Exotic fruits: photos, names and descriptions. Exotic fruits of Asia: photos, names, descriptions A few words about insurance

The term "fruit" appeared in 1705 and since then means edible or inedible fruits of trees, shrubs (earlier, all plant fruits were called vegetables). The product is one of the main components of the human diet, since, depending on the variety, it contains many vitamins and microelements. According to rough estimates, there are a little more than 2,000 fruits on the planet.

Apricot

A small tree or large shrub with a wide round crown. Very elegant are its reddish-brown or brown-olive, shiny, bare shoots, often in places (but not entirely) covered with a grayish film, 2-3 buds nearby. Very decorative at the time of flowering, decorated with numerous large white or pale pink flowers, with dark red recurved sepals. No less beautiful is the apricot at the time of fruiting, decorated with velvety-pubescent, often with a blush, sweet, rounded fruits with a longitudinal groove up to 3 cm in diameter. The tree loves light and tolerates drought well, living up to 50 years or more.

Avocado

Interest in avocados has been steadily growing in recent years, but still few people know that there are varieties whose fruits are more like a bottle gourd, there are black, pimply, oval and huge spherical avocados. Moreover, some of these varieties differ three times from each other in a number of important indicators of chemical composition. Nevertheless, with the help of properly selected varieties, people in different parts of the world take care of their skin condition, hair health, treat atherosclerosis, relieve arthritis symptoms and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

cherry plum

Strongly prickly branched multi-stem trees, sometimes a shrub, with thin brownish-green shoots, 3-10 meters high. Cherry plum flowers are white or pink, solitary. Blooms in early May. Cherry plum fruits ripen in August-September. Excellent honey plant and rootstock for plums.

A pineapple

Everyone knows that sweet ripe pineapple is added to salads, yogurts and pies. Fewer people know that pineapples can be fermented and boiled as cabbage soup. Even fewer have heard that pineapple leaves are used to produce a light and durable leather substitute, new types of fabric, nanofiber, which has become an alternative to plastic. And very few people know that scientists today, with the help of the bromelain enzyme contained in pineapple, are finding new ways to treat respiratory diseases, angina pectoris, ischemia, and are also actively exploring the potential of the enzyme in the fight against cancer cells.

Annona (guanabana)

The tree in natural conditions reaches 6 m in height, in the room it is much lower. Unlike some other annonas, this is an evergreen tree. The leaves are oval or oblong, glossy, leathery, dark green, up to 15 cm long. They have a slightly spicy smell, especially noticeable when rubbed. The flowers are fragrant, large (up to 4.5 cm in diameter), consist of three yellow-green fleshy outer petals and three pale yellow inner petals, can appear in different places - on the trunk, branches and small twigs. Flowers never fully open. Guanabana fruits are oval or heart-shaped, often irregular in shape, up to 30 cm in length, 15 cm in diameter and weighing up to 3 kg, dark green, turning yellow-green when ripe.

Orange

There are many legends about the beneficial properties of an orange, some of which, however, are not confirmed by anything. For example, some believe that an orange breaks all records for the content of vitamin C, although in fact it does not stand out among other citrus fruits in this parameter. Others believe that orange fruits (or freshly squeezed juice) can effectively burn fat and provide relief from extra pounds in diets. This is also not entirely true.

Banana

Bananas have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-allergic properties. With the help of banana components (dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and noradrenaline), atherosclerosis, hypertension are treated, liver enzyme activity is increased, convulsions are relieved, and small doses of banana increase the quality and quantity of sperm. The main thing is not to abuse the banana diet, so as not to get the opposite effect, and also not to provoke problems with excess weight and varicose veins.

Bergamot

Bergamot is a hybrid species of an artificially bred plant of the genus Citrus. The plant was obtained by crossing orange and citron. The skin of bergamot contains valuable essential oils used in the cosmetic and perfume industries, as well as in medicine.

Grapefruit

grapefruit (English) grape and fruits- grapes and fruit) - a citrus yellow-orange fruit that grows in subtropical climatic latitudes. Grapefruit grows on an evergreen tree of the same name, reaching a height of 13-15 m. A ripe fruit in diameter is no more than 15 cm. In appearance, grapefruit is most similar to an orange, but its flesh is more acidic, and the inner white veins are bitter. Many scientists believe that the grapefruit originated in India as a natural hybridization of the pomelo and the orange.

Pear

This is a fruit plant with a multi-thousand-year history of cultivation, which almost all this time is fighting for the right to be no worse than its close relative - an apple. And the pear is really no worse. Potassium, antioxidants, coarse dietary fiber, less fruit acids, fiber-related “light” sugars and other beneficial substances make this fruit both tasty and healthy, and in some cases medicinal. Experimentally proven, for example, the ability of pears to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prevent strokes.

Guava

A small evergreen tree up to 3-4 m high, belongs to the myrtle family, tolerates drought well. Blooms once or twice a year. It gives one main crop - up to 100 kg per tree and 2-4 additional, much smaller crops. Guava matures ninety to one hundred and fifty days after flowering. The shape and size of the fruit is extremely variable. In appearance, the guava looks like a bumpy green or yellow apple. Guava fruits are round and pear-shaped, with a bright yellow, reddish or green thin skin. The mass of fruits of cultivated varieties is from 70 to 160 g, the length of the fruit is from 4 to 6.5 cm, the diameter is 4.8-7.2 cm. which disappears in mature fruit.

Jackfruit

A plant of the mulberry family, a close relative of the breadfruit tree. Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh. Jackfruit fruits are the largest edible fruits growing on trees: 20-90 cm long and up to 20 cm in diameter, they weigh up to 34 kg. Their thick skin is covered with numerous cone-shaped protrusions. Young fruits are green, when ripe they become green-yellow or brown-yellow and when tapped they make a hollow sound (immature fruits are deaf). Inside, the fruit is divided into large lobes containing yellow, fragrant, sweet pulp, consisting of juicy soft fibers. Each slice contains one fairly large oblong white seed 2-3 cm long. The cut jackfruit fruit has a pleasant specific smell, slightly reminiscent of a banana and pineapple.

dragon fruit (pitahaya)

An extraordinary fruit. Currently, it is grown in southern Mexico, in some countries of Central and South America, in Vietnam, as well as in Israel (in the Negev desert). Depending on the species, the size of the pitahaya fruit, the color of the pulp (white, pink, purple), the color of the skin (from yellow to orange, from red to purple) and the surface texture of the fruit (with small outgrowths, with thin colored scales) vary. The pulp of the dragon fruit fruit is always filled with small black seeds, which are customary to clean out.

durian

Durian has such a disgusting smell that you are unlikely to be allowed into a public place with it. However, if you overcome disgust or just close your nose and taste the juicy pulp, you will immediately understand where the concept of the king of fruits came from.

carambola

Evergreen, slow-growing tree 5 m high with drooping branches and a dense, highly branched, rounded crown or shrub. The leaves are soft, dark green, smooth on top and covered with whitish pubescence below. The leaves are sensitive to light and cluster together at night. The flowers are small pink or purple-red. Carambola fruits are fleshy, crispy and juicy, slightly spicy, with massive ribbed outgrowths, ranging in size from a chicken egg to a large orange. Ripe fruits of carambola are amber-yellow or golden-yellow. They are unusual in shape - they look like a ribbed airship.

Kiwi

The herbaceous vine Actinidia sinensis and its fruits are berries with green flesh and brown skin covered with small hairs. The history of kiwi is very unusual. The birthplace of the creeper with the name mihutao, which became the progenitor of kiwi, is China.

clementines

clementine or Citrus clementina is one of the varieties of tangero. It is a hybrid of orange and tangerine. It was created back in 1902 by Father Klemen, who was not only a priest, but also a wonderful breeder. The shape of the fruit is the same as that of the mandarin, but they are much sweeter.

Kumquat

whale. golden orange
Yellow-orange tropical fruit of the citrus family of an evergreen plant. This fruit has other names - kinkan and fortunella. Outwardly, the kumquat looks like a very small oval orange. In length, it reaches a maximum of 5 cm, and in width - 4 cm. The fruit is consumed completely with the peel. The taste of the fruit is very close to sour tangerine, but the peel has a sweet-tart taste. The kumquat is native to southern China.

Lime

Lime is the fruit of a plant in the citrus family native to India, genetically similar to lemon.
Lime is a small tree or bush from 1.5 to 5.0 m high. The crown is dense, the branches are covered with short spines. Inflorescences are axillary, with 1-7 flowers, remontant flowering. Lime fruits are small - 3.5-6 cm in diameter, ovoid, lime flesh is greenish, juicy, very sour. The peel is green, yellowish-green or yellow, very thin when fully ripe.

Lemon

Although lemon is popularly considered the champion in the amount of vitamin C, in fact, in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, it does not stand out among other citrus fruits and even lags behind some of its “brothers”. But that doesn't make it useless. Traditional medicine includes lemon in prescriptions for "thousands of diseases": from seborrhea and arthritis, to constipation and tuberculosis. And scientific research is aimed at using lemon potential in therapy to restore liver function, reduce "bad" cholesterol and blood pressure.

Lychee

lat. Litchi chinensis- Chinese plum
A small sweet and sour fruit covered with a crusty skin. The fruit grows on evergreen tropical trees, the height of which reaches 10-30 meters. Homeland is China. The fruit has an oval or round shape with a diameter of 2.5-4 cm. The ripened fruit has a dense red skin with a large number of sharp tubercles. Only the pulp of the fruit is used for food, which has a jelly-like structure, and in color and taste resembles peeled white grapes. Inside the pulp is an oval brown bone. The main harvest of lychee occurs in May-June.

Longan (Lam Yai)

The fruit of an evergreen longan tree native to China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia.
The juicy flesh of the longan has a sweet, very fragrant, nephelium-like taste with a peculiar tinge. The color of the hard, inedible outer shell of the fruit varies from mottled yellowish to reddish. Like the Chinese lychee, the longan fruit contains a hard, dark red or black seed.

Mango

The evergreen mango tree has a height of 10 - 45 m, the crown of the tree reaches a radius of 10 m.
New leaves grow yellowish-pink, but quickly turn dark green. The flowers are white to pink, after opening they have an aroma similar to that of lilies. Ripe mango fruits hang on long stems and weigh up to 2 kg. The skin of a mango is thin, smooth, green, yellow or red depending on the degree of maturity (combination of all three colors is often found). The pulp of a mango can be soft or fibrous, also depending on the maturity of the fruit, it surrounds a large, hard, flat bone.

