony, and the closest known relative of the black sapote is persimmon. The region of origin is Central America and the southern regions of Mexico, in addition, it is grown on islands such as Mauritius, Hawaii, the Philippines, the Antilles and Brazil.

Spherical fruits (up to 12.5 cm in diameter) in the mature state become dirty green on the outside, and their flesh is black ( hence the name). The pulp is jelly-like, glossy, even unpleasant in appearance, but very tasty, tender, sweet and reminiscent of chocolate pudding. It is eaten simply fresh, and is actively used as an ingredient for confectionery and cocktails. The pulp contains up to 10 flat bones, which are easily separated from it.

TamarindSweet (Sweet Tamarind, Indian date, Asam, Sampalok, Chintapandu). The homeland of this tree of the legume family is East Africa, nowadays it is cultivated everywhere in tropical countries.

The fruits are long, up to 20 cm, as it should be legumes, they look like beans ( or peas), they are light brown on the outside, and the flesh ( more precisely, pericarp or pericarp) dark brown. The fruits are very sweet, tart, but you need to be careful, because unlike the legumes we are used to, tamarind has hard large bones hidden in the pulp.

It is also used fresh, but finds much greater use in cooking in the form of spices and sauces.

Sweet tamarind contains a lot of vitamin A, C, B vitamins, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, rich in carbohydrates, organic acids and protein.

Tamarillo(Tamarillo, Tomato tree, Cyphomandra beetroot, Cyphomandra betacea). Homeland are the countries of the western coast of South America; grown in almost all countries of South America, as well as in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti and New Zealand.

Oval-shaped fruits (up to 10 cm in length, up to 5 cm in diameter) really resemble tomatoes, covered with a smooth, dense peel that tastes bitter. The color can be yellow, orange-red, sometimes purple. The flesh is golden-reddish, with many small seeds, it tastes sour-sweet-salty, similar to a tomato with a touch of passion fruit or currant. It is usually eaten with a spoon, simply by cutting the fruit in half.

Contains little fat and carbohydrates; rich in potassium, A, B6, C, thiamine, riboflavin.

Umari(Umari, Guacure, Yure, Teechi) native to Brazilian Amazon regions; grown in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

The fruits are oval (from 5 to 10 cm long and 4 to 8 cm in diameter), covered with a thin smooth peel of yellow, red, black or green. You can eat with the peel, and the pulp layer is only 2-5 mm., It is yellow, oily, sweet, with a strong characteristic pleasant taste and aroma. Inside the fruit is one hard big bone, they are fried and eaten. Umari is consumed simply like a normal fruit, and also due to its fatty, buttery texture, literally like butter is spread on cassava bread.

Umari contains fats, carbohydrates, proteins, zinc, calcium and vitamin A.

feijoa(Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Akka Sellova, Akka Feijoa, Feijoa Sellova). Originally from South America, it is now grown everywhere in regions with a suitable subtropical climate (including Russia).

Small oval-shaped fruits (up to 5 cm long and up to 4 cm in diameter) are covered with either a smooth yellow-green peel or a bumpy dark green one, it tastes sour, so it is better to eat without it. The flesh color of a ripe berry is white or cream, it is juicy, jelly-like and divided into several sections and contains several edible seeds. Sweet and sour taste reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries, pineapple and kiwi.

Feijoa contains a lot of sugars, organic acids, iodine, vitamin C.

Physalis(Physalis, sometimes called Emerald Berry or Earth Cranberry, Peruvian Gooseberry, Bubblegum, Pesya Cherry, Marunka, Strawberry Tomato) - you have probably seen it many times, it is very often used to decorate confectionery, although it is also found simply on sale. It looks like a small tomato, and its main feature is an openwork, airy “box”, which is obtained from dried physalis flowers.

Orange small fruits are juicy, sweet with a slight sourness, depending on the specific variety ( and there are a lot of them) different shades may be present in taste and aroma, for example, strawberries in Strawberry physalis.

It has a fairly high content of vitamins A, C, group B, tannin, polyphenols, glucose; fiber, antioxidants, fruit and organic acids, tannins.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, Breadfruit, Pana). The same name is sometimes used for Jackfruit and Papaya, so don't get confused! New Guinea is considered to be the homeland, from where this plant spread to the islands of Oceania and to the countries of Southeast Asia. The very productive Breadfruit is a staple food in some countries.

The fruits are very large, round-oval (up to 30 cm in diameter and weighing up to 4 kg.) Covered with a rough peel, which is green in an unripe form, and in a ripe fruit it is yellow-brown. The wild variety of breadfruit contains many seeds in the fruit, while the cultivated variety does not have seeds.

