Intoxicating aromas, ripe fruits and juicy taste fruit can rightfully be called Thailand a fruit country. Thailand's warm tropical climate and abundant rainfall are ideal for growing a huge variety of fruits. Some of Thailand's fruits are native to the country, while others were brought from other tropical regions and are currently grown here.
Everyone knows the fruits of pineapples, oranges, watermelons, bananas, grapes, melons, coconuts, tangerines, etc., but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many of these fruits are not exported to other countries because they start to deteriorate in transit. Even if they end up in other countries, then there it is more expensive than in Thailand.
Some of Thailand's fruits are incredibly sweet and juicy. Fresh fruit is popular with Thais at all times, allowing them to snack on the fruit and consume it as a dessert. They serve them in salads or cook them different ways for example, slicing fruit in a beautiful way, which is a traditional art, thus creating beautiful buffets.
Some fruits are seasonal in Thailand, others grow all year round but there is always a wide variety of fruits available to tourists.
Thais very often wait for their favorite fruits to appear. Prices vary depending on the season and the quality of the fruit.
Thailand fruit names
Season: May to August.
They are not as common in the market, but you can find them quite often. The plant itself is a tree that grows in forests. There are 2-3 segments with a bone inside the fetus. They have a sour taste.
Season: All year round.
The Thai name for the fruit means white or western woman. The fruit is native to Tropical America. Guava tastes sweet and sour.
Season: January to May.
This fruit is very large, ugly and smelly. These are the largest fruits in the world. They weigh over 30 kilograms. Despite their unattractive appearance, the inside of the fruit contains a delicious sweet pulp, consisting of slippery juicy fibers. You can buy the fruit whole or cut already.
Season: Peak May to August.
This is the king of Thai fruits. The fruit can weigh up to 5 kilograms. It is famous for its strong unpleasant odor but delicate taste. The fruit is not for everyone, not everyone can overcome its smell. You can buy ready-made peeled fruit or cut it yourself. It is forbidden to be with durian in hotels and public places.
Season: All year round.
The inside contains pulp and refreshing milk.
Season: June to October only.
This fruit is similar to longan. Inside, the pulp is divided into segments. The fruit tastes sweet. Some segments contain inedible seeds.
Season: April to June only.
This fruit is native to China. It is now widely cultivated in Northern Thailand. They are extremely popular all over the world. The fruits grow on trees. Inside, the pulp has a sweet taste, contains a bone. There are many varieties of two main types.
Season: June to August only.
It is one of Thailand's classic fruits and is very popular with the locals. The fruit grows in a bunch, like grapes. The fruit is similar in shape and taste to lychee. The fruits are canned and distributed throughout the world.
Season: Peak from January to May.
The Thai mango is one of the sweetest in the world. Thais eat them differently. Some people eat them when they are still green and sour. During this time, you can eat them with sugar or use them to make sour salads like catfish-tam, which are usually made from papaya, but green mango can be an alternative. When the mango is ripe, they turn yellow or orange in color and become very sweet. Inside contains a bone. Thais love to eat them with rice.
Season: Peak May to September.
Season: All year round.
This fruit was imported to Asia from Mexico over 400 years ago. When the fruit is still green and sour, it is used as the main ingredient in the popular thai dishes catfish-there. The ripe fruit is yellow or orange in color.
Season: All year round.
A very amazing looking fruit. Use a knife to cut the fruit in half. The inside of the fruit has a white flesh with many black seeds that can be eaten with a spoon. When the fruits are fully ripe, they taste sweet and aromatic.
Season: Peak from August to October.
It is a large, round citrus fruit similar to a grapefruit. Pomelo is commonly eaten in fresh but also used in salads.
... Season: May to September only.
The fruit contains a hairy skin that needs to be peeled. The inside of the fruit has a sweet white pulp with a bone.
Season: June to September.
It is shaped like a bell in shades from red to green.
Salakka, a large snake fruit... Season: June to September.
This fruit grows in hard-to-reach places. The hard shell of the fruit consists of brown to dark red scales. The inside of the fruit contains an edible yellow-white pulp that has a sweet taste.
Season: May to August.
The fruit has a peel. The pulp tastes sweet and soft.
Season: Peak June to September.
This fruit is about the size of an apple and has green scales. The fruit is peeled. The inside of the flesh is white and sweet. The seeds are inedible.
Season: Peak September to November.
They look like beans. They have a sweet and sour taste. They are mainly used as a seasoning for dishes. The fruits contain seeds. The seeds are edible boiled and fried.
The names of these fruits are not widely known to ordinary people in Russia. We hope this article was useful to you. We would be very grateful if you leave a comment under this article!
Thailand is an exotic country where a lot of new things are revealed to tourists. Including great amount juicy fruits. Many travelers know nothing about them, but the fruits of Asia have their own characteristics. Fruit is best bought in non-tourist markets where prices are not overpriced. From habit, it is better not to get carried away, try no more than 1-2 species per day. Some fruits have a specific aroma, which is why they are not allowed to be brought into the hotel room.
Durian (too-ree-an)- the king of all fruits. Not only in price, but also in size. Large prickly fruit. Durian's weight reaches five kg. Grows on trees, has several varieties. The fruit has an unpleasant repulsive smell and a unique sweet taste, reminiscent of vanilla and honey. The fruit is very satisfying, so it is better to take it piece by piece. Durian raises blood pressure, while drinking with alcohol can be harmful to health. It is forbidden to take out of the country and bring to the room.
Longan (lam-yai)- eye of the Dragon. Small fruits with thin skin and juicy pulp. Thais prefer to use this fruit not only fresh, but also as a side dish for hot dishes. Longan is not expensive - about 50 baht per kg. The fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, iron and calcium. Consuming large amounts of Longan will increase your body temperature. Only the sour-sweet pulp of the fruit is eaten.
Sweet tamarind (ma-kham-wan)... Similar to legumes. The inside of the fruit contains dark, sweet, tart bones that are used for food. Has a mild laxative effect. Tamarind costs about 35 baht per kg. For local residents, a tamarind tree planted on the site brings financial well-being. This fruit is not only eaten fresh, but also widely used in Thai cuisine for the preparation of drinks, sauces and spices.
Dragon fruit- pitaya. A bright fruit with a scaly skin that grows on a cactus tree. The cost does not exceed 60 baht. Dragon fruit has a sweet and juicy pulp, but it does not differ in aroma and pronounced taste. It tastes very similar to kiwi, rich in vitamins, useful for patients with diabetes, poor circulation and endocrine diseases.
Guava (farang)- very similar to a yellow-green pear. The fruit is usually eaten with the skin and sprinkled with sugar, as there is no particularly pronounced taste. The cost varies around 20 baht per kg. Guava is very beneficial for the heart and intestines.
Carambola (ma-feung) - star fruit... Juicy yellow fruit with a floral taste in the shape of a star. Rich in vitamin C and trace elements. There is an opinion among local residents that carambola prevents the formation of kidney stones. It helps well with hangover syndrome. It has a tart taste and is widely used as a vegetable in salads, sauces and marinades. The cost is about 60 baht per kg.
Papaya (ma-la-ko)... A large fleshy orange berry, but its taste is peculiar, reminiscent of boiled sweet carrots. It is used both as a fruit and as a vegetable. Papaya is prepared with meat, it goes well with it. It can also be added to salads. The cost does not exceed 30 baht per kg. An extremely useful berry, useful enzymes of which are widely used in medicine. An unripe fruit is very poisonous. Papaya is a very ancient berry, it was first mentioned in the culture of the Maya and Aztecs.
Mangosteen (mong-khut)- the queen of fruits. Small round dark fruit with exquisite taste and aroma. Mangosteen combines rose, lemon, apricot and melon. He was loved by Queen Victoria, but in Thailand the fruit is considered sacred. Legend has it that Buddha was walking through the forest on a white elephant and found a mangosteen. He understood the healing properties of the fruit and presented a gift to people. The cost does not exceed 35-40 baht per kg. Mangosteen is eaten immediately after durian, it perfectly quenches thirst and removes the smell. The fruit is very healthy, contains calcium, niacin and phosphorus. It has a refreshing and rejuvenating effect. The peel contains tannin, a wound-healing antiseptic.