Mangosteen

Tall evergreen tree up to 25 m high with a pyramidal crown and black-brown bark. The leaves are oval-oblong, dark green above and yellow-green below, 9 - 25 cm long and 4.5 - 10 cm wide. Young leaves are pink. Flowers with fleshy green petals with red spots. The mangosteen fruit is round, 3.4 - 7.5 cm in diameter, covered on top with a thick (up to 1 cm) burgundy-violet inedible skin containing sticky coloring latex, under which there are 4-8 segments of white edible pulp with seeds tightly adjacent to it . Mangosteen bears fruit late - the first fruits on trees for 9-20 years of life.

Mandarin

There are many myths about mandarin. Many have probably heard that more than 4 fruits a day cannot be eaten? This is an exaggeration - there is no common table for all indicating the dangerous amount of this citrus. They also say that green leaves on a tangerine are a sign of its special freshness, that the oranger the peel, the sweeter the fruit, that the naringin contained in the zest directly burns fats, and that citruses in general and tangerines in particular are hardly the best source of vitamin C. All this is also not entirely true. But mandarin has properties that have long been in demand in folk medicine, which make it a promising product in the fight against some serious diseases.

passion fruit

An ancient tropical crop of the genus Passiflora that produces yellow or dark purple oval fruits (when ripe) growing on vines. Passion fruit is grown for its juice, which is often added to other fruit juices for flavor. Passionfruit fruits are yellow-orange or dark purple fruits, oval in shape and about 6-12 cm in size. Fruits with smooth, shiny skin are preferred, but sweeter with rough, cracked skin.

medlar

tour. musmula
This is a whole genus of plants, which includes almost 30 species. However, there are two main cultivated types of medlar: German and Japanese. The German medlar has been known to mankind for more than 1000 years BC. In the territories of Ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia, it was freely traded, it was taken on ships to the west to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was from here that the medlar came to European lands. To date, the German medlar grows in the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Crimean Mountains, Transcaucasia, Armenia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece and northern Iran. The tree is quite finicky and grows well only in dry, sunny places and on slightly acidic soil.

Nectarine

A fruit that is a peach with a smooth skin. Despite the widespread myth, nectarine is obtained by selection or simple mutation of peaches and is not a peach-plum hybrid.
This classic example of a bud mutation occurs when peach trees self-pollinate. Nectarines sometimes appear on peach trees, and peaches on nectarine trees. Nectarines are first mentioned in 1616 in England.

Papaya

A low, slender tree with a thin, branchless trunk 5-10 meters high, crowned with an umbrella of palmately dissected leaves on long petioles. Papaya leaves are large, 50-70 centimeters in diameter. The flowers develop in the axils of the petioles, turning into large fruits, 10-30 cm in diameter and 15-45 cm long. Ripe papaya fruits are soft and have a color from amber to yellow.

Peach

A tree of the Rosaceae family, has a subgenus of almonds. It differs from almonds only in fruits. The leaves are lanceolate with a serrated edge and almost sessile, appearing before the development of the leaves, pink flowers. The fruit is a peach, spherical, with a groove on one side, usually velvety. The peach pit is wrinkly furrowed and punctately dimpled.

pomelo

English pomelo
Citrus fruits of the evergreen tree of the same name. The peel of the fruit is quite thick, and the slices are large, separated by hard white partitions, bitter in taste. The color of a ripe pomelo can vary from light green to yellow-pink. The pink color usually acquires only one side, which during ripening was turned to the sun. The fruit is the champion among citrus fruits. Its diameter can be 30 cm, and its weight can reach 10 kg. The taste of pomelo is very close to grapefruit, but the pulp is not so juicy and when peeled, the inner membranes are more easily separated from the edible part.

Pomeranian

It is also called Chinotto or Bigaradia - it is a woody evergreen plant belonging to the Rut family, a species of the genus Citrus. It is considered a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin. When fresh, the orange is considered inedible, and it is valued mainly because of the zest. The peel is quite easily separated from the fruit, you just need to cut it into 4 parts. The zest of oranges is used to make desserts. It is also often added to ice cream. For such a dessert, you need to take orange zest and juice, cream and sugar. All this must be beaten with a mixer and sent to freeze.

Fruits and vegetables in Thailand are very diverse. Below we have collected for you what you should definitely try while in the land of smiles.

Fruit in Thailand

1. Durian

Durian (Thai name - durian) is the undisputed leader of our list. The fruit is pale green-yellow in color with a shell-like skin. Weight from 2 to 5 kg. Durian has a very unpleasant smell and an excellent sweet-creamy taste. Durian is eaten raw, while the seeds are roasted and eaten instead of nuts. Keeping at home or in a hotel, as well as transporting, is not recommended due to the smell. In many hotels, hospitals, shopping centers and other public places, you can find special signs reminding you that it is forbidden to bring durian into the room. The Thais themselves speak of durian as "a fruit with the taste of heaven and the smell of hell."

Do not try durian - vacation in vain))

2. Mango

Mango (Thai name - mamuang) - outwardly yellow, green or reddish oblong fruit, outwardly a bit like a melon. Inside, juicy yellow-orange or green flesh with a sweet and sour taste.

In my opinion, the most delicious mango is green on the outside and yellow on the inside.

3. Dragon fruit

Pitaya or pitahaya ("dragon fruit", dragon's eye) (Thai name - geow mangon). Bright pink or yellow fruits with sparse green scales. Inside, white or red flesh with small black seeds.

4. Guava

Guava (Thai name - farang) - fruits of light green color, outwardly resemble an apple. Rough skin outside. The flesh is white or red, crisp like an apple, with many small seeds.

5. Papaya

Papaya (papaya) (Thai name - malakor) - pear-shaped fruits, green or yellow. The flesh is orange or bright pink. Papaya is eaten both as a vegetable and as a fruit, depending on the degree of ripeness. Thais love to cook their famous “papaya salad” from papaya.

6. Mangosteen

Mangosteen (mangosteen) (Thai name - mangkhud) - a small fruit that looks like an apple with a brown or purple skin. Sweet. Tastes like grapefruit.

7. Lychee

Lychee (Thai name - linchi) - fruits the size of a small plum, with a scaly pink peel. Inside is a white pulp that is eaten and an inedible pit. It tastes like grapes.

8. Sapodilla

Sapodilla (Thai name - la moot) - a yellow-brown fruit, similar to kiwi. Crispy flesh with a creamy caramel flavor and a few hard pits. It tastes like persimmon.

9. Passion fruit

Passion fruit is a purplish-purple or golden fruit, about the size of a small grapefruit. Under the peel are the bones in a juicy sweet shell. It turns out a very tasty cocktail: soda, passion fruit and sugar syrup.))

10. Longan

Longan (Thai name - lamyai) - small fruits of light brown color, resembling walnuts in appearance. Inside is a transparent white pulp and a hard bone.

11. Jackfruit

Jackfruit (Indian breadfruit, eve) is a large fruit with thick, spiky, yellow-green skin. It looks like a durian, but its "thorns" are smaller. 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 unripened is cooked. Jackfruit is mixed with other fruits, added to ice cream, coconut milk. The seeds are edible when boiled.

12. Pineapple

Pineapple (Thai name - sapa rot). Thailand's pineapples are considered among the best in the world. There are about 80 varieties of this fruit. Its taste is rich - from sweet and sour to honey. The smell of ripe pineapple is pleasant and slightly sweet. When choosing a pineapple, pay attention to its texture: it should be slightly crumpled under your fingers, but not too soft or, conversely, too hard. In Thailand, mini pineapple, or as it is called "royal pineapple", is also very popular.

13. Coconut

Coconut (Thai name - ma phrao). Season: all year round. If not for these fruits, Thai cuisine would be just a combination of Chinese and Indian. They are added to rice and eaten fresh. Most soups are cooked with coconut milk. Coconuts in syrup are offered as a dessert. The markets sell coconut milk right in the fruit. Be prepared for the fact that coconuts in Thailand are not the coconuts we are used to seeing in bounty ads. They are green and big. But, there is another type - small light brown.

14. Langsat

Langsat (Thai name - lang sat). Season: July to October. This fruit is almost unknown outside the country, but is very popular in Thailand itself. Its grayish flesh has both a sweet and sour taste. Langsat seeds are bitter, so the fruit should be eaten with care. Do not confuse with longan.

15. Pomelo

Pomelo (Thai name - som oh). Season: from August to November. It tastes like grapefruit, but more sweet than sour. In addition, the pomelo is much larger in size. The flesh is reddish, pale yellow and orange.

16. Rambutan

Rambutan (Thai name - ngaw). Season: all year round, peak - from May to September. One of the most noticeable and delicious exclusively Thai fruits. Bright red fruits with pale green bristles taste vaguely reminiscent of grapes, only sweeter. Rambutan grows in the central and southern provinces (Chanthaburi, Pattaya region, Suratthani).

17. Rose apple

Rose apple (Thai name - chom poo). Season: all year round. There are two varieties of this fruit: one is really pink, the other is green. To taste, the fruits are similar to ordinary apples, only a little more sour. The most beautiful rose apples appear on the markets during the cool season - from November to March.

18. Salak

Salak, snake fruit (Thai name - la kham). The scaly fruits are burgundy-brown in color, the shape is oval and slightly elongated, reminiscent of a drop of water. The peel is thin and fairly easy to remove, but when peeling the fruit, you need to be careful: it is covered with small soft spikes. The flesh of the herring is yellowish-white.

19. Sugar apple

Sugar apple (Thai name - noi naa). Season: June to September. Under the bumpy green skin lies a sweet and fragrant milky flesh. If the fruit is ripe enough, you can eat it with a spoon. By the way, the basis of the special ice cream served in Thai restaurants is the sugar apple. The fruit loves a hot and humid climate, so it is grown mainly in the south of the country.

20. Carambola

Carambola (Thai name - ma feung). Season: October to December. Fruits are yellow or green, oblong. Cut across have the shape of a five-pointed star. Because of this, they have a second name - star fruit, or "star fruit". Ripe fruits are very juicy. The taste is pleasant, with floral notes, not very sweet. Unripe fruits are quite sour. They contain a lot of vitamin C. The fruit is mainly used for making salads, sauces, juices and soft drinks.

21. Tamarind

Tamarind (Thai name - makham thad). Season: December to March. Tamarind is a sour fruit, but a sweet variety grows in Thailand. Thais usually boil the fruit in water to get a refreshing drink.

