The most exotic and unusual fruits and vegetables. Exotic fruits and berries with names, descriptions and photos
What are these outlandish vegetables, I thought, when our journey through Asia had just begun. I was fascinated by hairy potatoes, all those leaves, flowers and twigs that Asians eat. But living here for a long time, it was necessary to learn to understand all this variety of products. Today is all about Asian vegetables.
Let's start with the simplest. Asparagus beans. They cost a penny, you can fry, boil, stew. Arina loves them, as do the Filipinos, Vietnamese and Thais. They eat them almost every day. Once I saw such beans at the market in Mariupol. I don’t even know whether they began to grow them in Ukraine, or they brought them from somewhere. The photo shows how the beans hang in long clusters from the counter.
asian eggplant. They differ from ours only in shape - thinner and longer, they are small and round, like tomatoes. They make the same eggplant caviar as in the Motherland. Even in the Philippines, there are a lot of all kinds of zucchini, remotely similar to ours.
And to the right of the eggplant is a vegetable that can spoil any dish in the eyes of a European. But Asians really like it. Bitter Chinese melon. The first time we tried it was in Vietnam... Have you ever chewed a bitter pill? Feelings are similar.
How many varieties of cabbage do you know? White, Beijing, broccoli, colored, red, Brussels ... And that's it? Then I'm ready to expand your knowledge. Meet asian pan choi. It is also called celery or mustard cabbage. It can be eaten raw or fried in oil with garlic. I love the second option. In addition, cabbage itself has only 18 kilocalories per 100 grams, so if you don’t overdo it, you get a completely dietary dinner.
Okra or okra. In the Philippines, this vegetable is sold in a bunch of 5 pieces. It only complements the dish in which it is placed. Thanks to its stickiness and stickiness, it binds together everything in the pan. Young okra in salads is eaten raw. It contains many vitamins and ascorbic acid. I don’t like okra in any form at all, but I’m not an Asian gourmet, so there’s no demand from me.
Are you used to the fact that mango is a fruit and eat it for dessert? What about immature green mango? It is slightly tart and sour, but if cooked correctly, it is difficult to break away from the salad with green mango. Filipinos eat it cut into fairly thick plates, eating shrimp paste. Personally, I prefer the Thai version. Thin plates drizzled with olive oil with lime, sugar and soy sauce. Too rich taste can be slightly muffled with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions or transparent rice noodles.
Sprouted soybeans. In Asia, they are eaten by hundreds of thousands of tons every day. In Ho Chi Minh City, I saw how they are grown. An aunt in a neighboring house made a vegetable garden right on her balcony in clay pots. Without soy sprouts, it is impossible to cook Vietnamese Pho soup, Thai Pad Thai and many other Asian delicacies. Carefully! There are 141 calories in 100 grams.
Papaya- another two-faced Janus. Ripened - sweet dessert, and unripe - a vegetable for frying or stewing. By the way, when cooked, it remotely resembles our potatoes. Who does not know, I will say that potatoes in Asia are exotic, so they can cost up to $ 2 per kilo. Papaya and a few other vegetables replace it quite tolerably for us. I read Interesting Facts Wikipedia: Papayas tenderize meat, treat worms and prevent viral infections.
Once I cooked a dish with banana inflorescence. But then I didn’t know anything about this product at all (that’s how to call it - a flower or something?).
It didn't turn out very tasty. In the Philippine version, the banana flower looks very appetizing. Here, for example, he national dish"Kare-Kare" in a duet with boiled oxtails, seasoned peanut sauce. The secret is to leave it half-cooked, not mashed.
Hairy potatoes and other roots. I used to think that they were all varieties of sweet potatoes - sweet potatoes. But it turned out that this was not the case. What is below in the photo is called alugbati in Tagalog - translated into Russian " vine Malabar nightshade "? And if you buy exactly the same, only not hairy, then it's sweet potato. If you fry it, especially with onions or mushrooms, then you can't distinguish it from the usual potatoes. Maybe just a little more dry and sweet. But these are trifles.
Chayote or Mexican cucumber. Inside big bone to be taken out. Chayote is fried along with other vegetables, meat or marinated. It is also stuffed like we pepper, and put raw in salads. It has a lot of starch, so eating it in large quantities does not contribute to slimness.
Another flowers that are not put in a vase, but eaten are pumpkin inflorescences. We ate them in large quantities in Vietnam when we were forced to. Do you remember this story? These flowers are nothing special, except that they look beautiful in a plate.
In the Philippines, this vegetable is called malungay. Translated from Tagalog to English - horse radish tree some kind of crap. Used as a seasoning, good in combination with these leaves.
All sorts of herbs can be completely separate dishes in Asian cuisine. For example, water spinach. We ate ten kilograms of it in Vietnamese restaurants. Usually it is fried together with garlic, the leaves are torn off the twigs, but in the end they are all eaten together. I think it's a great side dish.
Another herb in Tagalog is called cigarillaz. I got it translated into English star beans - star beans. These stems are placed in meat, fish or shrimp broth at the very end. Cook no more than 5 minutes, then they become bitter.
What do Asians season their dishes with? Of course, these are chili peppers, basil, shallots, ginger and its brother galangan root.
Lemongrass dominates the realm of spices - lemongrass. Without it, my beloved will not work thai soup Tom Yum. This is one of their main ingredients. Asians add lemongrass to gravies and soups, marinades. It gives dishes a light citrus flavor. Usually, the upper leaves are removed from it and cut into small sticks or kneaded and put a connected flagellum in a pan. Sorghum serves only as a source pleasant smell, there is no need to eat it.
In one of the following posts, a continuation of the report from the New Year's Eve market in Puerto Princesa. I will talk about: sea urchins, snails, shells, colorful fish, giant prawns, squids and octopuses... don't miss it.
It would seem that we all know the standard set of vegetables: cucumber, tomato, potato, carrot and more. But, for sure, none of you suspected that almost every vegetable that we eat every day has its own exotic brother. I want to introduce you to the 13 most, in my opinion, exotic vegetables in the world.
1. Purple carrot
More than one generation of people is convinced that carrots are only orange, but purple is the original, primordial color of this vegetable.
The Times reports that the color of carrots is due to beta-carotene with some addition of alpha-carotene pigment. They contain the purple pigment anthocyanin, which acts as an antioxidant.
Purple carrots are depicted in drawings made in an Egyptian temple as early as 2000 BC. In the tenth century, purple carrots were grown in Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern. In the fourteenth century, crimson, white, and yellow varieties were imported into the south. Black, red, and green carrots were also grown.
Recently, Dutch growers have studied the beneficial properties of purple carrots. They believe that a purple-colored vegetable provides the body with additional protection from cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
2. Black tomatoes
A unique variety of tomatoes appeared on sale in the market. According to some experts, the vegetable contains a certain substance that greatly enhances sexual desire.
The new variety of black tomatoes was named "Kumato". It is a relative of the wild plant Lycopersicon cheesmanii. It is the same size as ordinary tomatoes, but sweeter, and its skin is brown-black. It took six years of scientific research to improve this vegetable and start selling it in Europe. When tomatoes were first grown by the Aztecs and Incas in the 8th century, they were not only red, but also yellow, green, red, white, and black. They were grown in what is now Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Mexico.
This mixture of tomato and blackberry can prolong the life of mice prone to colon cancer by 30%. In addition to the benefits that ordinary tomatoes have, high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants.
3. Rainbow cabbage
"Rainbow" cauliflower appeared in. The British company Syngeta has launched a new variety of cauliflower, Rainbow Cauliflowers, on the market, the inflorescences of which are colored in bright orange, green and purple. To taste, this is exactly the same cabbage, but it adds color to cooked dishes - the new variety does not lose its rich color even after cooking.
Another advantage of the most cauliflower in the world is that the orange variety contains 25 times more beta-carotene than ordinary cauliflowers, and purple is loaded with anthocyanin, which is good for the prevention of heart disease, as it slows blood clotting.
The representative of the company, Andrew Cocker, emphasized that the unusual colors of cabbage are not at all a product of genetic engineering, but the result of traditional selection, which took more than a dozen years.
4. Strawberry pineberry
The berry, whose name comes from pineapple (pineapple) + berry (berry), will go on sale in UK Waitrose stores today. Gourmets will have to hurry: Pineberry will only be on the shelves for the next five weeks.
The fruit, which has the same genetic structure as the common strawberry but tastes and smells like a pineapple, originated in South America. There it was discovered by Dutch farmers and has been successfully grown in greenhouses for seven years. The unique species was on the verge of extinction when Dutch farmers revived it in greenhouses. When unripe, the berries are green, and their ripeness is indicated by a white skin and red seeds.
