Unusual Fruits from the South East

Having spent several months in the south east asian region, I’ve come across some interesting fruits which were earlier unknown to me. In this post I’m sharing the ones I ventured to try out:

Durian – regarded as the king of fruits by many, this one is the most popular in this region. The porcupine husk and overpowering smell are its most distinctive features. Some say the smell is pleasant while it’s disgusting according to others. To me, the smell lies somewhere in between. I’ve tried it once and surprisingly Durian tastes like a dessert rather than a fruit to me. Its yellow, sweet and creamy inside. Some say it’s an acquired taste but in my first sampling of this fruit, I hated it!

Dragon Fruit – I first got to try on a flight to Thailand. The fruit was served with the in-flight meal and was neatly cut and wrapped. I didn’t know it then that this was dragon fruit as its interior is so different from its vibrant exterior. Only later when I bought it from the market, peeled and cut it at home did I realize that I had already had it on that flight. I quite like this one. Tastes very similar to kiwi.

Mangosteen – now these look ugly on the outside and for a long time I shied away from trying it especially after my encounter with Durians. Then one day strolling by a fruit vendor, I requested if I could have just one to sample. The vendor obliged, picked one, peeled it and handed it to me smiling away. I picked one of the whitish bulbs and popped it into my mouth. To my surprise, the taste was quite nice, very similar to Lychee. Rightly, Mangosteen is regarded as the queen of fruits in this region.

Rambutan – this one is scary looking and I’m yet to try it out. Although, I’ve heard it’s a good tasting fruit.

Anyone aware of any other local fruits? How was your experience with some of the above? Do share!