22. Watermelon

Watermelon (Thai name - Taeng Mo). Season: all year round. Peak season: October-March. Appearance: Watermelons are small in size, with red or yellow flesh. Yellow ones are more expensive, because in Thailand it is the color of wealth. Taste: Sugar-sweet common to watermelon, refreshing in both varieties. Significantly sweeter than Astrakhan. Consumption: Necks, smoothies and fresh watermelon juice are popular. Used for figured fruit carving.

23. Banana

Banana - (Thai name - Kluai). Season: all year round. Appearance: yellow or green. Taste: very sweet, the smaller the size and thinner the skin, the tastier, but these are not stored. Long ones are stored better, they cost more. Very nutritious, they are eaten unripe with spices, semi-ripe dried in the sun, ripened deep-fried, boiled in coconut milk or syrup, the flowers are used in cooking various dishes.

24. Mandarin

Mandarin (Thai name - Som). Season: all year round. Peak season September-February. Appearance. Smaller than European varieties, with a thinner, greenish-yellow skin. Taste: sweet with slight sourness, very juicy. Compared to European varieties, not so bright taste. Consumption: In Thailand, they are mainly juiced and sold everywhere on stalls on the streets.

Fruits in Thailand by seasons.

Today, a real abundance of exotic fruits is presented on store shelves. Not all people know their correct name, and they don’t have the slightest idea about the taste qualities. In our article, we will take a closer look at the asterisk fruit. First of all, let's dwell on how it is correctly called and in which countries it grows. We will also be sure to consider how to choose a ripe fruit so that it pleases with excellent taste and is good for the body.

What is the star fruit called?

In Europe, this fruit is loved for its unusual shape. It is enough to cut it across - and the original decoration for the festive table is ready. In different languages, the name of the fruit of an interesting shape sounds differently - starfruit, carom, tropical star, star apple. And all of them perfectly characterize the appearance of the plant.

The correct name of the fruit with an asterisk, according to the scientific classification, sounds like this - carambola. It belongs to the oxalis family, a genus of woody plants Averroa. The fruits grow on trees with a dense crown, reaching a height of 3-5 meters, and wide leaves up to 50 centimeters long. Glossy to the touch has a ribbed surface. When cut, the fruit forms a five-pointed star.

Where does carambola grow?

The homeland of the fruit "asterisk" is Southeast Asia. In the wild, carambola grows on the island of Sri Lanka, in India and Indonesia. The plant is acclimatized in Brazil, Guyana, some US states (Hawaii, Florida), Israel. Forms from these countries are often imported to Russia.

Tourists can admire how carambola grows when visiting Thailand. The plant blooms several times a year. At this time, its crown is covered with beautiful, pink-lavender flowers. After about 2 months, green ribbed fruits are formed, inside of which there are several seeds. Fruit turns yellow as it ripens. The length of carambola does not exceed 15 cm. The fruit ripening period is May-August.

If desired, carambola is easily grown at home from an ordinary seed. The plant is unpretentious in care, shade-tolerant, not afraid of drafts. Requires medium watering.

The taste of an exotic fruit

We can say for sure that this fruit is very juicy. But his taste can be completely different. Unripe fruits, namely in this form they are removed from trees for subsequent import to Russia, are quite sour, with an unpleasant aftertaste. Such a fruit is more like a vegetable, such as a cucumber. Ripe fruits with massive ribbed outgrowths have a rather sweet taste. Carambola is often compared to gooseberries, apples, cucumbers, grapes, and even oranges. Several flavor notes are combined in one plant at once, which is why it is so difficult to describe this tropical fruit. Thanks to its high water content and sweet and sour refreshing taste, carambola easily quenches thirst.

The "star" fruit in the cut has an almost regular shape of a five-pointed star, so it is often used for desserts. At home, carambola is stored in the refrigerator for about three weeks.

Composition and benefits for the body

One of the pleasant advantages of the star fruit is its low calorie content. 100 grams of juicy and ripe carambola contains only 34 kcal. The pulp contains a large amount of minerals important for the body (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and iron), as well as vitamins (C, B1, B2, B5, beta-carotene).

• weakened immunity and beriberi;
• headaches, dizziness and fever;
• colic in the abdomen and constipation.

Sweet and sour tropical fruits of an unusual shape are a source of antioxidants, have an antimicrobial and antifungal effect on the body. The pulp of ripe carambola helps to reduce the level of glucose and cholesterol in human blood.

Asian healers use for medicinal purposes not so much the fruits as the leaves and flowers of the plant. But regular consumption of fruits will be enough to improve your condition and strengthen your health.

Harm and contraindications

Due to the high content of oxalic acid, carambola may not be as useful as it seems at first glance. People with diseases of the kidneys, stomach and duodenum should refrain from eating sweet and sour fruits with juicy pulp. Oxalic acid can aggravate the course of diseases such as gastritis and enterocolitis. At the same time, residents of Asian countries use the properties of this substance when removing stains, as well as when polishing copper and brass.

Excessive consumption of carambola fruits can cause intoxication. Signs of this condition are hiccups, vomiting, numbness, muscle weakness, or insomnia. Intoxication manifests itself within 1-14 hours after eating carambola.

How to choose ripe fruits?

Only fruits that have ripened on the tree have a sweet taste and a pleasant smell of jasmine. They are distinguished by their characteristic bright yellow color and brown stripes on massive ribs. Unfortunately, they can only be purchased in places where carambola is directly grown. To import fruits from hundreds of kilometers away, they have to be picked while still green. Such fruits ripen directly on store shelves or in a home refrigerator.

In Russia, choosing ripe carambola fruits will be quite difficult. The "asterisk" fruit, presented in our stores, has a light green or pale yellow color. Until fully ripened and eaten, carambola should lie at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

How do you eat star fruit?

The unusual shape of carambola allows you to use the fruits cut into thin slices as a decoration for drinks, desserts, fruit salads and other dishes. However, the use of an exotic fruit with an asterisk in cooking is not limited to this.

In Asian countries, carambola is used in the preparation of many interesting drinks and dishes:

1. Sweet and sour fruit juice is added to alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, giving them an exquisite taste.
2. Unripe fruits are used as vegetables and are subject to frying, stewing and pickling.
3. Ripe carambola is boiled in syrup and served as a delicious dessert.
4. Sweet, naturally ripened fruits are used in the preparation of jam, marmalade and jelly.
5. In China, chefs add carambola to meat or fish dishes, and also prepare a delicious sauce from it.

When consumed raw, the fruits are not peeled, but eaten straight with a smooth and thin skin. First, carambola is washed well, removing dirt from the cavities and ribs, and then cut into 1 cm thick slices.

Article-review of exotic tropical fruits of Asia with photos, names, descriptions and prices in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. We wrote it based on our travel notes. Use on health!

Tropical fruits of the Southeast are a real treasure and a storehouse of health. It's just a sin not to try them all! In addition, exotic fruits sold in Russia (for example, pineapple, mango, bananas or carambola) only remotely resemble real ripe fruits. Read the article about - it is especially relevant for those who are going to this country for the first time.

List of tropical fruits with photos, names and descriptions

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo - Thai, Chôm chôm - Vietnamese)

Funny hairy red balls on the counter are rambutans. Their "hairiness" is of varying degrees: the hairs can be greenish and strong, withered and black, or moderately withered. Practice shows that the latter are the best.

The pulp of rambutans is dense and white translucent, it does not get rid of the stone too well. To get to the pulp, you need to make an incision across and part the halves. The taste is subtle and sweet, similar to green grapes. Unripe rambutans may be slightly sour. Sometimes there are already peeled rambutans in the markets, but they spoil much faster - there is a risk of running into spoiled ones. They are also sold in canned form with sugar syrup.

Season: from May to October.

Rambutans are one of the most inexpensive tropical fruits in Asia. Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 40 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 30 to 150 baht (and about 15 baht for a peeled substrate);
• In Indonesia - 10 thousand rupees in Sumatra and from 18 thousand rupees in Bali.

(Photo: jeevs / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Lychee (Litchi, lin-chi - Thai, vải - Vietnamese)

Lychee, otherwise - litchi, or Chinese plum - are remarkable and tasty. Neat red-pink fruits from afar resemble the skin of a reptile - their peel is dotted with small tubercles. To the touch pleasant, elastic, rough. The thin shell is easily separated from the pulp, revealing a translucent white mass with a stone in the center. Lychees are very juicy, with a sweet and sour taste. They are actively used in cooking.

Harvested from April to June. The price per kilogram in Thailand is about 60 baht.

(Photo: su-lin / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Longan (Lam-yaj - Thai, Nhan - Vietnamese)

If you see bunches of small potatoes on the counter, know that this is a longan, or a dragon's eye. The fruits are juicy and sugary-sweet - it is almost impossible to break away from them: longan snaps like seeds, easily and quickly. In Vietnam, you can often see longan shells on the ground. The flesh is transparent white, sometimes with a slight yellowish tint. When cut, the longan resembles a dragon's eye, as there is a round bone inside, hence its name.

Season: May - November.

Prices per kilogram:

• in Vietnam - from 30 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 60 baht.

(Photo: Muy Yum / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Longkong (Langsat)

Longkong (langsat) is one of the most delicious exotic fruits in Asia, in our opinion. In appearance - a bunch of small potatoes of beige-yellow color with speckles, but larger than longan. The longkong is cleaned well - you just need to peel off the peel (although your hands will be a little sticky after that). The pulp is in the form of translucent slices, similar in shape to garlic. Its taste is simply amazing - sweet and refreshing, with a barely noticeable sourness, a bit like a pomelo. Beware of biting the bones - they are bitter.

Season: from May to November.

Prices per kg:

• in Thailand - from 100 baht;
• in Indonesia - from 20 thousand rupees.

(Photo: Yeoh Thean Kheng / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Mango (Mango, Ma-Muang - Thai, Xoài - Vietnamese)

The variety of mango species is amazing - from dark green to red. The flavor palette is also impressive. In Vietnam, mangoes are somewhat fibrous, while in Thailand their flesh is more uniform and flavorful. The bone is usually flat and wide.

It is better to choose slightly soft mangoes, hard ones may turn out to be unripe (although there are exceptions), and too soft ones - overripe, they will quickly deteriorate. In Thailand, yellow mangoes (and durians) are eaten with gluten-free rice and coconut milk, a traditional sticky rice dish.

Season: in Thailand in spring, in Vietnam - also in spring and winter.