It got its name from the Indian language Tupi Guarani. Locals call it the fruit of passion. The plant looks like a liana, the fruits of which have sweet and sour taste... Passion fruit juice has a tonic effect on the body. Regular use this fruit improves digestion and sleep. It is widely used in cosmetology and medicine. The cost does not exceed 20 baht per piece. Passion fruit is eaten with a spoon, after cutting it in half.
Jackfruit (kha-nun)- breadfruit, outwardly similar to durian in size and thorns. But that's where the similarities end. Inside the jackfruit are very sweet slices, similar to pineapple and melon in taste. They are packaged in 6-8 pieces and sell for no more than 20 baht. Unripe jackfruit is used as a vegetable, in meat dishes and soups. Rich in nutrients, vitamins and trace elements. The fruit grows on large trees, the fruits are the same size as watermelons.
Longkong (ma-nuang)- a small fruit growing in bunches, has a lemon-tangerine flavor. Eat longkong pulp by peeling off the skin. Care should be taken not to bite into the bitter bones. Contains calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. The cost is about 40 baht per kg.
Lychee (lin-chi)- white pulp with red skin. It tastes like strawberries, very sweet. Grows in the northern part of the country. The fruit is saturated with B vitamins, improves digestion and quenches thirst. Eat the pulp by removing the skin. The cost is about 60 baht per kg.
Tangerine (som)- Thai mandarin. Differs in thinner skin and smaller size. Rich in vitamin C and fiber. In Thailand, various drinks are made from tangerine, including compotes. The cost does not exceed 30 baht per kg.
Rambutan (ngo)- shaggy red sweet fruit... The name comes from the Malaysian word "rambut" - hair. The pulp is eaten, after having removed the skin. The fruit contains substances that increase the elasticity of the skin, B vitamins, as well as iron, calcium, niacin and phosphorus. The cost is about 40 baht per kg.
- sugar apple. An unripe fruit tastes like a crunchy apple, and when ripe, it has a delicate pulp. It grows on a tree, looks like a pine cone. Usually noina is eaten raw, but ice cream is especially tasty from it. It is widely used in medicine - boiled noyna lowers the temperature, roots and bark help with dysentery. People with diabetes should not get carried away because of the high sugar content. The cost is about 50 baht per kg.
Mango (mamuang) bright yellow large, very aromatic sweet fruit. When unripe, it is used in salads. The ripe fruit is used independently, it is only necessary to remove the skin. The taste is reminiscent of apricot, melon and lemon. Also, jellies, juices, compotes and even seasonings are made from mangoes. Mango improves complexion, contains a natural tranquilizer, therefore calms the psyche, improves sleep. The cost depends on the season, from 60 and above.
Sapodilla (la-mut)- a small brown fruit that looks like an egg. The fruit has a milky caramel flavor. Sapodilla grows on an evergreen tree that secretes latex sap when damaged. The fruit is eaten both in pure form and added to baked goods and salads. Sapodilla is widely used in medicine, a decoction of the leaves lowers blood pressure, and sedatives are produced from the seeds. The oil is used in cosmetology. The cost starts from 30 baht per kg.
Thailand has always been famous for its abundance of exotic fruits. There are so many of them that your eyes run up 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 in whatever season you visit this country, you will definitely not be left without fruit. Each fruit of Thailand has its own characteristics and it is better to prepare in advance in order to know how to peel it, eat it, what it tastes like, in which dishes it can be added and at what time of the year it is harvested. Let's now plunge into the world of Thailand's fruits and study them more closely.
(Thai name - Mangkhud)
In Thailand, mangosteen is called the "Queen of Fruits". The season is from April to September. Throughout the rainy season, the counters are bursting with mangosteen, at this time the prices for this fruit are the lowest at 25-35 baht, but outside the season the cost of the fruit can be 100 baht and more.
Externally, mangosteen looks like eggplant. round shape... Flesh is hidden under a thick dark purple rind white in the form of garlic, sometimes hard bones are found in the pulp. Mangosteen has a mild sweet taste with a slight tart aftertaste. It is eaten fresh, and desserts are also prepared from it. 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 rind, you should not cut it in half, just cut it around the circumference and open it. The pulp is best eaten with a fork.
Rambutan
(Thai name - Ngaw)
The season is from May to September. One of the most conspicuous and exotic exclusively Thai fruits on the counter.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.
Rambutan is often referred to as the hairy fruit, as its red skin is covered with pale green bristles. There is a large bone inside the fetus. The taste vaguely resembles grapes, only sweeter. Rambutan is eaten fresh, canned, desserts, preserves and more are made.
How to choose rambutan?
The brighter the fruit, the better. Rambutan's hair should be green, not yellow or brown, and bouncy. These are the fruits that 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 all the peel and white pulp in your mouth, then spit out the bone.
Lychee
(Thai name - Linchi)
The season is from April to June. At first, lychees were brought to Thailand from China, so the fruit was considered quite expensive. However, lychee is now grown in Thailand, but despite this, lychee prices have remained higher than other fruits. The cost of lychee in the season is 55-75 baht.
Lychees are a small fruit Pink colour, they are usually sold with branches. Under the peel there is a white pulp with a black bone inside. Lychee has a bright sweet taste, you can't confuse it with anything. Lychees are eaten fresh, and various desserts, juices, preserves and syrups are prepared. The fruit is a good thirst quencher and refreshing.
How to choose lychee?
The color of the lychee should be bright pink or even red, the fruit is elastic, it should not slip and juice should not flow from it.
How to peel and eat lychees?
The peel is easily separated from the pulp, so you can peel the lychees with your hands, and you should eat the white pulp, 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 about 50-70 baht. It is sold in bunches on twigs, which are intertwined with an elastic band.
Longan is a small fruit, covered with a light brown skin, inside is 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 a longan?
The fruit should be firm without cracks or dents.
How to clean and eat longan?
Tear off one fruit from a branch, the peel is soft, so you can clean the longan with your hands. The translucent pulp must be eaten, the bone must be spit out.
Longkong
(Thai name - Long Kong)
Season from May to November. It grows in the south of Thailand, originally from Malaysia. It grows in bunches right on tree trunks. The cost of a long kong 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. Longkong has a sweet and sour taste. The fruit is eaten fresh, but be careful with the bone, although it is soft, it tastes bitter. Long Kong is rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and vitamins B1, B2 and C.
How to choose Long Kong?
The peel should be light sandy in color, not dirty, the lighter the better. The fruit should fit snugly on the branch. There should be no dents or cracks.
How to clean and eat long kong?
It is quite convenient to clean the Long Kong with your hands. Separate the peel from the pulp and eat it. There is a small bone in each slice, you do not need to eat it.
Durian
(Thai name for 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 skin with large thorns. Inside, it is divided into several sections, which contain light yellow pulp. 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, on the third time, durian tastes more palatable. Also, durian should not be kept in your home, since the whole room will have the smell of durian. It is not for nothing that in many hotels it is forbidden to bring durian to the room. Durian is eaten fresh and made from it desserts, sweets, and dried.Durian is a high-calorie dish: 147 calories per 100 g. It is not recommended to combine it with alcohol, as this can cause heart and blood pressure problems. Also, it should not be eaten by pregnant women and women during lactation.
How to choose durian?
You should not be guided by the color of durian, it can be either green or brown. Personally, I recommend that when choosing a durian, contact the seller himself and ask for help in choosing a durian. It is also possible to buy already cut durian. In this case, look for the pulp to be fleshy, firm, but soft. If the flesh of the durian is firm, then it is not ripe enough. And if the pulp has lost its elasticity and begins to creep in the package, this indicates that it has long been taken out of the durian fruit and is no longer fresh enough. In general, ideally, it is best to eat durian immediately after cleaning, since then it will taste completely different.
How to clean and eat durian?
The skin of the durian is quite hard, so you need to cut it with a sharp knife. Using a knife, peel the peel and take out the pulp, which you can eat with your hands or with a fork.