Unripe flesh is white, fibrous, starchy, while ripe flesh becomes soft and changes color to cream or yellow. The ripe fruit is sweetish, but in general, their taste is not very attractive, more like a potato and a banana. Unripe fruits are used as vegetables, and when they are cooked, you can just feel the bready taste.

Breadfruit is very nutritious, it contains ( in dried form) 4% protein, 14% sugars, 75-80% carbohydrates ( mostly starch) and contain virtually no fat.

Chrysophyllum (Star apple, Star apple, Cainito, Star apple, Milkfruit, Caimito) NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Caimito ( or Abiu). Originally from Central America, today it is cultivated in the tropics of South America, India, Southeast Asia, West Africa and Tanzania.

Spherical or oval fruits (up to 10 cm in diameter) are covered with a smooth inedible green or purple-brown peel, depending on the variety. The flesh can be white to purple in color and is juicy, jelly-like, sweet and very sticky with milky juice. The fruit contains up to 8 shiny dark brown inedible seeds. If the fruit is cut across, then the cut pattern will look like a star. The ripe fruits are wrinkled and soft and can be refrigerated for up to three weeks, making a great gift to friends and family from your tropical vacation.

Contains a lot of phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin C, amino acids and protein; has a low glucose content.

Chempedak(Artocarpus champeden, Chempedak or Cempedak). Originally from Malaysia, where it is mainly grown, it is also cultivated in neighboring Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia. Relative of Marang, breadfruit and Jackfruit.

The fruits are elongated, large (up to 45 cm long and up to 15 cm wide) covered with a yellow-brown rough peel, they smell pleasant. The peel can be easily removed by hand, but it is worth remembering that due to the released latex, it is very sticky. The pulp is divided into segments, it is dark yellow in color, juicy, sweet and tender, with round stones ( they are also eaten). The taste of Chempedak is similar to its relative - Jackfruit.

Chempedak contains B vitamins, vitamin C, carotene, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, that is, a very useful fruit, in particular for strengthening immunity, bones and teeth, and is also very good as a tonic product.

Cherimoya(Annona cherimola, Cream apple, Ice cream tree, Graviola, Tzumux, Anona poshte, Atis, Sasalapa and a whole bunch of other possible names...). Originally from the foothills of the South American Andes, it is actively grown in regions with suitable subtropical climates around the planet.

Cherimoyya has many close relatives, so it is sometimes easy to get confused, for example, the Cream Apple is also called Annona reticulum, in addition there is Annona prickly ( Guanabana or Soursop), Annona scaly ( Noina or Sugar Apple).

The fruit has a heart-shaped shape (up to 20 cm long and up to 10 cm wide), covered with a green peel with characteristic irregularities. The pulp is white, fibrous-cream in texture, with a pleasant aroma and complex taste from a mixture of passion fruit, banana, pineapple, strawberries and cream. The bones are very hard and small, so cherimoya must be eaten carefully.

Cherimoya has a lot of useful things: proteins and carbohydrates, B vitamins, ascorbic acid, calcium, iron, phosphorus, organic acids.

Jujube(Jujube real, Unabi, Chinese date, breast berry, Chapyzhnik, Zhuzhuba, Jujube). Cultivated in Southeast and Central Asia, Japan, Australia, the European Mediterranean, the Caucasus.

The fruits are ovoid or round, although in fact they are very different in shape. The smooth, thin, shiny skin also has a variety of colors, which can be green, yellowish, dark red, brown, and combinations thereof. The pulp is dense, white, sweet juicy ( looks like an apple), eaten with the peel; one bone inside.

Yuyuba is rich in vitamins C, B, A, beta-carotene, amino acids, microelements, proteins, sugars and many more useful substances, the names of which are difficult to pronounce.

Yangmei(Mountain peach, Yangmei, Chinese strawberry or Chinese strawberry tree, Red waxwort). Originally from China, where it has been mainly grown for more than two thousand years, but is also found in neighboring countries.

Fruits - "rough" balls (up to 2.5 cm in diameter) can be painted in various shades from reddish to purple or violet. The pulp is tender and juicy, red in color with one large seed. Yangmei's taste is sweet and tart, even pungent, with hints of cherries, blackberries and strawberries.

Yangmei is rich in antioxidants, B vitamins, ascorbic acid.

How many exotic fruits have you tried? And about which of those listed in the article did you learn for the first time?