Prices are different and depend on the variety (per kg):

• in Vietnam - from 25 to 68 thousand dongs;
• in Thailand - from 20 to 150 baht;
• in Indonesia - 10-15 thousand rupees per season and 25-50 - out of season;
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits.

(Photo: Philip Roeland / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Noina, or sugar apple (Sugar Apple, Noi-na - Thai, Mẵng cầu - Vietnamese)

Noina is very similar to cherimoya - they are relatives. Noina looks like a light green bumpy apple with segments-scales covered with a light whitish bloom. Sugar apple was called for a reason: the ripe fruit is really like sugar, with a creamy flavor. The flesh is white and so soft that noina is cut in half and eaten with a spoon, removing inedible bones. Cherimoya is similar to noina in many ways, but its peel is without scales.

Try to choose as ripe fruits as possible, as unripe noina will be unpleasant - hard and with a coniferous flavor. A ripe sugar apple is soft, the flesh can even shine through between the segments. Don't push it too hard - it can fall apart right in your hands.

Harvest: June - September.

The cost of a kilogram of these tropical fruits:

• in Vietnam - from 49 thousand dong (in a supermarket), in the market we bought for 30 thousand.

(Photo: Hanoian / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Guanabana, or soursop (Soursop, Guanabana, Mãng cầu xiêm - Vietnamese)

Another relative of the noina is guanabana. Its flesh is similar to a sugar apple, but not as sweet and with a bright creamy taste. By consistency, it is a bit like dense sour cream or yogurt, for which guanabana was nicknamed soursop. Eat it with a spoon or cut into pieces. The fruits of guanabana are much larger than noina and cherimoya, you can’t confuse them - they sometimes reach 10 or more kilograms. The peel is dark green, with small processes in the form of soft spines.

Guanabana is a rare guest on the shelves of markets and shops. Choose a slightly soft soursop - it can easily ripen in the refrigerator for a couple of days (but no more, so don't overdo it). An unripe fruit is hard and almost tasteless, and an overripe one will sour, fermentation processes will begin.

Fruits all year round. Usually the price per kilogram in Vietnam is from 43 thousand dong.

(Photo: tara marie / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Pomelo (Pomelo, Som-o - Thai)

Probably everyone knows what a pomelo looks like and what it tastes like, so we won’t describe it. However, we thought it was sweeter in Asia. When buying, you should choose by sniffing: the stronger the citrus aroma, the better the pomelo will be. Also pay attention to softness.

Season: July - September.

Price per kg:

• in Thailand - from 30 baht;
• in Vietnam - from 40 thousand dong.

Salak (Snake fruit, Sala and Ra-kum - Thai, Salak - Indonesian.)

A notable tropical fruit with a rind resembling snakeskin. It comes with and without thorns. The flesh is beige-yellow or white, sweet-sour in taste, with a wine flavor. Sometimes there is a taste of valerian. Spiny herring should be cleaned with care: cut at the edge with a knife and peel off like a tangerine. Cleans up pretty easily.

Season: June to August.

Prices per kg:

• in Thailand - from 60 baht;
• in Indonesia - from 20 thousand rupees.

(Photo: hl_1001a3 / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Pineapple (Pineapple, Sa-pa-rot - Thai, Khóm (Dứa) - Vietnamese)

Pineapple is an exotic fruit familiar to us since childhood. Only here in Asia it is much tastier than in Russia. Large and small pineapples are sold - these are different varieties. We recommend taking Thai small, palm-sized, with an orange peel - they are the sweetest. It is convenient to buy already peeled or chopped pineapples.

Season: January, April - June.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 20 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - about 15-20 baht (per piece or kilogram - depending on the variety).

Chrysophyllum (Star apple, Caimito, Star apple, Vú sữa - Vietnamese)

We were not particularly impressed with the star apple: its taste seemed pleasant, but not outstanding, besides, the fruits secrete milky juice, which is then hardly washed off hands and lips. Mature chrysophyllums come in green, brown, and various shades of purple. You need to choose soft star apples, as unripe ones are inedible. It is better to eat them with a spoon, cut across and pre-cooled.

Harvested from February to March. The price in Vietnam per kg is from 37 thousand VND.

(Photo: tkxuong / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, Mong-khut - Thai, Mang cút - Vietnamese)

Mangosteen (mangosteen), like almost all tropical fruits of Asia, looks attractive and arouses the curiosity of tourists. Small dark purple round balls with neat leaves on top, dense to the touch and quite heavy.

The peel of the mangosteen is thick, reminiscent of pomegranate in smell and astringent properties. Behind the thick rind are several slices of fragrant and extremely tender white pulp, similar in shape to garlic. The taste is unforgettable and indescribable! Light, sweet, refreshing. But we did not like the mangosteen wine.

It is important to choose the right fruits: when buying, lightly press the mangosteen - it should be a little soft, sag when pressed. If not, it's most likely corrupted.

When cleaning the mangosteen, be careful not to stain your clothes. In many hotels it is forbidden to eat it. It is better to clean with your hands - just tear off the leaves and press on the center. You can also use a knife - make an incision and open the fruit. If the mangosteen is fresh, it will peel easily.

Season: April - October.

Price per kg:

• in Thailand - from 80 baht;
• in Indonesia - 20-35 thousand rupees.

(Photo: olivcris / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Papaya (Papaya, Ma-la-koo - Thai, Đu đủ - Vietnamese)

Papaya is sweet and nutritious, with a flavor reminiscent of carrots and pumpkins. The flesh of the ripe fruit is very soft, fragrant, juicy, orange-red in color, and the skin is bright yellow to orange. Take moderately soft fruits. Green papaya is not sweet - it is added to salads and eaten with pepper and salt.

Season: all year round.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 10 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 40 baht;
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits;
• in Indonesia - 7-15 thousand rupees.

(Photo: Crysstala / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Sapodilla (sapodilla, La-mut and Chiku - Thai, Lòng mứt or hồng xiêm - Vietnamese)

Sapodilla is called a tree potato - outwardly it really looks like an oblong potato. But inside - a sugary-sweet pulp of orange-brown color, reminiscent of persimmon varieties "Korolek", only softer. Buy soft brown fruits, as unripe sapodilla has an astringent effect.

Season: all year round.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 21 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 40 baht.

(Photo: GlobalHort Image Library/Imagetheque/flickr.com/CC BY-NC 2.0)

Pitahaya (dragon heart, dragon fruit, Geow-mangon - Thai, Thanh long - Vietnamese)

Pitahaya is one of the most recognizable exotic fruits, the photo of which has probably been seen by everyone. The bright pink pitaya belongs to the cactus family and looks unusual: inside is white or beet-colored flesh with small black seeds. She has a barely perceptible sweetish taste - in my opinion, pitahaya is almost bland. Eat with a spoon, cut in half.

Season: May - October.

Price per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 20-23 thousand dongs;
• in Thailand - from 45 baht;
• in Indonesia - 15 thousand rupees.

(Photo: John Loo / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Coconut (Coconut, Ma-phrao - Thai, Dừa - Vietnamese)

In Southeast Asia, coconuts are large and light green or yellow-orange in color, not brown and hairy, as we have on the shelves. These are young coconuts, and they are drunk. Sellers will carefully cut off the top of the nut with a machete, give you a tube and a spoon - you can scrape off the pleasant jelly-like pulp remaining on the walls of the coconut. We recommend buying chilled coconuts.

Season: all year.

Price per piece (depending on size):

• in Vietnam - from 8-15 thousand dongs;
• in Thailand - 15-20 baht;
• in Malaysia - from 4-5 ringgits;
• in Indonesia - 10-15 thousand rupees.

(Photo: -Gep- / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

Tamarind (Sweet Tamarind, Ma-kham-wan - Thai, Me thái ngọt - Vietnamese)

The sugary-sweet tamarind resembles a date in taste and texture. It looks like a brown pod, under a fragile shell - dark flesh, enveloping hard bones.

Season: December to March.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 62 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 100 baht.

(Photo: Mal.Smith / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Banana (Banana, Kluai - Thai, Chuối - Vietnamese)

There are many types of bananas in Asia. Mostly small, palm-length. The taste is sweet and very different from those sold in Russia. Be sure to try different varieties. For example, in Malaysia there are wonderful triangular bananas. They are red on the outside, but they taste like dried ones.

Season: all year round.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 15 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 30 baht;
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits;
• in Indonesia - 20-25 thousand rupees.

Passionfruit (Passionfruit, Chanh dây - Vietnamese)

This tropical fruit has a different, more sonorous name - Passionfruit, which translates as passion fruit. The taste of passion fruit is not for everyone: too sharp, sweet and sour (but I like it very much). Similar to concentrated multifruit juice.

The peel is dense, comes in many colors, but mostly purple, burgundy, brown and green-brown. Fruits can be smooth or shriveled - just such a passion fruit will be ripe. The pulp is jelly-like, with edible seeds. They eat it with a spoon, cutting it across.

But in Indonesia, passion fruit is completely different and is called marquise! Inside - a sweet jelly-like pulp with crispy bones. It can be drunk or eaten with a spoon. Outside - a dense yellow-orange peel. How to choose fruits? Take the brightest ones. If, when pressed, the peel sags and even slightly crunches, then the fruit is ripe.

Season: september - december and marquise in winter.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 20 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 190 baht;
• in Indonesia - 45 thousand rupees (out of season).

(Photo: geishaboy500 / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Carambola (Carambola, Star fruit, Ma-fuang - Thai, Khẽ - Vietnamese)

The beautiful yellow-orange fruit is carambola. It tastes sweet and sour, reminiscent of strawberries. Carambola is juicy and refreshing, great to eat in the heat. It is so named because when cross-sectioned, slices are obtained in the form of stars.

Season: October to December.

Prices per kg:

• in Thailand - from 120 baht (and 50 baht for the substrate);
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits;
• in Indonesia - from 20 thousand rupees.

(Photo: berenicegg / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Chompu (pink apple, waterapple, Chom-phu - Thai, Mân thái đỏ - Vietnamese)

Chompoo are unusually juicy - it seems as if they are made of water. Excellent thirst quencher. The taste is barely noticeable sweetish, very pleasant. The fragrance resembles the smell of a rose, hence the name. Chompus come in red, green, and white.

Season: all year round.

Prices per kg:

• in Thailand - from 200 baht (and 20-70 baht for the substrate);
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits.