Papaya
(Thai name Malakor)
Papaya season is all year round. Thais mainly use it to make a spicy som tam salad (unripe papaya sliced into strips, dried shrimp, garlic and chili peppers). Tourists prefer to eat fresh ripe fruits. The cost of papaya is 40-50 baht per kilogram.
Papaya resembles a squash in appearance. In an unripe form, the papaya peel is green, the pulp is light orange, and inside there are many small black seeds. This papaya has a sour taste and is used as a vegetable in various dishes.
Ripe papaya has a bright orange rind and sweet flesh. In this form, papaya is used as a fruit. They eat it fresh or prepare desserts.
How to choose papaya?
Green and hard papaya will have a sour taste and can be used as a vegetable. If you bought a green papaya, you can put it in the sun and it will ripen by itself. Lovers of sweet papaya should buy bright orange fruits.
How to peel and eat papaya?
There are many ways to peel papaya. I recommend that you first peel the papaya with a knife, then cut it in half, remove the bones with a spoon and cut into pieces. Eat papaya with a fork.
Dragon fruit
(Thai name Geow mangon)
Season all year round. The dragon fruit grows on a cactus native to Australia. Its price is on average 50-70 baht per kilogram.
Its fruits are rather large, covered with a bright pink skin with large scales of green or light green color. The pulp is white or pink inside with small black seeds. The fruit tastes sweet and sour, a bit like kiwi.
How to choose a dragon fruit?
The rind should be bright pink, the scales are green or light green, not yellow or brown.
How to clean and eat dragon fruit?
It can be cleaned in different ways. I usually cut off the scales first, cut the fruit into 4 pieces and eat the pulp either with my hands or with a spoon.
Carambola
(Thai name for Ma feung)
Season from October to December.
Carambola fruits are yellow or green in color, oblong in shape. If you cut the carambola across, then the pieces will have the shape of a five-pointed star, which is why 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 the 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 shouldn't be soft or sluggish.
How to eat carambola?
You do not need to peel this fruit, it is enough to wash it thoroughly. And then you just need to cut the star fruit into slices. You can eat with a fork or hands.
Tamarind
(Thai name Makham Thad)
Season from December to March. Tamarind is a sour fruit, but a sweet variety grows in Thailand. Usually Thais boil the fruits in water and get 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 in color. Under the skin is dark brown flesh and hard bones. Tamarind tastes sweet and sour and looks more like dried fruit than fruit. Tamarind is consumed fresh, sauces, drinks, sweets and various desserts are prepared from it.
How to choose a tamarind?
Choose larger fruits without cracks or holes in the shell.
How to clean and eat tamarind?
It is most convenient to eat tamarind with your hands, you just need to press on the shell and it will crack. Then just peel the shell of the pulp, remove the fibers around the pulp and bone. And the remaining brown pulp should be eaten.
Jackfruit or breadfruit
(Thai name Kha nun)
The season is from January to May. Jackfruit is considered the largest fruit in the world and its fruits can weigh up to 40 kilograms. 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 slices of yellow pulp, which have a sweet taste and strong aroma, with numerous seeds inside. Ripe pulp is eaten fresh, unripe is pre-cooked. Jackfruit is quite high in calories and consists of 40% carbohydrates, so it is not for nothing that this fruit is called bread.
How to choose jackfruit?
I don’t think it’s worth buying a whole jackfruit, it’s quite large, it’s better to buy just the pulp in a package. Ripe jackfruit has a yellow and firm flesh.
How to peel and eat jackfruit?
The whole fruit is cut in half and the yellow pulp is taken out, which is then eaten.
Guava
(Thai name for Farang)
Season all year round. The homeland of guava is South America and it is still unclear 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 a 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 fruit has a sweet taste. Guava is eaten fresh along with the peel or cut into wedges and eaten with sugar, salt or spices. It contains a huge amount of vitamin C.
How to choose a guava?
In Thailand, only green unripe guava is mainly sold. Make sure the fruit is flabby and free of dents.
How to clean and eat guava?
Cut the guava into four parts, cut out a place with seeds and eat the pulp.
Pink apple
(Thai name Chom poo)
Rose apple season all year round. The cost is 70-100 baht per kilogram.
The rose apple has a bell shape and a rose scent. Covered with a pink or green skin. They resemble an apple in consistency, but their taste is somewhat sour. There are no bones inside.
How to choose a pink apple?
Make sure that the fruits are not sluggish, without dents or cracks.
How to peel and eat a rose apple?
You can eat it whole, like a regular apple, or you can cut it into wedges and eat it with a fork.
Sapodilla
(Thai name for 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 a brown flesh with a sweet caramel flavor and a few seeds. Sapodilla is eaten fresh and used for serving dishes due to its beautiful brown pulp.
How to choose a sapodilla?
The darker the peel, the more ripe and tastier the sapodilla. The rind should be free of 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.
Baltic herring
(Thai name for La Kham)
Herring season is all year round. The fruit, due to its numerous scales, which look like snake scales, is also called the snake fruit. The cost of herring is 60-80 baht per kilogram.
The herring is oval in shape with slightly elongated edges. The skin of the fruit is dark brown, thin and covered with small scales. The pulp is white with a yellowish tinge and is divided into several slices. Herring is sweet and sour to taste. The fruit is eaten fresh and desserts are prepared from it.
How to choose herring?
Prefer larger fruits. Baltic herring should not be hollow, the skin should not be damaged.
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 punch your fingers. The pulp can be eaten with your hands, then spit out the bone.
Mango
(Thai name Mamuang)
Mango season is from March to June. Thai mango varieties are very different from those brought to Russia. The varieties that grow only in Thailand have gained wild popularity in neighboring countries and are now exported by Thais in tones. The cost of mango is 35-70 baht per kilogram.
The mango is an oval fruit with a yellow or green skin, under which is yellow flesh and a large flat pit in the center of the fruit. The mango tastes sweet and has a pleasant aroma. They eat fresh fruit and prepare desserts from it. Also, Thais use mango in an unripe form, cook from it various dishes, salads.
How to choose a mango?
The peel of the mango should be smooth, without dents. The fruit should be soft to the touch.
How to peel and eat a mango?
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 Ma phrao)
Coconut season is all year round. If it were not for coconut, Thai cuisine would not be so tasty and varied, and it would be 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 does not look like we are used to, it is covered with a green rather than brown hard shell. Underneath is a white, firm 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. Also, coconut is often used for cosmetics.
How to choose a coconut?
The more coconut the better. Fresh coconuts are green in color. Sometimes the top rind is cut off and then it is white.
How to peel and eat coconut?
You can ask the seller to open the coconut on the spot, as the coconut itself is quite hard and it is not always easy to open it yourself. They usually open its upper part around 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 the familiar bananas, watermelons and pineapples. I did not describe them, since you yourself know very 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 different fruits. And if you were in the land of smiles, then he will write e in the comments what fruits of Thailand you liked the most.
Only the most timid traveler, finding himself in an exotic country, embarrassed appearance, smell or name, will refuse to taste any unfamiliar fruit. Accustomed to apples and oranges, tourists hardly force themselves to bite off a piece of mangosteen, durian or herring. Meanwhile, it is a gastronomic revelation that can become one of the brightest impressions of the entire trip.
Below are exotic fruits different countries- with photo, description and English equivalents of names.
Durian
The fruit of durian - "a fruit with the taste of heaven and the smell of hell" - irregular oval shape, with very sharp thorns. Under the skin - viscous pulp with unique taste... The "king of fruits" has a pungent 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. The most fragrant and most exotic fruit in Thailand is very rich in vitamins and nutrients.
A few rules for those wishing to taste (by no means try!) Durian:
- Do not try to pick the fruit yourself, especially in the off-season. Ask the seller to cut and pack it in transparencies. Or find a pre-packaged fruit in the supermarket.
- Press lightly on the pulp. It should not be elastic, but it should be easy to slip under your fingers, like butter... Elastic flesh already smells unpleasant.
- It is undesirable to combine with alcohol, since the pulp of durian acts on the body as a stimulant of enormous strength. Thais believe that durian warms the body, and a Thai proverb says that the "heat" of durian can be tempered by the coolness of mangosteen.