5. Purple potatoes
In the UK, a new variety of potatoes with a rich purple color has gone on sale. All derivatives from this vegetable also remain purple - chips, mashed potatoes etc. Called Purple Majesty, the potato tastes just like its more familiar counterparts, but is loaded with anthocyanins, which give blueberries, blackberries and eggplants their distinctive flavors.
A new variety is grown in Scotland. This year, about 400 tons of crops were harvested, which is not very much, but next year the producers plan to increase the figure.
Blue potatoes are divided into several types. So, for example, Franzosische Truffel-kartoffel and Linzer Blaue varieties do not lose their color during cooking, they remain dark of blue color and they break down a lot. Whereas the other two Linzer Roze and Kipfler cook for a long time and do not boil soft, but, during the cooking process, they lose their unusual color. They are usually used raw with Jerusalem artichoke in the preparation of salads.
6. Red cucumbers
These vegetables are only conditionally called "red cucumbers". In fact, they have nothing to do with classic cucumbers. They do not have their own taste and are used more for decorative purposes.
This vegetable is very similar in appearance to a cucumber, although it has a bright red color. But it just tastes "none". In fact, this fruit belongs to the family of gourd plants and is called "red cucumber" or "doubtful tladianta". This miracle was brought to Europe from Southeast Asia, and is considered more of an ornamental plant than an edible one. However, if you plant this beauty in your dacha, then in a couple of years your entire garden will be solid thickets of red cucumber.
7. Romanescu
It is a close relative of broccoli and cauliflower. If you love cabbage, then you will surely enjoy this fantastic vegetable. In addition, this amazing vegetable is literally crammed with antioxidants.
Romanescu, or Romanesque broccoli, cauliflower. Designers and 3D artists are raving about its exotic fractal-like shapes. Cabbage buds grow in a logarithmic spiral. The first mention of Romanescu cabbage comes from the 16th century.
Romanesque broccoli has the most subtle taste that cabbage can have. Romanescu is not crumbly, tastier than broccoli, sweetish with a nutty rather than sulphurous flavor. A fresh head of Romanescu cabbage should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days. Since the cabbage is hard, the head is cut into pieces with a serrated knife.
A casserole is prepared with pieces of Romanescu cabbage, served with bechamel sauce and Roquefort cheese. Romanescu cabbage is rich in antioxidant carotenoids, vitamin C.
This exotic vegetable is easy to grow for those who have experience in growing broccoli, as the farming technique is identical.
8. Kiwano melon (Cucumis metuliferus)
Kiwano melon (Antillan cucumber, horned melon, anguria). Kiwano, a kiwi countryman, comes from. Outwardly, the fruit resembles a yellow-orange cucumber with numerous horns. In fact, the nod is not as formidable as it seems: the spines are soft, the crust is loose. The best way to eat a fruit is to cut it in half and sip on the green flesh. Kiwano is like a cucumber and a lemon at the same time - refreshing. It contains vitamins of the PP group, and there is more than enough vitamin C in it.
The average fruit weight is 300 g, the average length is 12 cm. The fruits are extremely decorative and can be used to create original compositions and even as Christmas tree decorations.
9. Hand of the Buddha
These are the fruits of one of the representatives of the citrus subfamily (the Rut family), popular in Asia. The contents of this fruit under the thick skin are very reminiscent of. It has the largest of all citrus fruits. Their length is 20-40 cm. Diameter - 14-28 cm. We have already considered it in more detail in the topic
10. Durio
The durio fruit resembles some kind of "alien" fruit the size of a soccer ball, covered with a hard prickly skin. The flesh inside the fruit is pale yellow. The smell is like dirty, worn socks, rotting meat, or sewage (take your pick). However, this fruit tastes amazing and elegant. The first European explorer who tasted this fruit for the first time in the 1700s called it the "king of fruits". “It was worth going on a dangerous journey just to taste this fruit,” added the brave traveler.
11. Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)
Monstera grows in many homes. In nature, this plant forms delicious fruits. The ripe core of the monstera fruit, despite the unpleasant pungent smell, is tasty and tastes like pineapple.
12. Star fruit
The cross section of this fruit forms an almost regular star. This fruit is juicy, sweet with a sour tinge. It tastes like grapes, mango, lemon - all in one. It contains a lot of oxalic acid in its composition, so it is not recommended to abuse this fruit for people with kidney failure. The homeland of the fruit is Sri Lanka
13. Goat beard
Goat beard root. It tastes like oysters.
Not just a fruit with the first letter of the alphabet, but a fruit in general that served as an incentive for the creation of this page (later it turned out that it was a vegetable). It can be fully classified as exotic, since it is not found on ordinary street stalls, only in supermarkets, and I have not heard that it was known to many (by taste). In Vladimir, it costs about 140+ rubles / kg (according to data at the beginning of May 2006), in particular, the copy shown on the left cost me 32 rubles. This specimen, as you can see, looks like an ordinary domestic pear, dark green and pimply. In fact, in connection with this, I had the idea that they eat it in the same way as a pear. I was stopped in time in this impulse by a knowledgeable person, saying that his skin is not eaten, and recommending that he be cut first. Which I did, finding inside a light green, as if immature pulp and just a huge bone (or rather, a bone), which immediately did not fail to slip out (being wet). Well, then the process of cutting out pieces of pulp and absorbing them began ... To be honest, it didn’t last much for me ... Taste - no. Not sour, not sweet, none. Just like eating something neutral plant-based. It reminded me of something, but I couldn't remember exactly what. In general, since I expected something indescribably tasty, I was very disappointed. People, don't buy avocados! (Or do I not understand why it is needed?) And read this page sometimes - so as not to waste money in vain.
Overall rating: 2 / 5.
Quince (quince)
I remember that for the first time I tried this fruit as a child, when we lived in Central Asian Kyrgyzstan, but since then I have managed to forget its taste. Now here I am publishing “on fresh tracks”, having just updated my taste memories.
This particular fruit (pictured in the photo) was personally plucked by my relatives in one of the gardens in Moldova, so I have no idea how much quince costs in general on the market.
The appearance of quince most of all resembles an apple, only the skin is a little hairy in places (and the leaves are generally like velvet on one side). After washing, the “hairiness” of the fetus is either washed off, or felt less.
In terms of taste, quince reminded me most of all of the same apple, only very dry, dehydrated, and a little astringent. Although there is one taste paradox here: initially astringent dryness when chewing is replaced by noticeable juiciness. And this juiciness, together with a pleasant sourness, is refreshing.
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Pineapple (pineapple)
Pomegranate (pomegranate)
Pomegranate can be called an exotic fruit very conditionally - it also grows in our country, in the south. They sell mainly Azerbaijani ones and only in winter (apparently, pomegranates ripen there only by winter). It is known that caring for a pomegranate tree is not easy, in particular, by the time of ripening, the tip of each (!) Fruit must be covered with clay in order to prevent the penetration of some type of harmful insects into it, which is what specially hired workers do. By the way, in the same place, in the south, it is more often used as a seasoning for dishes - they are added to pilaf, sauces, etc. in kind, and in the form of juice, which was always available in Soviet cafeterias. Today (January 2007) this rather large, very juicy, dark red fruit costs about 90 rubles/kg in Vladimir. After peeling the thin peel (the easiest way to do this is by cutting it in several places and breaking the fruit), they eat small berries with seeds. The taste of a pomegranate varies from very sour (an unripe fruit practically does not differ in appearance from a ripe one) to very sweet. The pomegranate does not have a special aroma, but the taste is special - perhaps incomparable to anything. You can eat it for quite a long time, picking out one grain at a time, which is also interesting and peculiar. In general, in winter time This good alternative citrus and. Moreover, due to its composition, pomegranate is considered very useful for anemia (it seems that it increases the hemoglobin content in the blood) and as a general tonic for colds (thanks to vitamin C).
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Grapefruit (grapefruit)
Another “citrus comrade”, which primarily stands out for its strange name: “grape” in English means “grapes”, and “fruit” means “fruit”, but how grapefruit resembles grapes is completely unclear. Only one thing is clear: that this fairly large citrus (about 10-15 cm in diameter) of various external colors (sometimes green, yellow, orange, red) and internal colors (white, yellow, red) is not so common (on our tables) , as, for example, or , but follows in terms of prevalence right behind them, while clearly standing out from the general series by the presence of “bitterness” in its taste. Actually, it was precisely thanks to this bitter (but moderately pleasant) taste that he formed the basis of a drink called tonic (note that it is not at all necessary to associate and mix it with alcoholic gin ;-) - you can drink it just like lemonade). In the “whole fruit” form, the absorption of even one fruit by one person can be difficult: firstly, the fruit itself is large (the last time we ate one for two), and secondly, it is not so easy to peel - a thick peel and inedible interlobular partitions clearly distinguish it from the previously listed citrus counterparts, and thirdly, “bitterness” in large volumes may seem bitter to someone. The approximate price in Vladimir in the slushy winter of 2007 is about 60 rubles / kg (the weight of one fruit may well reach up to 1 kg).