(Photo: beautifulcataya / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Jackfruit (Jackfruit, Kha-nun - Thai, Mít - Vietnamese)

Perhaps one of the most memorable and delicious exotic fruits in Asia is the jackfruit. Its fruits are round and very large, so it is sold peeled. The split jackfruit smells sweet, the aroma resembles chewing gum and spreads far. The lobules are bright yellow and smooth. The fruit is very nutritious.

Season: January - May.

Prices for a jackfruit pad:

• in Vietnam - about 25 thousand dong;
• in Thailand - from 20 baht.

(Photo: mimolag / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Guava (Guajava, Farang - Thai, Ổi - Vietnamese)

We don't like guava. It looks like a pear or a green apple, but tastes something in between. In general, the pulp is pleasant, sweetish, white and pink. Choose a softer guava, it is impossible to eat unripe - it is hard, with a coniferous flavor.

Season: all year round.

Prices per kg:

• in Vietnam - from 19 thousand dong;
• in Malaysia - from 4 ringgits.

(Photo: cKol / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

Wani (Wani, white mango)

Found only in Indonesia. It looks like a mango, but it's not the same at all. Inside is juicy aromatic pulp with an impressive bone. The pulp is fibrous and poorly separated from it, so it is inconvenient to cut. Cut the slices carefully without touching the bone. And even better - buy juice from vani so as not to toil.

Choose the largest fruits, slightly soft, with a dark skin. The fruit should smell strongly.

Season: late February - March, but we also bought in April - May.

The price per kg in Bali (Ubud) out of season is 35 thousand rupees.

Durian (Durian, Too-ree-an - Thai, Sầu riêng - Vietnamese)

The same king of fruits that everyone has heard about. Reviews about durian are contradictory: someone says that they will never eat it, while others are crazy about it. Our first acquaintance with durian turned out to be unsuccessful: a distinct taste of either onion or garlic was mixed with sweetness - not the pleasure that we expected after reading laudatory reviews about the heavenly taste of this exotic fruit. After eating, the garlic flavor lasts for a long time in the mouth. By the way, the smell is not quite nasty, and sometimes even pleasant - apparently, it depends on the variety.

We tasted durian the second time, having bought a traditional Thai dish sticky rice with durian and coconut milk. What to say? Don't lie, the taste is truly heavenly! The pulp is very tender, creamy. Remember that it should not be consumed with alcohol. The most delicious durians were eaten in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Season: April - August.

Durian prices:

• in Thailand it costs from 200 baht per kg (Phuket Town) and from 900 baht per kg in Patong - the difference in price is impressive. It is most profitable to buy sticky rice with durian - from 55 baht per pack. Hearty and tasty.
• in Indonesia - from 10-40 to 25-60 thousand rupees. Such a spread in prices due to the size and place of sale. In the resorts of Bali, prices are greatly inflated, so it is cheaper to buy in the outback and near the roads.

(Photo: Mohafiz M.H. Photography (www.lensa13.com) / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

First photo: Andrea Schaffer / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Arriving in a warm country, you encounter an abundance of exotic fruits, the name of which you heard for the first time. Let's deal with these "overseas fruits", a complete overview of the tropical fruits of the world of warm countries that you need to try. For each tropical fruit, below is a description, taste, ripening seasons, as well as how to cut and consume it.

Round red fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter. Wonderful, delicious fruit. It has one bone in the middle. Similar to Longon in shape, texture and stone, but with a richer taste and aroma. Very juicy, sweet, sometimes sour. The peel is easily separated from the white-transparent pulp.

Unfortunately, fresh Lychee can not be consumed all year round: the Lychee harvest season begins in May and lasts until the end of July. During the rest of the year it is almost impossible to find it.

During the off-season in Asia, canned lychees can be purchased in jars or plastic bags in their own juice or coconut milk.

Ripe fruits keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can freeze and store in the freezer for up to 3 months peeled fruits.

Lychee contains many proteins, pectins, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. A very high content of nicotinic acid - vitamin PP, which actively prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The wide prevalence of Lychee in the countries of Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand) is the reason for the low level of atherosclerosis in this region.

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit from Thailand").

Round fruits of red color, up to 5 cm in diameter, covered with soft processes like thorns. The pulp covering the stone is a transparent white elastic mass, with a pleasant sweet taste, sometimes with a sour tint. The stone is quite tightly connected to the pulp, and is edible.

Contains carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid and vitamin C. Fruits have a short shelf life - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Harvest season: May to October.

It is cleaned by cutting the peel with a knife, or without using a knife, as if twisting the fruit in the middle.

Rambutan is eaten fresh, cooked jams and jellies, canned.

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mankut).

The fruit is about the size of a small dark purple apple. Beneath the thick, inedible skin is the edible pulp in the form of garlic cloves. The pulp is sweet with sourness, very tasty, not like anything else. Generally pitted, although some fruits have small, soft pits that can be eaten.

Sometimes there are sick fruits of Mangosteen, with a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. Such fruits cannot be identified until you peel them.

The harvest season is from April to September.

Natural biologically active substances contained in mangosteen reduce inflammatory reactions: swelling, soreness, redness, high temperature.

Dragon's eye (pitahaya, pitaya, moon yang, dragon fruit, pitaya).

These are the fruits of a cactus. The dragon's eye is the Russian version of the name of this fruit. The international name is Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya.

Rather large, oblong fruits (palm-sized) red, pink or yellow on the outside. Inside the pulp is white or red, dotted with small black seeds. The pulp is very tender, juicy, slightly sweet, with an unexpressed taste. It is convenient to eat with a spoon, scooping out the pulp from the fruit cut in half.

The dragon's eye is useful for stomach pain, diabetes or other endocrine disease.

Harvest seasons are all year round.

Durian

King of fruits. The fruits are very large: up to 8 kilograms.

A fruit famous all over the world for its smell. Almost everyone has heard of it, some have smelled it, and very few have tasted it. Its smell is reminiscent of the smell of onions, garlic and worn socks. With this fruit, because of its smell, it is even forbidden to enter hotels, transport and other public places. To remind you of the ban in Thailand, for example, they hang out signs with a crossed-out image of a fruit.

The sweet pulp of the fruit has a very delicate texture, and does not at all correspond to an unpleasant odor. You should try this fruit, if only for the reason that many have heard about it, but few dare to try it. But in vain. The taste is very pleasant, and the fruit itself is considered the most valuable fruit in Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia). It is very high in calories and healthy. Durian also has a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Sold cut (into slices) and packed in polyethylene. In supermarkets, you can find very interesting sweets with the taste and smell of Durian.

Sala (salak, rakum, snake fruit, snake fruit, sala)

Oblong or round fruits of small size (about 5 cm long) red (Rakum) or brown (Salak) in color, covered with dense small spines.

Fruit with a very unusual, bright sweet-sour taste. Someone reminds a persimmon, someone a pear. It is worth trying at least once, and then how you like it ...

You should be careful when peeling the fruit: the spines are very dense and dig into the skin. It's better to use a knife.

The season is from April to June.

Carambola (Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Phyak, Carambola, Star-fruit).

"Star of the tropics" - in the context of the shape we represent an asterisk.

Fruit with an edible peel, eaten whole (there are small seeds inside). The main advantage is a pleasant smell and juiciness. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything - slightly sweet or sweet and sour, somewhat reminiscent of the taste of an apple. Sufficiently juicy fruit and perfectly quenches thirst.

Sold all year round.

People with severe kidney failures are not recommended to consume Carambola.

Longan (Lam-yai, Dragon's Eye).

Small fruits, similar to small potatoes, covered with a thin inedible skin and one inedible bone inside.

The pulp of Longan is very juicy, has a sweet, very aromatic, taste with a peculiar touch.

The season is from July to September.

Longkong (Longan, Longcon, Langsat, Lonngkong, Langsat).

Longkong fruits, like Longan, are similar to small potatoes, but are slightly larger in size and have a yellowish tint. It is possible to distinguish Longan if you peel the fruit from the peel: peeled, it looks like garlic.

They have an interesting sweet and sour taste. Fruits Rich in calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates and vitamin C. The burnt skin of the Longkong gives off a fragrant smell that is not only pleasant, but also beneficial, as it serves as an excellent repellant.

Fresh fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days. The skin of a ripe fruit should be dense, without cracks, otherwise the fruit will quickly deteriorate.

The season is from April to June.

Sometimes a variety is also sold - Langsat, which looks no different, but has a slightly bitter taste.

Jackfruit (Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian Breadfruit).

Jackfruit fruits are the largest fruits growing on trees: their weight reaches 34 kg. Inside the fruit are several large sweet yellow slices of edible pulp. These slices are sold already peeled, because you yourself cannot cope with this giant.

The pulp has a sugary-sweet taste, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. It is very nutritious: it contains about 40% carbohydrates (starch) - more than in bread.

The season is from January to August.

You can take the risk of bringing such a monster home as a whole, it is stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But it is better to buy chopped and packed slices of pulp.

Important! Some people have an unhealthy reaction in the throat after eating Jackfruit - spasms, it becomes difficult to swallow. Everything usually passes in an hour or two. Maybe it's an allergic reaction. Be careful.

Pineapple (Pineapple).

Pineapple fruits do not need special comments.

It should only be noted that Pineapples bought in Asia and Pineapples bought in Russia are completely different things. Pineapples in Russia are a pathetic imitation of real Pineapples that you can taste in their homeland.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Thai Pineapple - it is considered the most delicious in the world. You should definitely try it and be sure to bring it home with you to pamper your loved ones. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy already peeled.

Pineapple season - all year round

Mango (Mango).

According to some estimates, Mango is considered the most delicious fruit in the world.

Mango is quite widely known and sold in Russia. However, the taste and aroma of Mango in its homeland is very different from what is sold in our stores. In Asia, its fruits are much more fragrant, juicier, and the taste is more intense. And indeed, when you eat fresh, ripe mango grown, for example, in Thailand, it seems that there is nothing tastier.

The fruit is covered with an inedible peel that does not separate from the pulp: it must be cut into a thin layer with a knife. Inside the fruit there is a rather large, flat bone, from which the pulp also does not calve, and it must be separated from the stone with a knife, or simply eaten.

The color of the Mango varies from green to yellow (sometimes to yellow-orange or red) depending on the degree of maturity. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy the most ripe - yellow or orange fruits. Without a refrigerator, such fruits can be stored for up to 5 days, in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, unless of course they were stored somewhere else before.

If you want to bring several fruits home, then you can buy fruits of medium maturity, greenish in color. They are well preserved and ripen on the road or already at home.

Noina (Sugar apple, Annona scaly, sugar-apple, sweetsop, noi-na).