Where to try: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia.
Season: from April to September, depending on the region.
Mangosteen
Other names are mangosteen, mangosteen. It is a delicate fruit with thick purple skin and round leaves at the stem. The white pulp resembles a peeled orange and has an indescribable sweet and sour taste. Inside the mangosteen there are six or more soft white lobules: the more there are, the fewer seeds. To choose the right mangosteen, you need to take the most purple fruits in your hand and squeeze lightly: the peel should not be tough, but not very soft either. If the skin is punctured unevenly in different places, the fruit is already stale. You can open the fruit by making a hole in the skin with a knife and fingers. Do not try to grab the slices with your hands: the pulp is so tender that you just crush it. It tolerates 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, spiny yellow-green skin. The pulp is yellow, sweet, with an unusual smell and taste of a pear of the "duchess" variety. The segments are separated from each other and sold in sachets. Ripe pulp is eaten fresh, unripe 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: from January to August, depending on the region.
Lychee
Other names are litchi, Chinese plum. Heart-shaped or round fruit grows in clusters. Under the bright red peel - white transparent flesh, juicy and sweet in taste. In the off-season in Asian countries, these tropical fruits sold 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. They also eat unripe green fruits - 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. The taste is a cross between melon and pumpkin. Ripe papaya has a bright orange, unusually tender flesh that is pleasant to eat and aids in digestion. Unripe papaya is added to a spicy Thai salad (catfish tam), it is fried, meat is stewed with it.
Where to try: India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bali, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Longan
Other names are lam-yay, "dragon's eye". It is a round, brown fruit that looks like a small potato. Very sweet and juicy, it has a lot of calories. The easily peeled skin covers the transparent white or pink flesh, which is close in consistency to jelly. There is a large black bone in the heart of the fruit. Longan is good for your health, but you shouldn't eat a lot at once: it will lead to an increase in body temperature.
Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China.
Season: from 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, there is 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: from mid-April to mid-October.
Pitaya
Other names are pitahaya, long yang, "dragon fruit", "dragonfruit". It 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 rind is covered with large scales, the edges are green. If you remove the skin (as in the case of an orange), you can see dense white, red or purple flesh inside with many small seeds. Good in fruit cocktails combined with lime.
Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, partially Japan, USA, Australia, Israel.
Season: all year round.
Carambola
Other names are "tropical stars", starfruit, camrak. Its yellow or green fruits resemble in size and shape Bell pepper... On the cut, they are star-shaped - 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 cocktails, they do not need to be peeled.
Where to try: Borneo island, Thailand, Indonesia.
Season: all year round.
Pomelo
This fruit has many names - pomela, pamela, pompelmus, Chinese grapefruit, sheddock, etc. The citrus fruit looks like a huge grapefruit with white, pink or yellow flesh, which, however, is much sweeter. It is widely used in cooking and cosmetology. 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 island, Israel, USA.
Season: all year round.
Guava
Other names are guiava, guayava. Round, oblong or pear-shaped fruit (4 to 15 centimeters) with white flesh and yellow hard seeds. Edible from skin to seed. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow, and it is eaten with the skin - to improve digestion and stimulate the heart. When 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
Other names are sapotilla, wood potato, achra, chiku. A fruit that looks like a kiwi or 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 folk medicine.
Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, USA (Hawaii).
Season: from September to December.
Sugar Apple
Very healthy pale green fruit. Under the pronounced bumpy skin of a marsh-green color, sweet aromatic flesh and beans the size of beans are hidden. An aroma with subtle coniferous notes. Ripe fruits are moderately soft to the touch, unripe - tough, overripe fall 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 resembles sweet peppers in shape. It comes in both pink and light green. The pulp is white, firm. You don't need to clean it, there are no bones. The taste is not particularly prominent and looks more like slightly sweetened water. But chilled, these tropical fruits are good thirst quenchers.
Where to try: India, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Aki (Ackee)
Aki, or delicious bligia, is pear-shaped with a red-yellow or orange peel. 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 toxic due to the high content of toxins. They can be eaten only after special processing, for example, prolonged boiling. Aki tastes like Walnut... In West Africa, soap is made from the peel of unripe fruit, and the pulp is used for fishing.
Where to try: USA (Hawaii), Jamaica, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia.
Season: from January to March and from June to August.
Ambarella
Other names are Citera apple, yellow plum, Polynesian plum, sweet mombin. Oval fruits of golden color with a thin, tough skin are collected in bunches. Inside - crispy, juicy, yellow pulp and a hard bone with thorns. It tastes like a cross between pineapple and mango. Ripe fruits are eaten raw, juices, preserves, 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.
Bambangan
Winner in the category "The most dear taste". Bam-balan resembles borscht with sour cream or mayonnaise. The fruit is oval in shape, dark in color, the smell is a little harsh. To get to the pulp, you just need to peel off the skin. The fruit is also added to side dishes.
Where to try: the island of Borneo (Malaysian part).
Salak
Other names are lard, herring, rakum, "snake fruit". Small round or oblong fruits grow in clusters. Color - red or brown. The rind is covered with small thorns 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
Other names are wood apple, stone apple, Bengal quince. When ripe, the gray-green fruit turns yellow or brown. The peel is dense, like a nut, and it is impossible to get to it without a hammer, therefore, the pulp itself is most often sold in the markets. It is yellow, with fleecy seeds, divided into segments. Baile is eaten fresh or dried. It is also used for making tea and sharbat. The fruit irritates the throat, causing perspiration, so the first experience with the baile 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 becomes covered with yellow thorns, and the flesh acquires a rich green color. The oblong fruits are not peeled, but cut like a melon or a watermelon. The taste is a cross between banana, melon, cucumber, kiwi and avocado. In other words, it can be added to both sweet and spicy dishes as well as pickle. Unripe fruits are edible too.
Where to try: Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Israel, USA (California).
Season: all year round.
Miracle Fruit
Other names are wonderful berries, sweetish track. The name of the exotic fruit is absolutely 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 that he eats after is sweet. The taste buds are deceived by a special protein contained in the magic fruit - miraculin. Sweet foods, on the other hand, seem tasteless.
Where to try: West Africa, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Australia, USA (South Florida).
Season: all year round.
Tamarind
Tamarind, or Indian date, belongs to the legume family, but it is also used as a fruit. Curved fruits up to 15 centimeters long with brown skin and sweet and sour flesh. It is used as a spice, it is part of the famous Worcester sauce and is used to prepare snacks, desserts and various drinks. Ripe dried tamarind is used to make sweets. 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
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 like this low alcohol drink(You can find elephants "intoxicated" from Marula). Ripe fruits are yellow in color, resembling a plum in appearance. The pulp is white, with a hard bone. Until the fermentation process begins, it has a pleasant aroma and unsweetened taste.
Where to try: South Africa(Mauritius, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Botswana, etc.)
Season: since March.
Kumquat
Other names are Japanese orange, fortunella, kinkan, golden apple. The fruits are small, really like mini oranges, the crust is very thin. Whole edible, excluding seeds. It tastes slightly sour than orange, smells like lime.
Where to try: China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Greece (Corfu), USA (Florida).
Season: May to June, available all year round.
Citron
Other names are Buddha's hand, zedrat, Corsican lemon. Behind the external originality lies a trivial content: oblong fruits - an almost solid rind, reminiscent of lemon in taste, and violet in smell. It can only be used to make stewed fruit, jelly 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 Dulce
Also - sweet cucumber, melon pear. Formally, this is a berry, albeit a very large one. Fruits are varied, come in different sizes, shapes and colors, some are bright yellow in color with red or purple strokes. The pulp tastes like melon, pumpkin and cucumber. Overripe pepino is tasteless, as well as unripe.
Where to try: Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Indonesia.
Season: all year round.
Mamey
Other names are sapote. 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 made 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 resembles a shaggy tomato, although it tastes like pineapple and strawberries. The pulp juice is used to make fruit salads, ice cream, yoghurts, biscuits, sweet gravies and cocktails.
Where to try: Venezuela, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile.