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Guava (guava)
The appearance of the fruit initially led my wife to the assumption that it was some kind of representative of the citrus family - the pimply green peel most of all resembled. But for some reason it seemed to me that it should not be citrus, but some other fruit ... I turned out to be right, but it would be better if I was wrong - then the overall rating of this fruit could be higher. Inside, it turned out that the green skin is thin, followed by a fleshy white pulp, and in the core - a jelly-like mass with a bunch of small bones. At first, with a photographed teaspoon, we tried to eat this particular core, but, firstly, it turned out to be almost tasteless, and secondly, due to the large number of hard-to-separate and very hard bones, the process of eating was not very pleasant. With grief in half having coped with the core, we proceeded to the rest. Timidly, slowly, but we came to the conclusion that the fleshy pulp can be eaten with the skin, and all this together tastes almost the same as an ordinary domestic pear (which is green and hard). Is it worth 700 rubles/kg (in one of Vladimir's supermarkets in December 2007)?..
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Durian (durian)
The only fruit that I tried not directly, but indirectly, namely: the fruit itself, presented in the first two photographs, was captured, bought and tasted in Thailand by my relatives, and they brought me to Vladimir only impressions of it, sweets from it (two above in the third photo) and his puree (large "candy" at the bottom in the third photo). Due to the specific unpleasant smell, it was impossible to bring the fruit itself, moreover, even in Thailand it is forbidden to bring it to the hotel after buying it (but my relatives did it anyway). :-) Now we will debunk the myth that durian is the "king of fruits", or, as the locals say, "the smell of durian causes visions of hell, and the taste - heavenly delights" ...
First - the impressions of my relatives from fresh fruit bought in the place of growth (I clarify this for commentators who reproached me for the substandard tasting fruit), I quote literally:
Well, now my own impressions of the same brought sweets and mashed durian pulp: rare muck! :-O Being warned about the smell, I went outside to taste it, but even the fresh wind could not carry away the unpleasant smell ... which did not remind me of either rotten onions or garbage, rather, some kind of technical smell, but hefty unpleasant. For some reason, I didn’t succeed in trying the taste without smell, that is, plugging my nose, and therefore there was a feeling that I should eat some kind of oily rags ... brrr! .. :-O The first candy was still tolerable (maybe because that it was, judging by the inscription on it, “milk candy”), although he could not finish it either; the second, close to mashed potatoes - disgusting, which he immediately spat out; the third, puree, was the worst of all - even a small dose almost caused me to gag. :O
In short, we saw such a “king of fruits” ... :-O Let the locals enjoy it “heavenly”, but in my collection exotic fruits it was the first to get 1 point out of 5 and the title of the most disgusting fruit from among the tried exotic fruits-vegetables (currently out of 46)! Even the one cursed by me is just a darling compared to this ... spirit! .. :-O
Overall rating: 1 / 5.
Ziziphus (ziziphus)
This for once, a new fruit in my collection (it has not been replenished for a long time) was brought from India by relatives. Accordingly, there it is more called "", although in the world it is also known as "jujube", "(Chinese)", "" and "". Of the incomprehensible words in this list ("jujube", "jujuba" and "unabi"), I like the funny "jujube" the most :-), and of the understandable words, nothing fits - "plum" and "date" is only because the only large bone inside.
In fact, jujube externally most similar to a small apple. Like apples, jujubes are different colors, which do not necessarily indicate their maturity: green, yellow, red - we were brought green. I was warned in advance about the presence of a large bone inside (although this is not quite according to the rules of this collection), therefore, in order not to break my teeth about this “unexpected surprise” in the middle of the “apple”, I immediately cut the fruit in half (more precisely, I cut it in a circle and tore it apart with his hands so that one half remained whole bone), removed the stone (assuming it was inedible) and ate halves from pure pulp. The taste is a little like an apple (except for crispy freshness and sourness), but it does not look like a plum and a date even more so. Most of all, the taste of jujube seemed to me similar to (which is also not really an apple), (which is also called "" - a coincidence? . Although, for some reason, the youngest son liked it - he ate several fruits, although he is very conservative in food, and exotic fruits and vegetables most often treated with dislike. :-)
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Figs (fig)
Also known as a fig (fig) - the fruit of a fig (and not a fig :-) tree - the very one whose leaves covered the shameful places of Adam and Eve, who knew shame after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil ... Since then, the fig has been nothing special and did not become famous, except perhaps for the phenomenon of the homonym of the Russian language, another meaning of which is a synonym for "duli". :-) As a fruit, for some reason, it is more common in dried form, but in this, fresh form, I first tried it during a vacation in Adler-Sochi in July 2007 (therefore, contrary to usual, photographed without a teaspoon). There, he, it seems, matures naturally, and costs nothing, 10 rubles / pc. A pear-shaped fruit about 5-6 cm long, lilac skin with a glossy sheen, and inside - such a fleshy pulp with a bunch of small seeds (a la caraway seeds), which didn’t impress me very much ... Sweetish and that’s it, nothing special. For some reason, in connection with this, it is remembered, but here the pulp is not astringent.
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Cantelupe (cantaloupe)
This unusual melon was bought for me by my wife, who knows about my "exotic-fruit" hobby. But it is unusual only at first glance - this is when you don’t immediately guess that this “minke whale” is generally a melon (although it was honestly written on the price tag: “melon, cantelupe”). And so her closest “relative” is a small round yellow melon of the “kolkhoz woman” variety, which is very common in our country. Only this one inside is bright orange, and a little sweeter, otherwise everything is the same. Well, except that I forgot about a much more expensive price - 135 rubles / kg in July 2007 in Vladimir.
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Carambola (carambola)
Tasting No. 1
Time: March 2007.
Where to buy fruit: Russia, city of Vladimir.
For some reason, when buying this fruit of the sour family (I already learned this after the fact), also known as "" (starfruit), I was afraid that it would turn out not to be a fruit at all, but some kind of vegetable (as I once made a mistake with) - He looked very unusual. And in the same way, it was completely incomprehensible how to eat it (in particular, is it possible to eat the peel). In the end, it was carefully cut along the borders of the slices, and the tasting began first with the pulp (although later it turned out that the peel can also be eaten - like an apple). The flesh turned out to be quite strong, crispy, but at the same time Very juicy - for some reason I immediately remembered the sour leaves that we collected and ate when we lived in Kyrgyzstan. The taste is also very similar to sour - a sort of refreshing mixture of sour and sweet, quite pleasant. However, it is unlikely to be suitable as a “thirst quencher”, since it is not cheap - 49 rubles / piece. (in March 2007 in Vladimir). Be that as it may, I can safely call it one of the most delicious truly exotic (new to me) fruits.
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Tasting No. 2
Time: September 2015.
Where to buy fruit: Thailand, Phuket island.
So far, the only case when repeated tasting of the “correct” fruit, that is, quickly brought straight from the places of growth (in this case Thailand), did not improve his overall perception in any way - I gave him the same rating. Taste sensations are also the same: very juicy, very fresh, but almost tasteless ("grass", as the wife noted); At the same time, I noticed that if you still eat it without upper dense skin, the taste becomes a little more saturated and pleasant. But what the repeated tasting definitely improved was the photos of the fruit - I replaced them with new ones, in which the fruit looks more “presentable” and fresher.
Overall rating: not changed, 4/5.
Chestnut
Recently, chestnuts were suddenly discovered in Magnit near the house at 160 rubles per kilogram. I had only seen them before in Moscow in fried(and every time something prevented us from buying), and those that grow with us, alas, are inedible.
I put it in a frying pan, fried it until each side darkened (about 15 minutes), some of the chestnuts burst in the process. When opening, the top thin hard shell was first removed, then another layer pressed against the core itself (it was quite easy to break with hands - again, unlike the hard shells of those that grow with us). As a result, a small wrinkled core remains, very soft, a small void is found on the break inside, apparently, the core consists of two halves (but does not easily separate).
Taste - sweet potato! But not like frozen, but a more pleasant, whole taste. Nothing like that, but again, it only makes sense if these chestnuts grow right under the window, went out, scored and roasted.
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Kiwano
This miracle-not-that-fruit-not-that-vegetable was given to me by my wife, who knew that I had not replenished this collection of mine for a long time. :-) It was sold in one of the Vladimir hypermarkets called “kivano”, and now Wikipedia told me that it is also called “horned melon” (I agree, with its oval shape it looks a bit like a “torpedo” melon, but small; to taste, however, nothing to do with melon - more on that below) or "African cucumber" (but this is closer in shape, size, and even taste), and that it is still a vegetable.
The peel is hard and, apparently, inedible (the wife honestly tried to bite her - it is bitter). Inside there is a sweetish, as it were, jelly with large seeds that can either be swallowed or spit out, sucking the jelly from them. In total, the taste is most reminiscent of an ordinary domestic cucumber, only which is large, overripe and watery, with large seeds. Well, something else reminded me of Turkish.