Another unusual fruit that has no analogues and does not look like any of the fruits we are used to. The fruits of Noina are the size of a large apple, green, bumpy.

Inside the fruit is very palatable, sweet fragrant pulp and many hard seeds the size of beans. The unripe fruit is firm in texture and not at all tasty, similar to a pumpkin. Therefore, having bought an unripe fruit on the market and having tasted it, many tourists refuse to eat it further, immediately disliking it. But if you let it lie down for a day or two, it ripens and becomes very tasty.

The peel is inedible, it is very inconvenient to peel due to the bumpy skin. If the fruit is ripe, then the pulp can be eaten with a spoon, after cutting the fruit in half. The most mature or slightly overripe fruits literally fall apart in the hands.

To choose a ripe tasty noina, you first need to focus on its softness (soft fruits are more mature), but you need to be careful, because if you press a little harder on a ripe fruit, it will simply fall apart in your hands on the counter.

The fruit is rich in vitamin C, amino acids and calcium.

The season is from June to September.

Sweet Tamarind (Sweet Tamarind, Indian date).

Tamarind is considered a spice of the legume family, but is also used as an ordinary fruit. Fruits up to 15 centimeters long have an irregular curved shape. There is also a variety of Tamarind - green Tamarind.

Under the hard brown peel, resembling a shell, there is a brown pulp, sweet and sour with a tart taste. Be careful - inside Tamarind there are large hard bones.

By soaking tamarind in water and grinding through a sieve, juice is obtained. Sweets are made from ripe dried tamarind. You can buy in the store and bring home a wonderful tamarind sauce for meat and sweet tamarind syrup (for making cocktails.

This fruit is rich in vitamin A, organic acids and complex sugars. Tamarind is also used as a laxative.

The season is from October to February.

American Mammea (Mammea americana).

This fruit, also known as the American apricot and Antillean apricot, is native to South America, although it can now be found in almost all tropical countries.

This fruit, which is actually a berry, is quite large, growing up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Inside there is one large or several (up to four) smaller bones. The pulp is very tasty and fragrant, and, in accordance with its second name, tastes and smells like apricot and mango.

The ripening season is different depending on the region, but mainly from May to August.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola).

Cherimoya is also known as Cream Apple and Ice Cream Tree. In some countries, the fruit is generally known under completely different names: in Brazil - Graviola, in Mexico - Roox, in Guatemala - Pac or Tzumux, in El Salvador - Anona poshte, in Belize - Tukib, in Haiti - Cachiman la Chine, in the Philippines - Atis , on Cook Island - Sasalapa. The homeland of the fruit is South America, but it can be found in the countries of Asia and South Africa, which are warm all year round, also in Australia, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. However, in these countries the fruit is rare. It is most common on the American continent.

It is rather difficult to recognize the fruit of Cherimoyya at the first inexperienced glance, since there are several types of it with different surfaces (lumpy, smooth or mixed). One of the tuberculate varieties, including Noina (see above), which is widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia. The size of the fruit is 10-20 centimeters in diameter, and the shape of the cut fruit resembles a heart. The pulp resembles an orange in texture and is usually eaten with a spoon, very tasty and tastes like banana and passion fruit, papaya and pineapple, and strawberries with cream at once. The pulp contains very hard pits the size of a pea, so be careful, otherwise you may be left without a tooth. It is usually sold a little underripe and firm and must lie down (2-3 days) before getting its real amazing taste and texture.

The ripening season is usually from February to April.

Noni (Noni, Morinda citrifolia).

This fruit is also known as Big Moringa, Indian Mulberry, Healthy Tree, Cheese Fruit, Nonu, Nono. The homeland of the fruit is Southeast Asia, but now it grows in all tropical countries.

The Noni fruit resembles a large potato in shape and size. Noni cannot be called very tasty and fragrant, and, apparently, that is why tourists very rarely come across it. Ripe fruits have an unpleasant smell (reminiscent of the smell of moldy cheese) and a bitter taste, but are considered very useful. In some regions, noni is a staple food for the poor. It is usually consumed with salt. Noni juice is also popular.

Noni bears fruit all year round. But you can find it not in every fruit market, but, as a rule, in the markets for local residents.

Marula (Marula, Sclerocarya birrea).

This fruit grows exclusively on the African continent. And it is not easy to find it fresh for sale in other regions. The thing is that after ripening, the fruits almost immediately begin to ferment inside, turning into a low-alcohol drink. This property of marula is enjoyed not only by the inhabitants of Africa, but also by animals. After eating marula fruits that have fallen to the ground, they are often "drunk".

Ripe Marula fruits are yellow in color. The size of the fruit is about 4 cm in diameter, and inside is white pulp and a hard stone. Marula does not have an outstanding taste, but its flesh is very juicy and has a pleasant aroma until it starts to ferment. The pulp also contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

The harvest season of Marula takes place in March-April.

Wonderful Platonia (Platonia insignis)

Platonia grows only in the countries of South America. It is impossible to find it in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Platonia fruits are up to 12 centimeters in size, with a large thick peel. Under the peel is a white tender pulp with a sweet and sour taste and several large seeds.

Kumquat (Kumquat)

Kumquats are also known as Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges. This is a citrus plant. It grows in southern China, but is also widely distributed in other tropical countries. Kumquat fruits can also be found on the shelves of our stores, but the taste is not at all what you can try at home in the freshest form.

Kumquat fruits are small (from 2 to 4 centimeters), similar to small oblong oranges or tangerines. Outside covered with a very thin edible peel, inside and in structure and taste almost the same as an orange, maybe a little more sour and bitter. Eaten whole (except bones).

The ripening season is from May to June, you can buy all year round.

Guava (Guajava)

Guava (Guajava), Guava or Guava is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the fact that the fruit is considered exotic, you should not expect an exotic taste from it: a rather mediocre, slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a pear. It may be worth trying once, but you are unlikely to become a fan of it. Another thing is the aroma: it is quite pleasant and very strong. In addition, the fruit is very useful, rich in vitamin C and perfectly raises the overall tone of the body and improves health.

Fruits come in various sizes (from 4 to 15 centimeters), round, oblong and pear-shaped. Skin, pits and pulp, all edible.

In Asia, a green, slightly unripe Guava is liked to be consumed by dipping pieces of the fruit in a mixture of salt and pepper. From the outside it may seem unusual, but if you try it, the taste turns out to be quite interesting and tonic.

Passion Fruit/Passion Fruit

This exotic fruit is also called Passion Fruit, Passiflora (Passiflora), Edible Passion Flower, Granadilla. Homeland is South America, but can be found in most tropical countries, including the countries of Southeast Asia. Passion Fruit got its second name because it is credited with the properties of a strong aphrodisiac.

Passion fruit fruits have a smooth, slightly elongated rounded shape, reaching 8 centimeters in diameter. Ripe fruits have a very bright juicy color and are yellow, purple, pink or red. The yellow fruits are less sweet than the others. The pulp also comes in a variety of colors. Under the inedible peel is a jelly-like sweet and sour pulp with stones. You can’t call it especially tasty, juices, jellies, etc. made from it are much tastier.

When used, it is most convenient to cut the fruit in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. The bones in the pulp are also edible, but they cause drowsiness, so it is better not to abuse them. Passion fruit juice, by the way, also has a calming effect and causes drowsiness. The most ripe and delicious fruits are those whose skin is not perfectly smooth, but covered with "wrinkles" or small "dents" (these are the most ripe fruits).

The ripening season is from May to August. Stored in the refrigerator Passion Fruit can be one week.

Avocado

Avocados are also called Perseus americana and Alligator pear. Avocado is considered to be a fruit. It may be scientifically true, but it tastes more like a vegetable.

Avocado fruits are pear-shaped, up to 20 centimeters long. Covered with a tasteless and inedible peel. Inside there is a dense pulp like a pear and one large bone. The flesh tastes like an unripe pear or pumpkin and is nothing special. But if the avocado is well ripened, its flesh becomes softer, more buttery, and more palatable.

Avocados are more commonly used for cooking than for eating raw. So do not chase to be sure to try this fruit. But dishes prepared with Avocado can greatly diversify the festive table. On the Internet you can find many recipes for avocado dishes, including salads, soups, main courses, but on vacation you are unlikely to need all this, so you don’t have to look too much at Avocado.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, breadfruit, pana)

Don't confuse breadfruit with jackfruit. The jackfruit, although known as the Indian breadfruit, is actually a completely different fruit.

Breadfruit can be found in all tropical regions, but mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Due to the very high yield of Breadfruit, its fruits are in some countries the main product of kicking, like our potatoes, for example.

Breadfruit fruits are rounded, very large, can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and four kilograms of weight. In its raw form, like a fruit, ripe fruits are consumed, and unripe fruits are used as vegetables in cooking. It is better to buy ripe fruits on vacation, and even better already cut into portions, because. you can hardly cut and eat the whole fruit. When ripe, the flesh becomes soft and slightly sweet, reminiscent of banana and potato. Not to say that the taste is outstanding, and therefore breadfruit is not often found in tourist fruit markets. The taste of bread can only be felt when preparing an unripe fruit.

Breadfruit ripening season, 9 months a year. You can buy fresh fruits all year round.

Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba)

Jaboticaba (Jaboticaba) is also known as the Brazilian grape tree. You can meet it mainly in the countries of South America, but sometimes it is also found in the countries of Southeast Asia.

This is a very interesting, tasty and rare exotic fruit. If you can find it and try it, consider yourself lucky. The fact is that the Jaboticaba tree grows very slowly, which is why it is practically not cultivated.

The way the fruits grow is also interesting: they grow directly on the trunk, and not on the branches of a tree. The fruits are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), dark purple. Under a thin dense peel (inedible) is a soft jelly-like and very tasty pulp with several seeds.

The tree bears fruit almost all year round.

Kiwano/Horned Melon

Kiwano Melon is also known as Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antilles Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria. Kiwano really looks like a big cucumber in a section. Although it is a fruit, another question. The fact is that the fruits of Kiwano grow on a vine. It is cultivated mainly in Africa, New Zealand, on the American continent.

Kiwano fruits are oblong, up to 12 centimeters in length. The color is yellow, orange and red depending on the degree of ripening. Under a dense peel, the flesh is green, the taste is somewhat reminiscent of cucumber, banana and melon. The fruit is not peeled, but cut into slices or halves (like a regular melon), and then the pulp is eaten. In raw form, both unripe and unripe fruits are consumed. The unripe fruits can be eaten with the pits as they are soft. Also used with salt.