Season: from September to November.
Other names - Indian mulberry, cheese fruit, pork 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 pungent aroma and bitter taste, which is why it is sometimes called the "emetic fruit". Popular rumor attributes noni properties to cure 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
Also - jaboticaba, a Brazilian grape tree. Fruits, which look like grapes or currant berries, grow in clusters on trunks and main branches. The skin is bitter. Juices, alcoholic beverages, jellies, marmalade are made from the pulp.
The juicy and fragrant fruits resemble a melon in shape, reach 25 centimeters in length and 12 centimeters in width. The skin is slightly hard, reddish brown. The pulp is white, sour-sweet, the seeds are located in five nests. It is eaten fresh and used to make juices, yoghurts, liqueurs, jams, sweets and chocolate. It is believed that the most delicious cupuasu is the one that itself fell to the ground.
Where to try: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Colombia.
Season: all year round.
Marang
Maranga fruits are elongated, thick skin covered with thorns, which harden as they ripen. Inside there are white segments with seeds, sometimes quite large, with a third of the palm. Everyone describes the taste in their own way. So, some are sure that it resembles an ice cream in a waffle cup, others that it resembles a marshmallow. Still others cannot describe their feelings at all. Marang is not exported because it deteriorates instantly. If, when pressed, the dents do not straighten, it is urgently necessary to eat it. If the fruit lends itself slightly to squeezing, 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 fried or boiled.
Where to try: Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Borneo island, Australia.
Season: from August to the end of April.
Fruits of thailand
Fruit is sold year-round, although 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, pitahaya, pomelo, rambutan, herring, sapodilla, tamarind, jujuba.
Vietnamese fruits
Vietnam, one of the largest suppliers of fruits in the world market, can seriously compete even with Thailand. Most of all fruits are in the south of Vietnam. In the off-season, prices for especially exotic fruits can rise 2-3 times.
Avocado, pineapple, watermelon, banana, guava, jackfruit, durian, melon, star apple, green orange, carambola, coconut, lychee, longan, mango, mangosteen, tangerine, passionfruit, milk apple, mombin, noina, papaya, pitahaya, rambutan, rose apple, sapodilla, tangerine, citron.
Fruit of India
India is located in several climatic zones at once, which creates favorable conditions for growing fruits, typical for 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, figs, carambola, coconut, mango, tangerine, passionfruit, papaya, sapodilla, tamarind.
Fruits of egypt
The harvest in Egypt is harvested in spring and autumn, so the "season" of fruit is almost always here. The exception is borderline periods, for example, early spring, when the "winter" fruits have already departed, and the "summer" ones are only on the way.
Apricot, quince, orange, watermelon, banana, grapes, pomegranate, grapefruit, pear, guava, melon, fig, cantaloupe, carambola, kiwi, red banana, lemon, mango, marania, medlar, pepino, peach, pitaya, pomelo, sugar apple, physalis, date, persimmon.
Fruit in Cuba
In contrast to the same Egypt, the seasons in Cuba are much more pronounced. You can buy pineapples, oranges, bananas, guava, papaya all year round. In July and August, the most delicious mangoes, summer also starts the season of mammonchillo, cherimoya, carambola and avocado, in spring - coconuts, watermelons, grapefruits.
Avocado, pineapple, annona, orange, banana, Barbados cherry, grapefruit, guava, caimito, carambola, coconut, lime, lemon, mamonchillo, mango, passionfruit, papaya, sapodilla, tamarind, cherimoya.
Fruit in the Dominican Republic
In the tropical Dominican Republic, predictably there are a lot of fruits: from the most familiar ones like bananas and pineapples to exotic ones - granadilla, mammonchillo and sapots.
Avocado, pineapple, annona, watermelon, banana, granadilla, pomegranate, grapefruit, guanabana, melon, caimito, kiwi, coconut, mammonchillo, mammon, mango, passionfruit, sea grape, medlar, noni, papaya, pitahaya, sapota.
Fruits in Thailand are an amazing, colorful world of tropical flowers, tastes, and unusual aromas. Ice cream tree, king of fruits durian, mangosteen, etc. There are dozens of pineapple varieties here, and ripe mango looks like jelly and butter at the same time. Welcome to the world of flavors that this mysterious but so attractive country opens up!
Fruits of Thailand - the same obligatory part of getting to know the country as Thai massage or famous soup with coconut milk Tom Yam. You can live half your life, and in Bangkok right on the market to find that your horizons are offensively narrow. All why? Because you have tasted the taste of exotic Thai fruits. Delicate, creamy, reminiscent of cream and perfume at the same time, with an unusual mixture of aromas. Even everyone like the well-known pineapples and watermelons in Thailand is completely different. The sun turns in this country differently, the Asian spicy air with sea notes seems to penetrate into the depths of the fruits, imparting a unique taste to them.
When you find yourself in the Kingdom of Thailand, be sure to try all Thai fruits. And we will tell you how to choose ripe fruits and eat them with caution for a Russian organism not accustomed to exoticism.
The first thing that you will discover in Thailand from a new side will be pineapple. There are at least 6 varieties in the country, each tastier than the other. The most sold out is called Phuket. It is a very thorny pineapple with a sweet, juicy, crunchy, cabbage-like pulp. The second most popular variety in Thailand is Sriracha. Small plump pineapples have tender pulp that melts in the mouth, which seems to "flow" into the mouth by itself. There are tiny fruits of an unusual slightly square shape, weighing 300-400 g each. The variety of fruit is the most expensive in the country, but they also love it unusually in Thailand, calling it “royal pineapple”.
In Thailand, there is a real pineapple cult. The fruit is used everywhere: added to soups, desserts, sauces. It is difficult to run into a bad fruit in the market, but still stop at elastic fruits that are slightly crumpled under your hands. And then ask him to peel the merchants: Thais skillfully and deftly cut the peel, it remains to breathe in the honey sweet smell of the fruit and immediately take a bite.
Watermelon
Thailand is also unusual. There are more than a dozen varieties, and each differs in size, shape, texture and color of the pulp, taste. Yellow and orange fruit flesh is rare, although it is the tastiest and juiciest fruit. But also inexpensive oval and red watermelons, weighing about 600 g in Thailand, are juicy, melt in the mouth, and sweet to the very skin.
When you are in Thailand, be sure to try small and round watermelons. Inside them is a filling of pulp, reminiscent of ice cream sundae. They eat it with a spoon, savor it, getting great pleasure. Just ask to sell ripe seasonal fruits - the peak of harvest is in October, but the harvest is harvested here until May.
Bail
Bail in Thailand is called a stone apple and Bengal quince. The fruits do not look like quince from our counters at all, so eat it only in tropical countries. The fruit looks exactly like it, it is very beautiful in the cut, resembling an asterisk with seeds. The taste and texture of bail in Thailand is similar to fruit marmalade, especially when dried. Unripe fruits knit a little, but in Thailand they are considered incredibly useful for everyone who is often sick. Thais believe that bail is a powerful natural immunomodulator.
You will hardly be able to open the bail on your own - in Thailand, fruits are opened with a hammer, it is not for nothing that the fruit is called stone. But you can take it with you to Russia and be sure of its freshness - the peel reliably protects the fruit from damage to the delicate dense filling of the fruit.
Banana
There are so many bananas in Thailand that the country is often called banana paradise. The sweetness, aroma, juiciness of the fruits surpass the varieties that reach our counters. Especially worth highlighting is the LuayNamWa variety. The skin of bananas is covered with a light fluff, so they are called hairy. The pulp is white inside, there are bones that resemble black peppercorns. The taste of the fruit resembles an exquisite jelly with tropical aromas, in which, in addition to the specific banana, passionfruit, pineapple, honey and a little cream are clearly guessed.
In Thailand, choose ripe, bright yellow fruits. Slightly overripe with brown spots are also safe for health (they even have their own charm), but they are clearly for amateurs.