Overall rating: 2 / 5.
Kiwi (kiwi)
These are not the hairy eggs that the Australian bird of the same name lays, and not even the hairy radioactive gooseberry, as you might think. :-D Although this fruit is somewhat similar in taste to gooseberries, but in terms of its internal structure, in terms of the type of pulp, it is more similar to. Kiwi is found on domestic holiday tables for some reason less often, although it is freely available for sale (in Vladimir at a price of about 70 rubles / kg, or, if by the piece, 7 rubles / piece) and I personally consider it quite tasty (although sometimes it is too sour - apparently it contains a lot of vitamin C ). Perhaps its not very popular is due to the fact that without a knife it is not so easy to peel it (no one seems to eat the hairy skin), and after cleaning it is not always easy to take the slippery pulp with your hands - it turns out that kiwi is best served on the table for guests already peeled, cut into slices (artificial, because kiwi has no “natural” slices) and with forks. :-) Yes, and I also recently began to notice cakes, the components of which (mainly for top decoration) enters kiwi, the green pieces of which delight the green-loving human eye. :-)
P.S. Much later, in 2017, my sister taught me how to eat kiwi most convenient way: the fruit is cut into halves, the half is taken in one hand, with a green cut up, and a teaspoon is taken in the other hand, with which it is necessary to scoop out the pulp from the peel in the same way as a boiled egg is eaten. :-) True, this is really convenient for ripe fruits With soft pulp.
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Coconut
I've been dreaming of trying coconut since the first time I saw an advertisement for the "Bounty" candy bar (that's the power of TV zombies!). We managed to try dry coconut flakes quickly - in the same chocolate bars with the mentioned name, on some pastries, cakes and other confectionery products - they ceased to be a rarity and in general I liked them. But I always wanted to try the “live” coconut. By that time, I already knew that they don’t grow on palm trees, but coconuts, both in advertising and in life, really grow on palm trees. Only one advertising stereotype deceived me very much :-) - when falling to the ground, the coconut does not split exactly into halves, and it does not have a “thread” to gently “fold” it with your hands and turn it into two halves in the same way. :-) In general, we had to fiddle with a “usual” kitchen hacksaw :-O, and the process was extremely “low-tech”: three adults held a coconut fidgeting along the bottom of a deep bowl (we were afraid that the precious coconut would spill milk :-), and one of them sawed with zeal; at the same time, the hairy husk of this giant nut (about 10 cm in diameter) climbed into the gap formed and mixed with milk; then the edges of the bowl began to make it very difficult for us to saw further ... well, etc. In general, it was terrible - our inexperience clearly affected (surely someone knows how to open a coconut “by the mind”). Be that as it may, as a result we got two halves and several puddles of precious moisture ... brown in color (due to dust and husk mixed in the process of sawing) and, moreover, not very pleasant in taste. The white flesh hidden under the 5mm shell of the nut, for some reason, also turned out to be not very similar to advertising - it was too hard to just scrape with a spoon. However, with a fork and/or knife, it could be chopped off and eaten - it tasted almost like a regular hazelnut, only with a faint aftertaste of ... coconut flakes! :-) At a price of about 25 rubles / piece. (in the winter of 2006 in Vladimir) it seems like a good savings for those who want to nibble hazelnuts. :-)
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Kudret nari (kudret nari)
I thought it was a fruit, but it turned out to be a vegetable (which is why I had to expand the title of this page). Be that as it may, at one time it was sold to us in Turkey (in August 2004) rather as a fruit that looked very unusual for staring tourists. So unusual (orange pimply cucumber) that I, deciding that I would never see such a miracle again, decided to pay 2 dollars for it (then it was about 54 rubles). In Turkish it is called “kudret nari”, and they tried to translate it into Russian as “pomegranate apple” (although for some reason it still seems to me that something else is called that). Fortunately, we were immediately explained how to eat it, and that the outer shell is not used (although if you look closely at the edge in the second picture, it is slightly bitten off - I tasted it and found that it was bitter and tasteless). The opened fruit looks even more vivid and unusual - inside there are small red berries with seeds (it is they that resemble pomegranate seeds). These berries are sweet and a little tart in taste, and most of all they resemble ... ordinary domestic green pea. So my taste sensations did not match the anticipation created by the appearance of this miracle vegetable, and next time I would not buy it for anything.
Overall rating: 2 / 5.
Kumquat (kumquat)
A fruit of the citrus family, the closest "relative" (I would even say, "younger brother"), both in its "physiology" and in taste. The oblong fruits are very small (from 2 to 4 cm) - apparently due to the fact that they are called Japanese oranges, and in Japan everything is miniature. But the price of these babies is not at all small - 300 rubles / kg (according to the data at the beginning of the summer of 2006), despite the fact that ordinary oranges cost about 30-40 rubles / kg (that is, kumquats are almost 10 (!) times more expensive). I'm not sure, oh, how I'm not sure that exotic sizes should be so many times more expensive, but the taste of kumquat is, well, the same orange, maybe a little more sour. Although he has one more small feature - the thin peel is edible and quite pleasant to the taste, moreover, it somewhat compensates for the acidity of the pulp. Just do not forget to wash these fruits before eating with the peel! ;-) Well, you should not forget about the fact that even in such babies sometimes there are quite ordinary orange seeds-seeds. In general, a fruit for lovers of exotic sizes, and even then try it once.
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Lime (lime)
Stanislav: the fruit was brought from Thailand by a colleague Sergey, so they also tasted it at work, with the whole micro-collective. They didn’t eat the peel, since Sergey suggested that they don’t eat it, but simply pry it off with a fingernail or knife, after which it is easily removed (it is quite thin and relatively soft). Inside - something like a grape, some specimens with a slight taste of fermentation. Even deeper, inside the “grape” itself, there is a hard and also inedible bone. In general, the lychee is really the closest "relative", judging by the device and taste.
Colleague Sergey I didn’t immediately remember the name of this fruit, but with the help of the Internet and pictures, I nevertheless figured it out - this is longan, also known as lam-yai or “dragon’s eye”. Well, a little later, I remembered what else this fruit reminded me of besides lychee - a strange fruit, tested 8 months before by SPQR.
Stanislav: a copy brought in April 2016 by relatives already from India (the third fruit that opens the replenishment of the collection from there), more precisely, several berries on the branches, was very fond of the eldest son, and my impressions of this fruit improved by 1 point.
Overall rating: 4 / 5.
Longcon (longkong)
Before writing these lines, I mistakenly believed that lonkon (aka longkong) is just another name, a synonym for the previously described Thai fruit. But my relatives brought it to me from Thailand (nicknamed “potato” for its external similarity), and we were able to make sure that it was, if related, but still a different fruit. Yes, outwardly it looks the same as longan, yes, it is just as easy to clean (thin soft skin), but inside there is not one big “grape” - “eye” with a brown bone - “pupil” inside, but 4 slices like garlic cloves boiled until transparent, one of which may contain light bone. The taste is also close to longan, but due to either the absence of an inconvenient and inedible bone, or the fact that it was the “right” fruit, that is, quickly brought straight from the places of growth, I liked longan (g) con (g) more. There were even taste associations with sweet, that is, as if its "seeds" were increased to the size of garlic cloves. (All associations with garlic are only in form, not in taste!)
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Mandarin (mandarin)
Only here it is not necessary to say that this is not an exotic fruit! Although we see it in Russia and eat it no less than, nevertheless, for our climatic conditions it is still an exotic fruit. When our country was still called the USSR, and it included hospitable and warm Georgia, we ate their (well, or Abkhazian) tangerines with pleasure. Now, when these southern brothers of ours preferred to communicate with another, “most democratic” power, problems arose with tangerines, which is a pity ... We, for example, only Moroccan and Turkish tangerines remained on the shelves, and the former, in my opinion, are easier peeled (less hard), much tastier (sweeter) and almost pitted. The instance shown on the right is just a typical Moroccan mandarin, at a price of 52 rubles / kg (at the beginning of May 2006). And for the first time I "met" with tangerines in childhood, in the Far East, and then it was either Chinese or Vietnamese fruits, in any case - delicious. In general, any tangerine is a “younger brother”, which is usually smaller in size and tastes sweeter. Like any other citrus fruit, it has a high content of vitamin C, so when eaten in the morning, it maintains tone throughout the day. My personal experience also says: peeled tangerines, mashed about halfway with honey and eaten right there, are great for removing colds from the body. And, of course, it is impossible not to mention that tangerine is a traditional dessert on our holidays, from birthdays to New Year's.