Magic fruit (Miracle fruit)

The magical fruit grows in West Africa. It does not have an outstanding exotic taste, but it is known and interesting in that after you eat it, for about an hour, all foods will seem sweet to you. The fact is that the Magic Fruit contains a certain protein that blocks for some time the taste buds on the tongue, which are responsible for the sour taste. Therefore, you can eat a lemon, and it will taste sweet to you. True, only fresh plucked fruits have this property, and during storage they quickly lose it. So don't be surprised if the trick doesn't work on purchased fruit.

The fruit grow on small trees or shrubs, have a rounded oblong shape, 2-3 centimeters long, red in color, with a hard bone inside.

The magical fruit bears fruit almost all year round.

Bael (Bael, wood apple, wood apple)

Also known under other names: Aegle marmelos, stone apple (stone apple), limonia acidissima, feronia elephantum, feronia limonia, hesperethusa crenulata, elephant apple, monkey fruit, curd fruit. It is very widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand).

This fruit grows on a tree and reaches 5-20 cm in diameter. The fruit is grey-green (immature) to yellow or brown (ripe) with a very dense, rough rind resembling a walnut shell. The flesh of the unripe fruit is orange, divided into segments with white seeds. In a ripe fruit, the pulp is mushy, brown, sticky, and can taste sour or sweet.

Bail fruits are not so easy to find in fruit markets in their entirety. And even if you meet him, you yourself will not cope with him. The fact is that its peel is hard as a stone, and it is impossible to get to the pulp without a hammer or hatchet.

If you can’t try it fresh (which, in general, you shouldn’t worry about), you can buy a tea from the fruits of Bail, called Matoom (Matoom tea). It consists of dried orange-brown circles, divided into several segments. It is believed that it is very effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal, colds, bronchial and asthmatic diseases. It is also used in cooking (tea, drinks, jams, jams, salads) and cosmetology (soap, aromatic oil).

The ripening season is from November to December.

Buddha hand

The Buddha Hand is a variety of Citron. It is also called Buddha Fingers and Finger Citron.

We decided to mention this very exotic fruit so that you do not try it during your vacation in a tropical paradise. This fruit is not one that you will enjoy the taste of. Undoubtedly, the fruit is very interesting and useful, and when you see it, you will most likely have a desire to try it. But don't rush. It is widely used in cooking, but you are unlikely to eat it. The fruit of the Hand of the Buddha is composed almost entirely of a rind (the pulp is inedible), which is similar to the rind of a lemon in taste (bitter and sour taste) and violet in smell.

The shape of the fruit is very interesting and looks like a palm with a large number of fingers, reaching a length of 40 centimeters. You can buy it only in order to bring it home with you as a souvenir, and already at home cook various dishes with citrus flavor from it (compote, jelly, candied fruit).

Banana (Banana, Musa)

Well, in general, everyone already knows about bananas. We accidentally mentioned banana so you can vote for them if they are your favorite. By the way, it is worth mentioning that bananas in exotic countries taste much better than those sold at home, so be sure to try bananas on vacation, maybe you will like them even more than before.

Papaya (Papaya, Melon tree, Breadfruit)

Papaya is native to South America but is now found in almost all tropical countries. Papaya fruits grow on trees, have a cylindrical oblong shape up to 20 centimeters in length.

Many who have tried Papaya say that it is more of a vegetable than a fruit. But that's because they ate unripe papaya. Unripe Papaya is really very widely used in cooking, salads are made from it (be sure to try the spicy Thai Papaya salad called Som Tam), meat is stewed with it and simply fried.

But ripe papaya in its raw form is really very tasty and sweet. In texture, it resembles a dense melon, and in taste it is something between a pumpkin and a melon. On sale there are both whole fruits of green color (not yet ripe, for cooking), and yellow-orange (ripe, ready to eat raw). It is not worth buying the whole fruit, it is better to buy ready-to-eat, peeled and cut into slices Papaya.

You can meet Papaya in tropical countries all year round.

Coconut (coconut, cocos, coco)

Coconut and coconut are quite often used as identical words. However, the name "coconut" in this case is not correct, because. coconut, in its structure, is classified as a stone fruit, such as apricot or plum.

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm, which grows throughout the tropics. Belongs to the category of fruits.

It is a large rounded (up to 30 cm in diameter) fruit, weighing up to 3 kg. Koros has conditionally two degrees of maturation. A young coconut has a smooth, light green or green-yellow outer layer, under which is a hard pit, which in turn is a clear (coconut water) or white emulsion (coconut milk), with a small jelly-like layer of coconut flesh on the walls of the shell. The liquid inside with a slightly sweet taste quenches thirst well, the pulp can also be eaten by scraping it off the walls with a spoon.

Another degree of maturation (or over-ripening) that we see in our stores is the following: on the outside, a fibrous and rough layer, under which there is a hard brown shell, and under it a thick layer of white pulp and a slightly cloudy liquid. This liquid, as a rule, is not tasty, and the pulp is dry and tasteless.

When opening a coconut, you need to be careful, one universal kitchen knife is not enough here, you will need more “heavy artillery”. But fortunately, if you buy coconut in tourist areas, you don’t have to worry about opening it: it will be opened in front of you, and most likely they will also give you a drinking straw and a spoon to “scrape” the pulp. Chilled coconut is best.

Tourists are very fond of a special coconut cocktail: you need to drink a little juice from a coconut, and add 30-100 grams of cognac, rum or whiskey there.

Coconut contains vitamins A, B, C, proteins, sugar, carbohydrates, organic acids; minerals - sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus.

The ripening season is all year round.

Sapodilla or sapote tree or tree potato (Manilkara achras, M. zapota, or Achras zapota), sapodilla, prang khaa, la-mut, naseberry, chiku)

Sapodilla is an oval or round fruit up to 10 cm and weighing 100-150 g. It looks very much like a plum. The skin is matte and thin, has a color from light to dark brown.

The ripe fruit has a sweet flavor with a slight caramel flavor. In structure, the pulp resembles persimmon - soft and juicy, and just like persimmon, it can “knit” a little, only much less. Inside are several large black bones with a hook at the end (you need to be careful when using). As a rule, it is not recommended to store fruit for more than 3 days, because. it quickly deteriorates and sours. Therefore, Sapodilla is practically not found on the shelves of our stores. Unripe fruit is also not recommended, because. it has a very bad taste. It is worth choosing ripe fruits based on their color (those that are yellower or brown are more ripe, green ones should not be chosen at all) and softness. Hard fruits are completely immature, a mature fruit gives in to pressure a little, and an overripe one is squeezed very easily.

Sapodilla grows in countries with a tropical climate, in particular in America, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.

Most often Sapodilla is used in desserts, salads and drinks. Unripe fruits are used for diarrhea, burns, and also in cosmetology.

Contains vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, carbohydrates.

The ripening season is from September to December.

pomelo

Pomelo or pomelo or pamela (Pomelo pummelo, pumelo, som-o, pompelmus, sheddok, Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis, Chinese grapefruit, dzheybong, jeruk, limo, lusho, jambura, sai-sekh, banten, zebon, robeb ​​tenga)

Pomelo belongs to citrus fruits and is considered the largest among this family. It is often compared to grapefruit. As a rule, the fruit has a rounded shape, can reach up to 20 cm in diameter and weigh up to 10 kg!!! Color, depending on the variety, can be from green to yellow-green. The peel is very thick, inside there is a light pulp: from white to pale yellow or pink. The pulp is divided into slices separated by film partitions. Each lobule has large fibers and may contain small white pits. The taste of Pomelo is sweet with sourness, it can be slightly bitter. Compared, for example, with the same grapefruit, the pulp of Pomelo is more dry.

Pomelo grows in the countries of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia), on about. Tahiti, Israel, USA. In Russia, it can be purchased at any supermarket, so it is not so exotic for the inhabitants of Russia.

It is worth choosing Pomelo, focusing, first of all, on a pronounced aromatic citrus smell and soft peel. Before use, you need to peel it from a thick peel, making several cuts (to make it easier and more convenient to clean), then divide into separate slices, which are also freed from partitions (they are very hard). Store at room temperature for up to a month, cleaned - in the refrigerator, no more than 3 days.

Use this fruit in cooking, in cosmetology. In some countries, it is consumed with salt, chili pepper and sugar, dipping peeled slices into this mixture.

Pomelo contains vitamins A, B, C, trace elements, fiber, essential oils.

Ripening season: all year round.

Fig (fig, fig, fig, fig, smyrna berry, Ficus carica)

Fig fruits can be round, pear-shaped or flattened with one "eye". On average, a ripe fruit weighs about 80 g, up to 8 cm in diameter. It is covered with a thin smooth skin from yellow-green to dark blue or purple on top. Under the skin is a layer of white peel. Inside the pulp is very sweet and juicy with small seeds, jelly-like consistency, reminiscent of strawberries in taste. In color - the flesh is from pink to bright red. Unripe fruits are inedible and contain milky juice.

It grows in Central Asia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the Mediterranean countries.

You need to choose ripe figs with a dense skin, without spots, slightly soft. It is recommended to store it for no more than 3 days in the refrigerator, because. it quickly deteriorates and is not transportable. You can eat with the peel, cut into slices or in half, scraping the pulp with a spoon. Most often, figs can be found on store shelves only in dried form. Dried fruits are pre-soaked in water before use, after such a “soaking” you can drink water (useful substances pass there).

Figs are dried, marinated, jam is cooked. In dried form, it is more nutritious and high-calorie than in fresh form.

Figs contain a lot of potassium, iron, vitamins B, PP, C, carotene, minerals and organic acids.

Harvest season: August to November.

Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa), Chinese actinidia (Actinidia chinensis), Kiwi, Chinese gooseberry, Chinese grape)

Kiwi fruit is a berry. It has small fruits of a round or oval shape, covered on the outside with a fleecy thin brown skin. The mass of the fruit can reach up to 80 g, the diameter is up to 7 cm. Under the skin is juicy pulp, depending on the variety, it can be from green to yellow. In the very middle of the fruit, the flesh is white, surrounded by many small black seeds. The seeds are edible and taste sour. Kiwi pulp, in general, is sweet with a slight sourness, reminiscent of a mixture of gooseberries, apples, pineapples.

Kiwi is grown in countries with a subtropical climate (Italy, New Zealand, Chile, Greece). There are also small plantations in Russia (Krasnodar Territory). You can buy everywhere at any time of the year.