Guava
Guava or tropical apple in Thailand has an outlandish aroma, unusual tropical taste. It is almost impossible to compare it with local fruits: the bouquet is so diverse that pineapple, strawberries, etc. are also read in it. There are unusual coniferous notes in the fruit - they are given by the dense skin of the fruit. Guava outwardly resembles pears or with a dense, bumpy, seemingly unapproachable and rough peel. In fact, it is tender and they eat fruits together with the skin. There are many bones inside that you can safely eat without spitting out.
It's nice that guava bears fruit several times a year, the fruit season in Thailand lasts all year round. No matter what time of year you find yourself in Thailand, immediately go to the market and buy sweet exotic fruits. Fruits are chosen by eye, focusing on external attractiveness and the absence of visible damage.
Dragon fruit
Dragon fruit in Thailand, also known as pitahaya or pitahaya, looks and smells surprisingly exotic. These are small fruits weighing 150-600 g with a thick bright pink skin, growing on cacti. The more striking the fruit looks in the section, revealing the flesh of an ice-cream color interspersed with seeds of the shade of dark chocolate. Dragon fruit is the same Thai exotic, for which it makes sense to fly to distant lands. It is gentle and fresh, reminiscent and at the same time. However, the fruit must not be exposed heat treatment- they instantly lose their taste.
Very delicate and difficult to transport, so enjoy the fruits in Thailand. Chilled pitahaya is especially good instead of ice cream. In Thailand, wine is made from dragon fruit, juices are squeezed, and special tea is brewed.
After eating the fruit, a slight surprise is possible - in the toilet, you will find that your urine turns red. But you should not be afraid of this - the phenomenon is absolutely harmless. When choosing a fruit, pay attention to the rind. It should be tight and free from damage. You cannot eat the peel of the fruit, only the tender pulp of the fruit is good for food.
Jackfruit or breadfruit
In Thailand, it grows and bears fruit abundantly. Here, the fruit is harvested from January to May and is often eaten raw (bread is not baked from it).
Fruits are large with rough skin and large thorny pimples - no one picks fruit with bare hands in Thailand, and even less cuts them. Identifying an unripe jackfruit is easy - just knock on it. An immature one makes a dull sound, while a mature one makes a dense and hollow sound.
Inside the fruit of the breadfruit, a sweet juicy, slightly slimy pulp is found. It tastes like a sugary, slightly overripe melon. They know how to soften the sweetness of fruits in Thailand. Thais add fruits to coconut milk, mix with sour fruits and enjoy desserts. Breadfruit seeds in Thailand are valued as a cure for almost all diseases.
For all its advantages, jackfruit is a powerful allergen. In Thailand, tourists have had cases of severe attacks of allergic reactions, up to Quincke's edema. Be very careful when tasting the fruit. Start your tasting with a tiny bite and always keep your first aid kit of antihistamines close at hand.
Durian
The king of fruits in Thailand looks like a big bump covered in large thorns. The fruit weighs up to 5 kg, and is firm to the touch, which is why workers wear special helmets and suits when harvesting - if the fruit suddenly falls off the tree onto the head, it will not seem a little.
"Hell outside, paradise inside" - the apt definition of the fruit was given in Thailand itself. Believe me, the locals themselves are far from delighted with the smell of these fruits. An unpleasant aroma that has been compared to rotten fish, dirty socks, garlic, onions and other foul-smelling things. But inside there is a pulp with a taste that everyone describes in their own way. resembles ice cream with strawberries, papaya with pineapple in one mix, nuts, ice cream and even a slight aftertaste onions... Having once tasted durian in Thailand, everyone says one thing: this is the king of fruits, which has no equal in the whole world.
Due to the smell of durian in Thailand, it is allowed to eat fruit only in open spaces, to the hotel, and even more so, you will not be allowed on the plane with it. In some tropical countries, severe fines are imposed for eating fruit in public. Do you want to introduce your friends and loved ones to the unusual taste of the fruit? Buy toffee and durian, or candy. It is difficult to convey the taste of durian, but friends will be glad to see such exotic souvenirs.
You can take a bag of dried durian seeds with you - they are dried and husked in Thailand, just like Russian people eat sunflower seeds.
Carambola
Carambola or star fruit is star-shaped. In Thailand, it is associated with serene relaxation and cocktails by the sea. Imagine a warm evening, a cocktail glass decorated with lush umbrellas, and a star of carambola flaunts on the edge of the glass. Among tourists, the fruit is in the top of the most popular exotic, although it is possible to grow a carambola tree even in the warm regions of Russia - the trees are absolutely unpretentious to care for.
Surprisingly, the smell (and taste) of Thai fruit stars slightly resembles cucumbers. No wonder another name for the fruit, common in Thailand, is gherkins. They are juicy, crispy, excellent in pickled form, which is what bartenders use when storing fruit for cocktails. In Thailand, carambola is harvested almost all year round - from May to December. Thais prefer ripe fruits that glow with amber, letting in the rays of the sun. Carambola in Thailand is valued for its high sodium and calcium content. Local nutritionists prescribe it to people who have gained extra pounds to regulate their appetite.
Coconut
Coconut in Thailand is not at all the brown hairy ball that we are used to seeing in Russian supermarkets. in Thailand, this nut is large, covered with a greenish dense skin with a glossy sheen. As soon as you open it, you find fresh inside, surprisingly delicious juice with a characteristic coconut flavor. The flesh of the fruit is dense, juicy, slightly crispy, not cloying.
So many coconuts grow in Thailand that residents add it everywhere - in salads, soups, seafood is fried in butter from the pulp, vegetables are allowed in juice, and they wash with milk. There is not a single area of life of an ordinary Thai, wherever this fruit is present. In any fruit shop, in the supermarket, in the market, in a cafe, restaurant, on the beach, you can buy a healthy, thirst-quenching young coconut.
Because Thailand is harvesting coconuts all year round, they are cheap. The average cost is 25-30 baht, but you can get a discount and take a copy for 10-15 baht, this is if the expiration date is coming to an end, but the fruit is still usable.
They choose green hard fruits for food and drink. Juicy pulp, tender juice should be found inside. in Thailand, they have adapted to quickly open nuts around the circumference with special tools, so it's better not to do it yourself, trust the experience of local residents.
Placers of longkong (langsat) in Thailand for a novice tourist from afar will be reminded of the deposits of potatoes in Russia in local markets only in bunches. In fact, before you is a true tropical joy - a soft and juicy fruit with a subtle indescribable aroma. The fruits are revered in Thailand for their healing properties, special taste. The fruit has become a symbol of the Thai province, where it is depicted on the coat of arms.
Ripe fruits are distinguished by a smooth skin that is dense to the touch. There are no cracks, bulges on it, and the color is from earthy brown to sandy. It is not difficult to be convinced of maturity - it is enough to ask the Thai to open the fruit, and he will gladly do it. Inside you will find pulp with cloves like garlic, spreading in the mouth with sweet juices.
In Thailand, it would be disrespectful to throw a large bone, for example, on the road. The locals will not appreciate this, because from the seeds of Long Kong they extract healing extracts, oils, which are used to treat anemia, infertility and even dementia. The fruit retains its properties in a dried form, and in Thailand it is harvested for future use, dried like raisins.
Longan
Or la-mai in Thailand is called "the dragon's eye": as soon as you open a Thai fruit, you will see a large reddish bone that resembles the eyeball of a fantastic reptile. Fruits grow in clusters on high - up to 10 meters - trees; Thais pick them from May to December. In Thailand, fruits are very popular for their high content of fructose, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Also, fruit juice is often used to rejuvenate the skin, the effect is equivalent to a light fruit peeling.
The taste of a dragon's eye is difficult to describe. Melon, grapefruit, honey notes are guessed in it. Longan in Thailand is often added to desserts and eaten with ice cream. When choosing a fruit, pay attention to the skin, it should be dense, without visible damage. If you did not get to the market during the season, feel free to take dried fruits. But be careful: in Thailand, dried dragon's eye is believed to have a powerful sedative effect.
Mangosteen
In Thailand, round fruits are widespread, covered with a thick burgundy-purple skin. This is a fruit called mangosteen (or mangosteen). The fruits grow small, the maximum diameter is 7.5 cm and stand out with a dense inedible skin containing inedible latex. Segments resembling garlic are found inside. They taste sweet and sour, very fresh, with a delicate pleasant taste mixtures with peach.