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
mango
Another pear-shaped fruit, but "prone to fullness" (to spherical). A specimen bought from a Russian supermarket (presumably unripe) was very hard, with smooth green-red skin, and smelled oddly of pine needles; the sample bought and brought from Egypt was much softer, greener and almost did not smell of needles. An attempt to cut the mango in half was unsuccessful - I stumbled upon a large hard bone in the middle, somewhat similar to a peach bone, only the pulp could not be separated from it, I had to cut it in layers (in general, eating a mango without a knife is problematic). Inside it is a rich yellow color, while the "local" sample was hard, and the Egyptian one was soft and juicy, both fibrous (Egyptian - almost imperceptibly), but juicy at the same time. It already smells less of needles inside and in general it starts to resemble something, not that carrot (especially the yellow Uzbek one; although the juicy and soft Egyptian mango almost did not resemble carrots), either by smell, or by taste, or simply by tactile bite sensations. I did not find a direct taste analogue, but I came to the unequivocal conclusion that of the last three fruits and vegetables I tried (,, mango), this one is the most delicious, although not as delicious as the same pineapple. Mango is also cheaper than avocado and papaya, about 100 rubles / kg (in May 2006 in central Russia), but still its price / taste ratio does not allow it to become quite popular with us.
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Mangosteen
Tasting No. 1
Time: December 2007.
Where to buy fruit: Russia, city of Vladimir.
Due to the fact that this time we were in such a hurry to try this exotic fruit that I forgot to put a teaspoon next to it when photographing (so that you can estimate the size), you will have to describe the appearance and dimensions verbally: this is such a “petrified apple” (hard shell, like a nut) with a diameter of about 4 cm. As we immediately Guessed, you don’t need to eat leaves or shells :-), so they just cut it in half and saw ... maggots!:-O Yes, yes, such nasty white worms, slugs, from the mere sight of which it’s already sick ... We didn’t even immediately understand whether they were alive or not (you never know, the “worms” climbed the “apple” to eat) ... :-O and try This we did not venture right away ... But nevertheless, we decided and found that “the devil is not so terrible as he is painted” - this white, cloudy flesh turned out to taste almost exactly the same as that of the “ordinary”, that is, “grape-shaped”, with the only remark that, due to a certain fibrous structure, it was difficult to eat it to the end. Price - 400 rubles / kg (in one of Vladimir's supermarkets in early December 2007).
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Tasting No. 2
Time: September 2015.
Where to buy fruit: Thailand, Phuket island.
The “correct” fruit, that is, quickly brought straight from the place of growth (in this case, Thailand), improves photographs, visual and taste impressions (in this case, by as much as 1 point, to a “good” rating). :-) And there are no "maggots" there, but easily extractable white cloves, similar to boiled garlic cloves, but with taste sweet and sour grapes. :-)
Overall rating: increased, up to 4/5.
Passion fruit (maracuya)
Tasting No. 1
Time: May 2008.
Where to buy fruit: Russia, city of Vladimir.
I've been looking for this exotic fruit (also known as "passiflora"/"passiflora" or "passion fruit") for a long time, being the last one on my "must try" list (of those whose names are heard). And for a long time I could not find it in our city of Vladimir, perhaps due to the fact that I had little idea of how it should look like. And finally, my friend Nikolai (who is now a co-author-naturalist) quite by chance came to visit me and brought him as a gift, and not one, but three whole fruits (despite the high cost - 400+ rubles / kg in May - 2008)! :-) It was thanks to this that I found out that outwardly passion fruit is most similar to (maybe that's why I didn’t notice it, mistakenly believing that I had already tried it), and inside it’s closest to ... Although this time the inner flesh is the color of “childish surprise » with stones did not resemble red currants - except perhaps only for its sourness. On the whole, we were not able to find a similar taste in our taste memory (the taste of passion fruit juices is not considered), although this one in itself turned out to be not very memorable. As Nikolai rightly summed up, "the product is of little value." :-)
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
Tasting No. 2
Time: April 2016.
Where to buy fruit: India, Goa.
The second fruit that opens the replenishment of the collection straight from India. And again, an example of the correctness of my critics, when a specimen promptly brought from the places of growth, in terms of its taste sensations, turns out to be better than a “Russian” specimen of an unknown condition. Pleasant, refreshing taste of sweet and sour pulp - "mucus", enveloping the bones, which do not need to be separated and spit out - they are easily eaten without spoiling the taste, but unusually crunching.
Overall rating: increased, up to 4/5.
Medlar (loquat)
While in Rome, Nikolai and his wife went to a grocery store, where, in addition to the stalls with ordinary (and surprisingly cheap) fruits, Nikolai found a box with, as he first thought, apricots, but then he saw that it was not at all. It was not possible to identify on the move, so I took heels for testing. It was written on the label that it was “Nespole” (I don’t remember the price, but it’s inexpensive).
Before eating, first cut. Inside, two slippery bones were found tightly pressed against each other, easily separated from the rest of the mass. It is also easy, in three or four movements, the outer skin is removed, although you can eat it right in it, it is not much tougher than the same apricot. The taste, rather, can be compared with a peach - pleasantly sweet and sour. We ate it with pleasure, but did not buy it with us - the next morning, brownish spots from bruises appeared on the left pair of fruits, and we quickly finished them.
Overall rating: 5 / 5.
Papaya (papaya)
Outwardly, it looks like, and, therefore, like an ordinary domestic pear. But inside, everything is completely unexpected - the reddish pulp is more like a watermelon, and in combination with black beads of oily seeds, it generally looks like ... black caviar in red fish. All this did not cause me an appetite, but I decided to take a chance. Intuitively guessing that neither the skin nor the bone can be absorbed, I immediately proceeded to the pulp. The taste sensations are strange, it is difficult to compare with something; something similar to (although someone draws analogies with pumpkin, quince and even peach), but does not knit. In any case, it is somewhat tastier than avocado, but it did not cause me much enthusiasm. And even more so, it is not clear to whom and why it is needed for such a price (200+ rubles in May 2006). Once again I come to the conclusion that "exotic" is not synonymous with "surprisingly delicious" ...
Overall rating: 2 / 5.
Pepino (pepino)
This exotic fruit was unexpectedly bought for me by my wife Julia. It cost "crazy" money - as much as 114 rubles / piece. (copy in the photo) at the beginning of June 2007 in Vladimir (although I don’t think that the price for it changes much during the year), and who knows how much a kilogram costs ... In appearance - a smooth-skinned yellow pear, therefore, inside we assumed something like this ... And suddenly there was ... a melon inside! .. Almost natural melon, only dwarf and “non-melon” forms, as well as the pulp is the same (in texture, it tastes much less sweet, more lean), and the core (fringe of the stones), and the skin is somewhat similar (thin, easily separated ). They ate it with a clear effort - the fruit did not cause taste delight, although it turned out to be not as disgusting as it was. Nevertheless, we assumed that perhaps we underestimated it because it may not be a fruit, but a vegetable, but then this question was specifically clarified - no, it is a fruit, and very popular among residents South America. And what did they find in it?
Overall rating: 3 / 5.
P.S. A couple of copies of the same were brought to me by relatives in 2013 from Cyprus, unripe, along with instructions in English to what extent they should ripen (to a yellowish color and a noticeable smell). When ripe, we tried them again and felt exactly the same as five and a half years ago: barely sweet melon, which I nicknamed "Pepin's underdrink". :-) Of the family, for some reason, only the eldest son especially liked it.
Pitaya
Tasting No. 1
Time: December 2007.
Where to buy fruit: Russia, city of Vladimir.
In the supermarket, this fruit was for some reason signed in Russian as "pitahaya" (pitahaya). Then we were in such a hurry to try it that I forgot to put a teaspoon next to it when photographing, and I had to describe the appearance and dimensions verbally: an oblong red fruit about 10-12 cm long, all so leathery and with processes in the form of "scales" which really explains its "dragon-like" nature of one of its names ("dragon fruit" in English). The transparent jelly-like pulp, a little cloudy, resembles a large number of its small black bones, and even tastes somewhat like it, although not sweet at all, and barely sour - almost tasteless. We ate the pulp with teaspoons from a dense and inedible (more precisely, tasteless) peel - the process of eating itself was convenient, what can we deny - but only because someone had to eat up, and it didn’t cause us much enthusiasm at all ... What can we say about the price of 600 rubles / kg (in one of Vladimir's supermarkets in early December 2007) ...
Overall rating: 2 / 5.
Tasting No. 2
Time: September 2015.
Where to buy fruit: Thailand, Phuket island.
Responding to the criticism of many
On the shelves of our stores have long appeared tropical fruits with intricate names that we have never heard of. But from which side to approach these fruits and how to use them, for many it still remains a mystery.
Guava
This fruit comes from tropical America, today it can be found in Egypt, Israel or Thailand. Guava fruits, which look like small pears, can be eaten with the peel and seeds.
The leaves of the plant have a magical property to relieve toothache. The taste of guava is reminiscent of strawberries and pears. The edible center can be white, yellow or red.