You need to choose even fruits, without dents and other damage to the skin, their ripeness is determined by the softness of the fruit. If the fruits are hard and hard, then they will ripen at home without any problems, for which they need to be placed in a bag with apples for one or two days. Kiwi can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator - up to two weeks, after putting it in a bag or plastic container.

There are two ways to eat kiwi: peel and cut into slices or cut in half and eat away the pulp with a spoon.

Kiwi contains a large amount of vitamins B and C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium.

Various desserts, fruit salads are made from it, served with meat, fish, seafood, drinks are prepared (syrups, liqueurs, wine, cocktails). Used in cosmetology.

Chrysophyllum or Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), star apple, cainito, caimito, (caimito, star apple), milky fruit (milky fruit)

The fruits of the Star apple are round or oval, up to 10 cm in diameter. The peel is thin, smooth, green to purple or brown, depending on the variety. Under the peel is a layer of peel of the same color as the peel itself. The flesh is white to purple, juicy, sweet, sticky, jelly-like, with an apple flavor. Inside there are up to 10 solid brown bones, up to 2 cm long. In cross section, the pulp resembles a star. Unripe fruits are knit and inedible. The milky juice that remains even in ripe fruits is very sticky, as a result, lips can stick together a little when eating the fruit.

It grows in countries with a tropical climate: in South America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, West Africa.

Ripe fruits should be selected for slightly wrinkled peel and softness when pressed, no damage. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. The fruits tolerate transportation well. Before use, the fruit must be cooled and peeled and peeled (they are bitter). You can eat, either by cutting in half and picking out the pulp with a spoon, or by cutting into slices, like a watermelon, the bones are inedible.

Used in the preparation of desserts.

Star apple is rich in vitamin C and trace elements. Very nutritious.

Harvest season: February to March.

Guanabana

Guanabana is a close relative of Noina and Cherimoya, and they can really be confused with an inexperienced eye in appearance and even in taste. Their main difference is in the peel: in Guanabana, the surface of the peel is clearly similar to rare low spines or villi, although in fact these processes are soft and not prickly at all. The fruit is round, irregularly elongated, quite large, can reach a weight of 12 kilograms, although usually there are fruits weighing no more than 3 kilograms on sale.

The homeland of Guanabana is tropical America, but today it can be found in almost all tropical regions, including the countries of Southeast Asia. You can not find this fruit in every fruit market, but if you find it, be sure to try it.

The flesh of the fruit is white, soft creamy in texture and slightly fibrous. The taste is sweet and slightly sour, unlike any other fruit. Inside there are a large number of hard bones the size and shape of a large bean.

In an unripe fruit, the flesh is hard and tasteless, like a pumpkin. Moreover, the fruits are often sold unripe (they ripen within a few days), which is why tourists, having bought it and tried it, do not immediately fall in love with it. But it is enough to let her lie down for a couple of days, as she acquires her own unique taste. To select a ripe fruit, you need to press a little on it, the peel should sag slightly. Hard dense fruits are unripe.

Guanabana can be eaten by cutting the fruit in half and scraping out the pulp with a spoon, or cut into slices and consumed like a watermelon. Peeling a ripe fruit will not work.

Guanabana is a perishable product and should be stored in the refrigerator. If you want to bring home, choose firm unripe fruits, they ripen quite well within 2-3 days, but then deteriorate.

The ripening season of Guanabana is all year round.

Tamarillo (Tomato tree, Cyphomandra beetroot, Cyphomandra betacea)

Tamarillo is an oval-shaped berry, reaching a length of 5 to 10 cm, with a diameter of up to 5 cm. The color of the fruit varies from yellow to dark red and even purple. It looks and tastes very similar to tomatoes, which is why its second name is Tomato tree, but still it is a fruit. Its skin is hard, smooth and bitter. It is very reminiscent of a tomato with a currant flavor, but has a slightly pronounced fruity smell. The flesh may be yellow or orange. As a rule, it has two sections inside with light or dark small seeds (depending on the color of the peel of the fruit itself, the lighter the color, the lighter the seeds).

It grows in the countries of South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, etc.), some countries of Central America, Jamaica, Haiti, New Zealand.

You need to choose even and smooth fruits, without external damage, slightly soft. In this case, you should be aware that the fruits of yellow and orange are sweeter, and the fruits with a darker color become more sour as they ripen. Ripe fruits are not stored for long (in the cold for no longer than 7 days), unripe ones are able to ripen at room temperature. Poorly tolerate transportation.

They eat tamarillo, having previously peeled it (it is inedible), and slightly capturing a layer of pulp, or cutting it in half and scooping out the pulp with a spoon.

It is widely used in cooking, using it in dishes both as a vegetable and as a fruit.

Tamarillo is rich in vitamins (A, group B, C, E) and trace elements.

The ripening season is all year round.

Feijoa (Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Acca Sellowiana)

Feijoa is a small oval-shaped berry, 3 to 5 cm long, up to 4 cm in diameter. The weight of an average fruit is from 15 to 50 g. "tail". The skin is thin dense, can be smooth or slightly bumpy, wrinkled. The flesh under the skin, depending on the degree of maturity, is from white or cream to brownish (in the latter case, the berry is said to be spoiled). Inside the pulp is divided into sections, in the center of which there are several light edible seeds. The consistency of a ripe feijoa is light and jelly-like. The taste of the berry is juicy, sweet and sour, reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries with pineapple or strawberries with kiwi (people have different tastes).

It grows in countries with a subtropical climate: in South America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay) in the Caucasus and southern Russia (Krasnodar Territory), Abkhazia, Georgia, Crimea and Central Asia.

You can eat as a whole fruit with a peel, however, this is not for everyone, because. feijoa skin tastes sour and astringent. In most cases, feijoa is cut in half and the flesh is scraped out with a spoon, or you can peel the skin with a knife and eat the peeled fruit.

For immediate consumption, you need to choose soft (ripe) fruits. If you have to transport, then hard (unripe) feijoa fruits are perfect for this, and will ripen on the road. Ripe berries should be stored no more than 3-4 days.

Feijoa contains a large amount of iodine, acids, vitamin C.

It is used in cooking: preparing jams and jellies, salads and drinks.

The ripening season is October-November.

Pepino (Melon Pear, Sweet Cucumber (Solanum muricatum)

This rather large berry grows up to 700 g in weight. The fruits can be different in shape and oblong, pear-shaped, and round. In color, mostly pale to bright yellow, sometimes with purple patches or stripes. Ripe fruit is very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of melon in taste, but unripe can be a little sour. The peel is thin, dense, smooth. The pulp is yellow, inside there are sinuses with small light seeds (edible). Before eating, it is customary to peel the fruit (it is edible, but unpleasant in taste)

It is cultivated in large numbers in South America (Peru, Chile), New Zealand.

You need to choose ripe fruits for a rich yellow color with a slightly pronounced fruity aroma and a little soft. A feature of Pepino is that ripe fruits can be stored for several months in the refrigerator, unripe ones are able to ripen and also be stored for a long time.

Contains vitamins (A, B, C, PP), keratin, iron, potassium, pectin.

Used in cooking, along with vegetables, especially unripe Pepino fruits.

The ripening season is all year round.

Santol or Cato (Sandoricum koetjape, santol, kraton, krathon, graton, tong, donka, wild mangosteen, false mangosteen)

Santol grows in the countries of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines).

The fruit of Santola has a rounded shape from 8 to 15 cm in diameter with a long stalk. Depending on the variety, it can be from yellowish to brown in color, the peel is slightly velvety on top. Fruit color is usually uneven with pigmentation over the entire surface. Under a rather thick peel, a whitish opaque pulp is hidden, similar to "garlic" cloves, up to 5 pieces. Inside each slice is a large brownish bone (it is not recommended to eat it unnecessarily, because it has a laxative effect). The pulp is juicy in taste, ranging from sour to sweet and sour, slightly reminiscent of mangosteen. As a rule, the fruits of yellowish varieties are sweeter.

Before use, you need to peel the fruit (it is inedible), after cutting it across into two halves, with a knife or peel it with your hands, and then remove the slices of pulp and free them from the seeds. The pulp does not separate well from the stone, so it is customary to suck it. Sometimes Santol is eaten with salt and pepper.

Santol fruits contain a large amount of iron, magnesium, fluorine.

Used in cooking (desserts, alcohol) and cosmetology (masks, scrubs).

The ripening season is from May to June.

Jujube or jujube (Zizyphus jujuba) (unabi, Chinese date, chest berry, jujube, jujube)

The fruit of the shrub is ovoid or rounded in length from 2 to 6 cm, depending on the variety. Outside, the fruit is smooth, shiny, from green or yellowish to dark red, even brown. Sometimes the color of jujube can be uneven over the entire surface, as if spotty. The skin is thin and almost inseparable from the fruit. Inside the pulp is white dense, very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of an apple. In the middle there is, as a rule, one oblong bone. The aroma of jujube is slightly fruity.

It grows in countries with a temperate climate to subtropical, in particular Thailand, China, India, Japan, Central Asia, the Mediterranean, southern Russia, the Caucasus.

You need to choose dense fruits, but not very hard (they can be unsweetened), dark red or brown. Eat with the peel. Fresh fruits do not store well, so it is recommended to dry them.

Yuyuba is a useful and even medicinal product. It is used both fresh and dried. Rich in vitamins A, B, especially vitamin C, sugars, acids, trace elements.

Widely used in cooking (drinks, wine, jams, preserves, etc.), medicine (has a calming, anesthetic, tonic effect), cosmetology.

The ripening season is from August to October.

Burmese grape or Mafai (Mafai, Baccaurea ramiflora, Baccaurea sapida)

Mafai fruits taste very similar and outwardly similar to Longan fruits. They are from yellow to red with a diameter of up to 5 cm. The peel is thin, soft, smooth. Inside from 2 to 4 cloves, outwardly resembling garlic. The pulp is juicy, white, sweet and sour with a refreshing effect. Inside each lobule is a bone that does not separate from the pulp, the stone tastes bitter. Because of this, it is not very convenient to eat the fruit, since almost all the pulp remains “stuck” to the bone, and it cannot be separated in any way. This fruit has no characteristic aroma. In general, it cannot be said that this fruit is worth “hunting” in order to definitely try it.

The peel of Mafai is well cleaned (about the pulp mentioned above), it is best stored in the refrigerator.

You can meet this fruit in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, China, Cambodia. Occurs very rarely.

The ripening season is from May to August.