Thai mangosteen contains a lot of organic fruit acids; they are valued for their high content of vitamins and trace elements. Thanks to the thick skin, the fruit is excellently transported over long distances. You will be surprised, but Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol also tried them and even described them in one of his poems. When shopping in Thailand, opt for large, dense, slightly springy to the touch mangosteen. Throw away hard, like woody fruits immediately - they are spoiled. In Thailand, mangosteen is harvested in the summer, then they are ripe and are not expensive - from 20 baht per kg, in winter the price soars to 150 baht / kg.
Lychee
Even in Thailand, there is a kind of exoticism - plantations grow only in the northern regions of the country, and lychees are harvested exclusively in early summer, from where they are transported throughout the country. Lychees in Thailand are like small spiny round nuts with thin red shells. Thai fruits grow on very tall trees - the height of individual specimens reaches more than 30 meters. Just imagine how hard it is to collect it at the very top. But the work is worth it - lychees are surprisingly tender, refreshing, and taste like our grapes with a mixture of peach or kiwi. In Thailand, the fruit is treated with respect: it is believed that it relieves excess weight, heals joints, fills with vigor. They love to make fresh juices from lychee in Thailand: in the hot climate of the country, they have a truly life-giving effect.
This Thai fruit spoils pretty quickly. Save delicious fruits in Thailand it is real only at a temperature of 2-7 degrees, and even in these conditions, lychees remain fresh for a maximum of 3-4 days. A large, hard brown bone is hidden inside the lychee; they are not eaten. It has been proven that the seeds of the fruit are toxic and lead to poisoning. Also, do not give Thai fruits to small children - many babies have allergies to Chinese plums.
Mango
Which we have the opportunity to taste, does not even come close to Thai fruits! In Thailand, these fruits with a fragrant, slightly oily pulp, bright tropical taste are simply incomparable. There are dozens of varieties in Thailand, all of which must be tried. What is real Thai mango? This is an elongated fruit up to 20 cm long with a large, fleshy and fibrous bone, like a filling poured over with oils. Ripe fruits do not have fibers, but slightly unripe fruits can get stuck in the teeth.
The mango season in Thailand lasts all year round; Thais eat fruit a lot and with pleasure. Mangoes are eaten fresh, the national dessert stekiris is cooked (sticky rice, where mango fruits are put during cooking), fresh juices are pressed, added to puddings and even fried on coconut oil... In Thailand, some varieties are treated like a king: they are already dressed in paper bags on the trees, protecting the fruits from pests and the scorching sun. Tourists call the Kae Savoy variety one of the most delicious for its juiciness, unusual taste with a slight aftertaste of pine needles. Mangoes are allowed to be exported from Thailand, only slightly unripe fruits should be purchased on the road. Like bananas, fruits ripen in warm, sun-protected places and turn sweet.
Passion fruit
Passion fruit in Thailand is surprisingly tasty and very unusual fruit for a European. It grows exclusively in tropical countries, and it is almost impossible to take it out for trial. Fruit spoils almost instantly! If you find yourself in Thailand - eat it heartily, there will be no other such opportunity.
Itself is a large rough purple ball. As soon as it is cut, a delicate pulp is found inside - a jelly of a delicate, exciting, rich taste. It is very difficult to describe what he is. This is a whole range of subtle flavors, where the aromas of strawberry and banana, peach and gooseberry are intertwined. Thai fruit is eaten with a spoon, like an exquisite dessert, added to yoghurts, ice cream, and creams.
In addition to its unforgettable taste, in Thailand, the fruit is famous for its ability to rejuvenate, strengthen the heart, and treat insomnia. But people with allergies should be careful: passion fruit can cause an allergic reaction.
Mafai
Mafai (another well-known name for a Thai fruit is Burmese grapes) is a fruit for everyone's taste because of its peculiar sweet and sour taste. Although mafai in Thailand are called grapes (it also grows in bunches), the taste is not like grapes. Gourmets compare it to gooseberries. And some can't even define it at all.
Since this Thai fruit has an unexpressed taste, the Thai people do not use it as a independent dish, and in the form of an additive to fruit salads, bases for sauces, additives for pickling vegetables. Cabbage marinated with mafai turns out to be interesting, and even tastier Home wine... Astringent, sweet-sour, spicy and unusual. Guilt is credited with the ability to treat cystitis and alcoholism, as strange as it may sound.
In Thailand - try mafai, and you will know for sure: what it tastes like, real exotic.
Noina
Noina (or Annona) is a delicacy adored in Thailand, which is also called a Thai apple, cream or sour cream. Outwardly, Noina looks more like a pear overgrown with convex dense growths. Above the fruit is covered with a dense green rind, and inside there is a creamy, creamy pulp with seeds, reminiscent of curd dessert with vanilla.
It's surprising that everyone, without exception, likes Ananna at the very first meeting. Even flowering plantations in Thailand attract thousands of fans from June to September, when the fruits begin to ripen and fill with juices. Noina is worth its weight in gold among Thai healers. She is credited with anti-cancer properties and the ability to rejuvenate the body at the cellular level. It's all about a special substance acetoginin: it can selectively affect cells, killing strangers no worse than a powerful medicine. Apple skin stops diarrhea, kills worms. It is possible to undergo "Noino-therapy" even in Russia. From Thailand - a sugar apple is perfectly transported in a special net package, in which friendly Thais will gladly pack the fruit for you on the road.
Noni
Noni (the official name of the Thai fruit, citrus-leaved morinda) is a very curious fruit-berry, specific not only to Europeans, but also to the Thais themselves. Outwardly, it looks like a huge mulberry, only of a light green color. Noni grows in Thailand on tall shrubs up to 8 meters in height, and it is harvested all year round.
Berries-fruits have a strange taste with bitterness, a pungent smell, reminiscent of moldy cheese. Adepts healthy eating they raised the berry into a cult, discovering amazing properties in it. The juice of the fruit is as good as any protein shake to restore the strength of the athlete and help build muscle mass. Fruits prevent any neoplasms, including cancers, heal bone tissue and strengthen the immune system.
To smooth out the peculiar cheese flavor, fresh morinda in Thailand is mixed with grape. It turns out pretty delicious drink, sour and spicy. And lovers unusual cheeses they can take a chance and try it raw - they will definitely like noni.
Papaya
In Russia, children are given carrots as the first complementary food, and in Thailand - papaya (mala-koo, you see, the name is similar to the Russian sound of the word "milk"). The fruit outwardly resembles a marrow, and to taste - the usual boiled carrots. in Thailand it grows quite large: weighing up to 8 kg, and long (up to 50 cm), it is very beloved in the country. Thais fondly call the trees melon trees, enjoy themselves with pleasure in season, adding Tom Sam to the legendary salad, and just eat it raw.
Papaya in Thailand is peeled and eaten in the manner of potatoes, taking out a large bone, and then cutting the fruit into slices. The most valuable is the winter variety, which is harvested in January. There is no seed inside such papaya, and its taste resembles a carrot with a taste of peach or. To whom it will seem. Ripe fruits are greenish-brown in color, with a dense, glossy skin that is not good for food.
Pomelo
We are used to seeing large balls in the form of green-yellow large balls on supermarket shelves in a mesh package. This is where all the similarities with the Thai "brothers" end. If only because in Thailand the pomelo grows simply huge up to 10 kg in weight, with a diameter of more than 20 cm. It is difficult to imagine that such fruits grow on trees in Thailand, but this is a fact.
The Thai fruit pomelo is sweet and sour, very juicy with a typical citrus bitterness, rather pleasant than repulsive. In Thailand, they like to add it to fresh juices in pure or diluted form, free the slices from the films and cut into salads with seafood, put the pieces in ice cream.
The huge advantage of fruits is that they are allowed to be eaten by children and pregnant women: they rarely cause allergies, and they bring enormous benefits.