May be seedless or with pale edible seeds. Round, oval, pear-shaped guava can be up to 5-10 cm long. It is rich in vitamin C, as well as vitamin A, fiber, potassium, phosphorus. Guava is used in juices, jams and desserts.
Guava goes well with dairy products, and also normalizes blood pressure and perfectly stimulates digestion, which is sometimes simply necessary during the acclimatization period.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit fruits, or as it is also called Indian breadfruit, are the size of a large green melon and weighing up to 40 kg, can be found in Southern Thailand. Juicy yellow fruit slices, spreading a strong aroma, have a rather specific taste.
Most often they are eaten raw, cut into strips and poured with crushed ice syrup. Unripe jackfruit is also used as a vegetable, adding to vegetable sauces and soups.
In addition to the pulp of the fruit itself, the locals have adapted to eat fruit flowers, adding them to hot peppers or shrimp sauce, young leaves and seeds go to papaya salad, and candied fruits are made from jackfruit peel.
durian
Actually, durian became famous precisely because its fruits have an exceptional taste, but a very unpleasant, indescribable smell. It is also called the "king of all fruits" - because of the huge amount of vitamins and minerals.
The fruits of durian, the king of Thai fruits, weigh from 2 to 10 kg, and their flesh, or rather large seeds, are protected by huge, frightening-looking thorns. It is believed that the smaller the durian seeds, the stronger they smell.
The first time you try durian is in the fresh air and in small quantities. Local residents use durian not only in its pure form, they add the pulp of the fruit to ice cream, pies, mousses, canned it and candied it.
carambola
In appearance, carambola resembles yellow starfish, and its sweet and sour pulp, reminiscent of an apple, orange and grape at the same time, crunches pleasantly on the teeth. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are considered the birthplace of carambola, however, it can also be found in Brazil.
Carambola fruits reach 5-12 cm in length, go well with cheese and, like guava fruits, contain a large amount of vitamin C.
Carambola is of two types - sour, which is used mainly for the preparation of various drinks, and sweet, the fruits of which are consumed fresh or candied.
Kiwano
Horned melon, African cucumber, English tomato - these are all names generously endowed by Europeans African plant kiwano, which really belongs to the cucumber and melon family.
Today, kiwanos are grown not only in Africa, but also in California and New Zealand. Bright yellow oblong fruits of kiwano with small thorns-growths on the peel, with rich green flesh and numerous white seeds taste like a cross between cucumber, melon, lime and banana.
The pulp of this fruit is added to desserts, cakes, ice cream and cocktails. From the peel of unripe fruits, they make a kind of dishes for fruit salads.
Kumquat
Kumquat, kinkan or Chinese mandarin is common in Japan, Southeast Asia, Greece and the United States.
Unlike other citrus fruits, the bright orange kumquat is eaten with a thin peel, which gives the fruit pulp a spicy flavor. For residents of eastern countries, kumquat replaces lemon - it is added to meat and fish dishes, desserts and salads.
They say that kumquat relieves better than any medicine. morning hangover, so if you accidentally drank tequila or something similar at a local restaurant the day before with friends, a slice of this unusual tangerine will save you.
Kuruba
This vegetable is called the queen of the desert plateaus of Colombia, Uruguay and Bolivia. Outwardly, kuruba resembles a large cucumber with a yellowish-green velvety skin, its flesh consists of numerous transparent orange grains, each of which contains a dark seed.
The pulp of kuruba is very aromatic and has a sour taste. Kuruba is indispensable during long walks through the hot streets, as it perfectly quenches thirst and, in addition, is an excellent medicine for European stomachs accustomed to eating from fast food.
Lychee
At one time, lychee was brought to Thailand from China, so the fruit was considered quite expensive. Now in the north of the country there are many farms where lychee is grown, however, all the same, prices for it remain higher than for other fruits. There are a lot of varieties of lychee. In general, the fruit is characterized by a sweet taste and delicate flesh, similar to grapes, color - from pink to purple.
Longan
The homeland of the longan, which received the nickname "dragon's eye" because of its appearance, is Thailand and China. Longan fruits are brown or yellow-red in color, have a thin but strong skin, the pulp of the fruit is transparent and almost colorless, inside which there is a dark seed resembling the pupil of an ancient lizard.
Longan has a sweet taste with a characteristic musky flavor, its flesh is rich in vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. It is sold like grapes in whole bunches. Tea is brewed from the bark of the longan tree, the juice from its fruits quenches thirst, refreshes and even improves appetite. By the way, longan tolerates freezing well and can be stored frozen for several weeks, so if you visit Thailand or China, you can not only taste this fruit yourself, but also take a couple of branches with you as an exotic present.
Lulo
Lulo resembles an ordinary yellow tomato, but only in appearance. Inside this fruit are many creamy white seeds. The taste of lulo is also somewhat unusual - a kind of mix of pineapple, strawberries and the same tomato.
Lulo grows in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Central America. The fruit contains a large amount of vitamin A and phosphorus. Freshly squeezed juice from lulo will enrich your body with vital energy, calm your nerves and at the same time make your hair and nails even more beautiful.
Mangosteen
The cute mangosteen, mangosteen or garcinia grows in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Honduras, Sri Lanka and the Philippines and is considered one of the most delicious fruits in the world. No wonder the Queen of England Victoria herself loved to eat fresh mangosteen.
The dense purple-brown skin of the mangosteen hides under itself small white jelly-like slices of pulp with a tart sweet taste.
Mangosteen has antioxidant action, so a glass of freshly squeezed juice from this fruit in the morning will give you not only taste pleasure, but also protect your skin from the scorching sun and make it smoother.
Pitahaya
The fruits of pitahaya, a tree-like cactus, can be tasted in such countries of Southeast Asia as Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, and Taiwan.
Pitahaya fruits can be yellow, red, orange, the flesh is from white to purple, but always filled with small dark seeds, which are usually cleaned before use.
For its unusual appearance, the pitahaya was nicknamed the "dragon fruit" and "prickly pear", however, the taste of this fruit is somewhat inferior to its bright appearance - not too fragrant, not too rich, not too sweet.
Despite this, the juice and pulp of pitahaya are eaten with pleasure in its pure form, and are also added to sweet confectionery, jam is made from the pulp and jelly is prepared, the juice is mixed with lime or lemon and used as the basis for summer refreshing drinks.
Rambutan
The name of the rambutan fruit, which is often referred to as the hairy fruit, comes from the Malaysian word for hair. The thing is that the bright red peel of rambutan is completely covered with hairs of dark or light brown color, the tips of which have a greenish tint. The pulp of rambutan gelatinous texture is white-yellow.
Despite the inedible name and intimidating appearance, the taste of rambutan is more than pleasant. The pulp of the fruit, which, like longan, is sold in bunches (the fruit of rambutan is no larger than a walnut), is consumed both raw and in the form of compote, jam, and stuffing for pies. Rambutan is added to sauces and ice cream.
Unfortunately, rambutan is very poorly stored, so the import of this fruit to other countries is very difficult.
sapodilla
Another fruit that grows on the plantations of Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and India is the sapodilla. With a kiwi-like beige rough skin, reddish-brown flesh that is grainy in texture and honey-sweet in taste, and persimmon-like pits, sapodilla is prized for its high calcium and vitamin A content.
It is almost impossible to see sapodilla in European supermarkets - like rambutan, this fruit is not stored for a long time, and besides, it does not have a very pleasant taste when unripe.
Tamarilo
This exotic fruit is native to Latin America and New Zealand. For external resemblance to tomatoes, the first colonialists called the plant tamarilo a tomato tree.
Tamarilo is also similar in size to a tomato - from 2 to 7 cm - but, unlike tomatoes, the taste of this fruit is sweet and sour and, before tasting, tamarilo should be peeled.
Tamarilo, like many other tropical fruits, is rich in antioxidants that slow down skin aging, and contains an increased amount of vitamin C. Locals use tamarilo both as a fruit - eating it for dessert with ice cream, and as a vegetable - frying it with onions and serving as garnish.
Yam
Yams are a staple food for islanders living in New Zealand. However, do not rush to taste the yams. The fact is that before putting a piece of this exotic vegetable in their mouth, the locals subject both the leaves and the fruits of the plant to a thorough cooking to break down the toxic calcium oxalate it contains.
Yam tubers resemble potatoes in appearance, and they are cooked like a vegetable known to us - boiled, baked, steamed. After removing the peel, the yams are served with stewed onions or fried in oil. True, unlike potatoes, one yam tuber can reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 70 kg.
Only the most timid traveler, once in exotic country, embarrassed by the appearance, smell or name, will refuse to try any unfamiliar fruit. Accustomed to apples and oranges, tourists can hardly force themselves to bite off a piece of mangosteen, durian or herring. Meanwhile, it is the gastronomic revelation that can become one of the most vivid impressions of the entire trip.
Below are exotic fruits from different countries - with a photo, description and English equivalents of names.
Durian
Durian fruit - "a fruit with the taste of heaven and the smell of hell" - wrong oval shape, with very sharp spines. Under the skin - viscous pulp with unique taste. The “king of fruits” has a strong ammonium smell, so strong that durian is forbidden to be transported on airplanes and carried into hotel rooms, as evidenced by the corresponding posters and signs at the entrance. Thailand's most fragrant and most exotic fruit is very rich in vitamins and nutrients.
A few rules for those who want to taste (by no means try!) Durian:
- Do not try to choose the fruit yourself, especially in the off season. Ask the seller about this, let him cut and pack it in a transparent film. Or find already packaged fruit in the supermarket.
- Lightly press down on the pulp. It should not be elastic, but easily slip under the fingers, as butter. Elastic pulp already smells unpleasant.
- It is undesirable to combine with alcohol, since the pulp of durian acts on the body as a stimulant of great power. Thais believe that durian warms the body, and a Thai proverb says that the "heat" of durian can be tempered with the coolness of mangosteen.
Where to try: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia.
Season: April to September, depending on the region.
Mangosteen
Other names are mangosteen, mangosteen. This tender fruit with thick purple skin and round leaves at the stalk. The white flesh resembles a peeled orange and has a hard to describe sweet and sour taste. Inside the mangosteen are six or more soft white slices: the more there are, the fewer seeds. To choose the right mangosteen, you need to take the most purple fruits in your hand and gently squeeze: the peel should not be hard, but not very soft either. If the skin breaks unevenly in different places, the fetus is already stale. You can open the fruit by making a hole in the peel with a knife and fingers. Do not try to take the slices with your hands: the pulp is so tender that you just crush it. Handles transportation well.
Where to try: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica.
Season:
Jackfruit
Other names are Indian breadfruit, eve. It is a large fruit with thick, spiky, yellow-green skin. The pulp is yellow, sweet, with an unusual smell and taste of a Duchesse pear. The segments are separated from each other and sold in bags. The ripened pulp is eaten fresh, the unripe is cooked. Jackfruit is mixed with other fruits, added to ice cream, coconut milk. The seeds are edible when boiled.
Where to try: Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore.
Season: January to August, depending on the region.
Lychee (Lychee)
Other names - litchi, Chinese plum. The heart-shaped or round fruit grows in clusters. Under the bright red skin - white transparent pulp, juicy and sweet in taste. In the off-season in Asian countries, these tropical fruits sold in canned or in plastic bags.
Where to try: Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Australia, China.
Season: from May to July.
Mango
One of the most popular fruits in all tropical countries. The fruits are large, ovoid, elongated or spherical in shape. The pulp is yellow and orange, juicy, sweet. The smell of mango resembles the aroma of apricot, rose, melon, lemon. Unripe green fruits are also eaten - they are eaten with salt and pepper. It is convenient to peel the fruit with a sharp knife.
Where to try: Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil, Cuba.
Season: year-round; peak in Thailand from March to May, in Vietnam in winter and spring, in Indonesia from September to December.
Papaya
Large fruit with yellow-green skin. The cylindrical fruits of exotic fruits reach 20 centimeters in length. Taste is a cross between melon and pumpkin. Ripe papaya has bright orange flesh that is extraordinarily tender and pleasant to eat and aids in digestion. Unripe papaya is added to spicy thai salad(catfish there), they fry it, stew meat with it.
Where to try: India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bali, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Longan
Other names are lam-yai, "dragon's eye". It's round brown fruit like a small potato. Very sweet and juicy and high in calories. Easily peelable skin covers a transparent white or pink pulp, close in consistency to jelly. In the core of the fruit is a large black bone. Longan is good for health, but you should not eat a lot at once: this will lead to an increase in body temperature.
Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China.
Season: mid-June to mid-September.
Rambutan
Rambutan is one of the most famous tropical fruits, which is characterized by "increased hairiness." Under the red fleecy skin lies a white translucent flesh with a sweet taste. To get to it, you need to "twist" the fruit in the middle. The fruits are eaten fresh or canned with sugar. Raw seeds are poisonous, while roasted seeds are harmless. When choosing, you need to be guided by color: the pinker, the better.
Where to try: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, partly Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba.
Season: mid-April to mid-October.
Pitaya
Other names are pitahaya, long yang, "dragon fruit", "dragon fruit". This is the fruit of a cactus from the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitaya). Very beautiful in appearance: bright pink, the size of a large apple, slightly elongated. The peel is covered with large scales, the edges are green. If you remove the skin (as in the case of an orange), inside you can see a dense white, red or purple flesh with many small seeds. Good in fruit cocktails in combination with lime.
Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, partially Japan, USA, Australia, Israel.
Season: all year round.
Carambola (Carambola)
Other names are "tropical stars", starfruit, kamrak. Its yellow or green fruits are similar in size and shape to sweet peppers. On the cut, they have the shape of a star - hence the name. Ripe fruits are juicy, with a slight floral taste, not very sweet. Unripe fruits contain a lot of vitamin C. They are good in salads and smoothies, they do not need to be peeled.
Where to try: Borneo island, Thailand, Indonesia.
Season: all year round.
Pomelo
This fruit has a lot of names - pomelo, pamela, pompelmus, Chinese grapefruit, sheddock, etc. The citrus fruit looks like a huge grapefruit with white, pink or yellow pulp, which, however, is much sweeter. It is widely used in cooking and cosmetology. The smell is the best guide when buying: the stronger it is, the more concentrated, rich and fresh the taste of the pomelo will be.
Where to try: Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Tahiti, Israel, USA.
Season: all year round.
Guava
Other names are guava, guava. Round, oblong or pear-shaped fruit (4 to 15 centimeters) with white flesh and yellow hard seeds. Edible from skin to bone. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow, and it is eaten with the peel - to improve digestion and stimulate the heart. Unripe, it is eaten like a green mango, sprinkled with spices and salt.
Where to try: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Tunisia.
Season: all year round.
Sapodilla (Sapodilla)
Other names are sapotilla, tree potato, akhra, chicu. A fruit that looks like a kiwi or a plum. The ripe fruit has a milky-caramel taste. Sapodilla can "knit" a little, like a persimmon. Most often it is used for making desserts and salads. Unripe fruits are used in cosmetology and traditional medicine.
Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, USA (Hawaii).
Season: from September to December.
Sugar Apple
A very useful pale green fruit. Under the pronouncedly bumpy marsh-green peel hides a sweet aromatic pulp and bones the size of beans. Aroma with barely perceptible coniferous notes. Ripe fruits are moderately soft to the touch, unripe - hard, overripe falling apart in the hands. Serves as the basis for Thai ice cream.
Where to try: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, China.
Season: from June to September.
Chompoo
Other names are rose apple, Malabar plum. It is shaped like a sweet pepper. It comes in both pink and light green. The pulp is white, dense. It is not necessary to clean it, there are no bones. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything and resembles more slightly sweetened water. But when chilled, these tropical fruits quench their thirst well.
Where to try: India, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Aki (Ackee)
Aki, or bligia delicious, is pear-shaped with a red-yellow or orange skin. After full ripening, the fruit bursts, and a creamy pulp with large glossy seeds comes out. These are the most dangerous exotic fruits in the world: unripe (unopened) fruits are highly poisonous due to the high content of toxins. They can only be eaten after special treatment, such as prolonged boiling. Aki tastes like a walnut. In West Africa, soap is made from the skin of the unripe fruit, and the pulp is used to catch fish.
Where to try: USA (Hawaii), Jamaica, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia.
Season: January to March and June to August.
Ambarella (Ambarella)
Other names are Cythera apple, yellow plum, Polynesian plum, sweet mombin. oval fruits golden color with a thin hard peel are collected in clusters. Inside - crispy, juicy, yellow flesh and hard bone with thorns. It tastes like a cross between pineapple and mango. Ripe fruits are eaten raw, juices, jams, marmalade are prepared from them, unripe fruits are used as a side dish, added to soups.
Where to try: Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Jamaica, Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname.
Season: from July to August.
Bam-balan (Bambangan)
Winner in the nomination "The most native taste". Bam-balan resembles borscht with sour cream or mayonnaise. The fruit is oval in shape, dark in color, the smell is a bit harsh. To get to the pulp, you just need to remove the skin. Fruit is also added to garnishes.
Where to try: Borneo island (Malaysian part).
Salak (Salak)
Other names are lard, herring, rakum, "snake fruit". Round or oblong small fruits grow in clusters. Color - red or brown. The peel is covered with small spines and can be easily removed with a knife. There are three sweet segments inside. The taste is rich, sweet and sour, reminiscent of either persimmon or pear.
Where to try: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia.
Season: all year round.