Rambutan
In Thailand, you can't confuse it with anything - small round hairy tangles with the scent of roses. The taste of the fruit is also floral with an admixture of grapes and spices. Thais are extremely fond of hairy fruits, considering them a national treasure. In August, Thailand celebrates the "hairy" with a special celebration where rambutan fresh flows like a river. Fruits tend to improve digestion, cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. The rambutan diet helps Thais keep their miniature shape. Especially during the period from May to September, when they are harvested in whole bunches and eaten constantly.
Fruits are stored very little. The pulp spoils in a matter of days even in the refrigerator, so they eat freshly picked fruits. They learned to preserve the delicate taste of rose petals and spices in Thailand by making jam, sauces and jams from rambutan. Fruits with spoiled faded "hairs" are not used for food. But it is quite difficult to find spoiled fruit in the markets in Thailand, usually Thais offer tourists only fresh fruit, they do not stale here.
(or lekham) in Thailand looks like a large nut, covered with a dense skin under the skin of reptiles. People call it "snake fruit", and if you cut it, you find a fruit surprisingly similar to garlic. With a strawberry-nut flavor, the aroma of expensive perfume, pulp with the texture of cotton candy. The combination is incredibly appealing, especially if you add fruit to vanilla ice cream or eat it with your morning coffee.
In Thailand, Baltic herring fruits are prescribed as a folk remedy for internal bleeding and blindness. It is prescribed to all aged people to prolong youth. Tourists can try herring in Thailand without fear - it rarely causes allergies. Just first learn to peel the fruit. For Thais, this is a whole art that requires skills.
Tamarillo
In Thailand, a direct relative of the well-known eggplants and tomatoes with chili peppers grows and bears fruit almost all year round. Although in Thailand tamarillo is not a vegetable, but a real fruit. The name tamarillo comes from the word tomato, and the fruit does not grow on bushes, but on a large tomato tree up to 10 meters high. And there, like Russian tomatoes, it ripens in large clusters.
- small round "tomatoes" with a diameter of 10 cm. The taste is an exotic mix, where passionfruit and tomatoes with peach notes are guessed. There are yellow varieties of tamarillo, orange, bright red (they are the sweetest), a scattering of black round seeds is visible in the cut inside all the fruits, the fruit looks extremely attractive.
In Thailand, jam from tamarillo is cooked, cut into salads, they like to make thick tart juices with a pronounced sourness from it. Tamarillo contains few simple carbohydrates, they can be safely enjoyed even by people with diabetes and everyone who follows a low-carb diet. The content of calories is 31 kcal per 100 g. In this regard, you can eat Thai tomatoes without limiting yourself. But before consuming it is important to eat a small bite to make sure there are no allergies.
Tamarind
(Indian dates) in Thailand looks just like ours green beans dried after harvest. But you don't know how far the taste of tamarind is from our beans! Its texture resembles apple jam, and its taste is dried apricots with hints of prunes, where sweetness and light sourness are successfully combined. At the same time, overripe fruits in Thailand taste like classic toffee, is this not a miracle?
In Thailand, Indian dates grow and ripen in dense tropical forests, emitting a heady spicy and dense fragrant spirit when ripe for several kilometers around the entire circumference. Bees flock to the smell, and then they give a surprisingly unusual tamarind honey. The trees where the pods ripen are tall, thick in diameter with fleshy giant leaves. It remains to wonder how tamarind pickers climb high trees to pick up tons of fruit per season. in Thailand, it runs from early December to February.
Tamarind in Thailand is loved to be added to desserts, eaten raw. From the seeds (and it is hidden inside each bean) teas, drinks are made, they are dried and used as an additive to food and a natural sweetener. Indian treats rheumatism, stomach ailments, but it is strictly contraindicated for children under 8 years of age, fruits can cause severe allergies up to Quincke's edema.
Santol
Santola fruits in Thailand grow and ripen on trees that grow huge, up to 50 m in height. During the flowering period, the tree looks unusually picturesque, dotted with tiny yellow-green flowers. By May, round fruits of a brown-yellow color, shaped like apples, are born from the flowers. Thai children enjoy eating santola fruits on a stick - with a velvet filling with cloves that look like garlic. The taste of the fruit is similar to mangosteen (there is even a name for the fruit - false or wild mangosteen), it is sweet and sour, fresh and not cloying. You can eat a lot of fruits in Thailand, and they will not get bored.
Santola peel is also edible, sweet and slightly crunchy. But the seeds of fruits in Thailand are not used for food - they lead to intestinal disorders and sometimes cause poisoning. Thai healers consider Santol to be a cure for joint diseases and obesity. It is given to children to strengthen immunity and to women during pregnancy to carry a healthy fetus.
Sapodilla
Sapodilla, an achra or butter tree in Thailand, is very similar to potatoes - the fruits are uneven, rough and not very pretty. These fruits are harvested in Thailand in November, but tourists are in no hurry to buy sapodilla, but those who have tasted the fruit at least once note its unique, incomparable taste - sweetish, delicate, reminiscent of the texture of either marmalade or exquisite jelly. ...
In Thailand, chefs value the fruit extraordinarily, add it to meat, cut it into salads, bake it, make sauces from it and whip it with creams. True, before cooking, they must remove seeds that are considered inedible. Sapodilla trees in Thailand bear fruit from spring to February, almost all year round. Achra is also valued in Thailand for its medicinal properties - it treats anemia, heals hair, legs and teeth. Sapodilla children in Thailand are recommended to eat in adolescence, when the body is growing and it needs a lot of vitamins. However, diabetics cannot eat the fruits of the oil tree due to the large amount of fructose. Also, fruits are not recommended for overweight people due to their high calorie content - 81 kcal per 100 g of product.
Cherimoya
Cherimoya in Thailand is called an ice cream tree - the pulp is so similar to everyone's favorite milk dessert. Large green-yellow fruits ripen in Thailand all summer long. The hassle is worth it - the Thai fruit is so delicious that both children and adults adore it. Imagine a mixture of peach and strawberry, pineapple and papaya along with notes of mango, cream and banana. Is it difficult to fit this into one taste? But cherimoya is just that - creamy, sweet, not cloying at all. A healthy stand-alone dessert. In Thailand, waffle cones are filled with fruit cream (by the way, this dish is a national treasure of the Chileans), it is cut into salads, compotes are boiled from it and eaten with cool fresh oatmeal. Just before use, be sure to remove the seeds from the fruit - they are not suitable for food.
These fruits are very popular in Pattaya, they are valued as a source of fructose, they contain a lot of folic acid, iron and vitamin C. It strengthens the immune system and rarely causes allergies. In Thailand, choose ripe large fruits, cut them in half and eat with a dessert spoon.
Chompu rose apple
Chompu, pink, heavenly apple or Malabar plum - in Thailand, different names for the same fruit. They all belong to the myrtle family. Imagine a plant up to 15 meters high with dense massive rose-colored leaves, strewn with bright pink fruits. In Thailand, Malabar plum trees look very beautiful during flowering: the creamy flowers smell incredible and look amazing.
But the main value of chompu is in its taste and useful properties. The fruit looks like a large bright pink pear with a dense, whipped pulp. It perfectly quenches thirst, but it is recommended to eat it chilled so that the taste is fully revealed - delicate, delicate, not cloying with soft apple tints, in which the taste of rose petals is clearly felt. Typically in Thailand, the rose apple is eaten on its own, but it pairs well with other fruits for incredible tropical mixes. Therefore, chompa in Thailand is often added to fruit desserts, salads and ice cream. It is important to choose large glossy fruits, where the skin seems to glow in the sun.
Conclusion
When choosing any fruit in Thailand, it is worth recommending to take seasonal ripe fruits that look delicious. There should be no damage, dents, or rot on the fruit, although it is quite difficult to find spoiled fruits. Thailand is a country rich in fragrant and tasty fruits; it would never occur to anyone to trade in spoiled goods.
The Thais themselves are friendly, smiling people, they will gladly teach you how to eat exotic things correctly, if desired, they will cut the fruits, squeeze out fresh juice from them. Treat yourself to Thai fruits, but be careful, because the healthiest food in large quantities can harm your health.
Visit the Kingdom of Thailand, discover a new world of flavors, be happy.