Bael (Bael)
Other names are tree apple, stone apple, Bengal quince. When ripe, the gray-green fruit turns yellow or brown. The peel is dense, just like a nut, and it is impossible to get to it without a hammer, so the pulp itself is most often sold in the markets. It is yellow, with fleecy seeds, divided into segments. Bail is eaten fresh or dried. It is also used to make tea and sharbat drink. The fruit has an irritating effect on the throat, causing itching, so the first experience of interacting with bail may be unsuccessful.
Where to try: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand.
Season: from November to December.
Kiwano
Also - horned melon, African cucumber, horned cucumber. When ripe, the shell is covered with yellow spikes, and the flesh becomes saturated green color. Oblong fruits are not peeled, but cut like a melon or watermelon. Taste is a mix of banana, melon, cucumber, kiwi and avocado. In other words, it can be added to both sweet and spicy dishes and marinate. Unripe fruits are also edible.
Where to try: Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Israel, USA (California).
Season: all year round.
Magic Fruit (Miracle Fruit)
Other names are wonderful berries, sweet puteria. The name of the exotic fruit was deservedly deserved. The taste of the fruit itself does not stand out in any way, but for an hour it will seem to a person that everything he eats after is sweet. Taste buds are deceived by a special protein found in magical fruits, miraculin. Sweet foods seem tasteless.
Where to try: West Africa, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Australia, USA (South Florida).
Season: all year round.
Tamarind (Tamarind)
Tamarind, or Indian date, belongs to the legume family, but it is also consumed as a fruit. Curved fruits up to 15 centimeters long with brown skin and sweet and sour pulp. It is used as a spice, is part of the famous Worcestershire sauce and is used to prepare snacks, desserts and various drinks. Sweets are prepared from ripe dried tamarind. As a souvenir, tourists bring home meat sauce and cocktail syrup based on Indian dates.
Where to try: Thailand, Australia, Sudan, Cameroon, Oman, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama.
Season: from October to February.
Marula (Marula)
Fresh marula is found exclusively on the African continent, and all because after ripening, the fruits begin to ferment in a matter of days. It turns out such a low-alcohol drink (you can meet elephants “drunk” from marula). Ripe fruits are yellow in color and look like plums. The flesh is white, with a hard bone. Until the fermentation process began, she pleasant aroma and unsweetened taste.
Where to try: South Africa (Mauritius, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Botswana, etc.)
Season: since March.
Kumquat (Kumquat)
Other names are Japanese orange, fortunella, kinkan, Golden Apple. The fruits are small, really look like mini-oranges, the crust is very thin. Edible whole, excluding bones. It tastes a little sourer than an orange, smells like a lime.
Where to try: China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Greece (Corfu), USA (Florida).
Season: from May to June, on sale all year round.
Citron (Citron)
Other names are Buddha's hand, cedrat, Corsican lemon. A trivial content is hidden behind external originality: oblong fruits are an almost continuous peel, reminiscent of lemon in taste and violet in smell. It can only be used for making compotes, jellies and candied fruits. Often the hand of the Buddha is planted in a pot as an ornamental plant.
Where to try: China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India.
Season: from October to December.
Pepino (Pepino Dulce)
Also - sweet cucumber, melon pear. Formally, this is a berry, although it is very large. The fruits are varied, come in different sizes, shapes and colors, some have a bright yellow color with red or purple strokes. The pulp tastes like melon, pumpkin and cucumber. Overripe pepino are not tasty, just like unripe ones.
Where to try: Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Indonesia.
Season: all year round.
Mameya (Mamey)
Other names are sapota. The fruit is small, round. Inside - orange pulp, to taste, as you might guess, resembles an apricot. It is added to pies and cakes, canned, and jelly is prepared from unripe fruits.
Where to try: Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Antilles, USA (Florida, Hawaii), Southeast Asia.
Naranjilla
Other names are naranjilla, lulo, the golden fruit of the Andes. Outwardly, naranjilla looks like a shaggy tomato, although it tastes like pineapple and strawberries. Pulp juice is used to make fruit salads, ice cream, yogurt, biscuits, sweet sauces and smoothies.
Where to try: Venezuela, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile.
Season: from September to November.
Other names are Indian mulberry, cheese fruit, pig apple. The fruit is the size of a potato or a large plum, the skin is translucent. When ripe, noni turns from green to yellow and almost white. Noni has a sharp aroma and bitter taste, which is why it is sometimes called the "vomit fruit". Popular rumor ascribes to noni the properties of curing almost half of the diseases, and some call it the most useful exotic fruit.
Where to try: Malaysia, Polynesia, Australia, Southeast Asia.
Season: all year round.
Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba)
Also Jaboticaba, a Brazilian grape tree. The fruits, which look like grapes or currants, grow in clusters on trunks and main branches. The skin is bitter. Juices are made from the pulp alcoholic drinks, jelly, marmalade.
Juicy and fragrant fruits are shaped like a melon, reach a length of 25 centimeters, a width of 12 centimeters. The skin is slightly hard, red-brown. The flesh is white, sour-sweet, the seeds are arranged in five nests. It is eaten fresh and used to make juices, yoghurts, liqueurs, jams, sweets and chocolates. It is believed that the most delicious cupuaçu is the one that fell to the ground.
Where to try: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Marang
Marang fruits are elongated, thick skin covered with thorns that harden as they ripen. Inside - white slices with seeds, are quite large, with a third of the palm. Everyone describes the taste in their own way. So, some are sure that it resembles a sundae in a waffle cup, others that it resembles marshmallow. Others can't describe their feelings at all. Marang is not exported because it spoils instantly. If the dents do not straighten out when pressed, it must be eaten urgently. If the fetus is slightly squeezable, it should be allowed to lie down for a couple of days. Marang is usually eaten fresh but is also used in desserts and cocktails. The seeds are roasted or boiled.
Where to try: Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Borneo, Australia.
Season: from August to the end of April.
fruits of thailand
Fruit is sold all year round, although in the off season mangosteen, for example, is not very common, and pineapples are twice as expensive. You can buy in the markets, from street stalls, from merchants with mobile carts.
Pineapple, banana, guava, jackfruit, durian, melon, carambola, coconut, lychee, longan, longkong, mango, mangosteen, tangerine, mapla, noina, papaya, pitaya, pomelo, rambutan, herring, sapodilla, tamarind, jujube.
Fruits of Vietnam
Vietnam, one of the largest suppliers of fruits in the world market, can seriously compete even with Thailand. Most fruit in the south of Vietnam. In the off season, prices for especially exotic fruits can increase by 2-3 times.
Avocado, pineapple, watermelon, banana, guava, jackfruit, durian, melon, star apple, green orange, carambola, coconut, lychee, longan, mango, mangosteen, tangerine, passion fruit, milk apple, mombin, noina, papaya, pitahaya, rambutan, rose apple, sapodilla, tangerine, citron.
fruits of india
India is located in several climatic zones at once, which creates favorable conditions for growing fruits that are characteristic of both tropical and temperate zones (highlands). On the shelves you can find familiar apples, peaches and grapes and exotic coconuts, papaya and sapodilla.
Avocado, pineapple, anonna (cherimoya), watermelon, banana, guava, guava, jackfruit, fig, carambola, coconut, mango, tangerine, passion fruit, papaya, sapodilla, tamarind.
Egyptian fruits
Harvest in Egypt is harvested in spring and autumn, so the "season" of fruit is almost always here. The exception is the border periods, for example, early spring, when the "winter" fruits have already departed, and the "summer" ones are just on the way.
Apricot, quince, orange, watermelon, banana, grape, pomegranate, grapefruit, pear, guava, melon, fig, cantaloupe, carambola, kiwi, red banana, lemon, mango, marania, medlar, pepino, peach, pitaya, pomelo, sugar apple, physalis, date, persimmon.
Fruits in Cuba
In contrast to the same Egypt, the seasons in Cuba are expressed much more clearly. All year round you can buy pineapples, oranges, bananas, guava, papaya. In July-August, the most delicious mangoes, in the summer the season of mamonchillo, cherimoya, carambola and avocado also starts, in the spring - coconuts, watermelons, grapefruits.
Avocado, Pineapple, Annona, Orange, Banana, Barbados Cherry, Grapefruit, Guava, Caimito, Carambola, Coconut, Lime, Lemon, Mamonchillo, Mango, Passion Fruit, Papaya, Sapodilla, Tamarind, Cherimoya.
Fruit in the Dominican Republic
In the tropical Dominican Republic, there are predictably a lot of fruits: from the most familiar ones like bananas and pineapples to exotic ones - granadillas, mamonchillos and sapots.
Avocado, pineapple, annona, watermelon, banana, granadilla, pomegranate, grapefruit, guanabana, melon, caimito, kiwi, coconut, mamonchillo, mammon, mango, passionfruit, sea grapes, medlar, noni, papaya, pitahaya, sapota.
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