Growing up in the temperate climate and now living in the United States, I didn’t realize that I have been eating mostly temperate climate fruits pretty much all my life. There are a whole world of tropical fruit that I haven’t tried that I want to explore.
Tonight a family friend brought us some rambutan when she joined us for dinner. A relative of lychee, but less in your face sweet. She got it from a local tropical fruit store. First time I ate rambutan.
We also bought some Cat Mountain King Durian back to hotel room to eat (in Kuala Lumpur). (well, I know it was forbidden!) It stink so badly at night to the extend that the smell woke me up…I had to put the cut fruit in the bathroom and closed the door instead of leaving it in our room.
I understand the problem of durian, but why mangosteen is forbidden in hotel too? They don’t smell.
I do love star fruit. Not the most exotic or wild looking but I love the not too sweet and tart flavor. When I lived in the FL keys there was a place that made star fruit sorbet that I loved.
I didn’t read the title correctly, my all time favourite tropical fruit is mango! I like varieties that are sweet with an additional touch of acidity. My preference is the South American green reddish variety (from Brazil or Peru). I’m not too a big fan of the green mango that I have tasted in Thailand, they were too sweet for me.
I’m not really a huge fruit eater in general but mangoes, pineapple and passionfruit are definitely fruits I can get behind. I like sour flavors so mangoes I tend to prefer a bit underripe.
Rambutan are my all time favorite. My grandparents in Singapore used to have a rambutan tree in their backyard, and I used to love eating rambutan right off the tree.
Another favorite is mata kuching, which is similar to a longan (which I also like). I’m not sure what countries they are available in besides Malaysia, but I think they are also known as cat eye fruit. It’s a seasonal fruit, and there are always people selling them streetside when in season. I was lucky enough to get some on my trip in March, and ate about 3 lbs of them by myself.
I also like durian. I know a lot of people don’t, but I grew up with it and started enjoying it more as I got into my late teens. Prior to that I only liked it in cookie/pastry form.
side note to @naf - I’m surprised the hotel didn’t fine you or kick you out for the durian odor! Many places are very strict about bringing durian into their buildings, and even taxis and public transport don’t allow it (some taxi drivers will allow it in the trunk of their car). And mangosteen are not allowed because the pulp leaves a dark permanent purplish stain if you get it on fabric or plastic.
I like starfruit and dragonfruit too, but I don’t go looking for them like I do with the other fruits.
I love soursop and jackfruit, though the only type I’ve had is canned. There’s now an H-Mart in the area, so it would be possible at times to get the fresh version but the amounts and price are issues. Also, unlike with standard-fare North American supermarket produce, I have no idea how to judge ripeness. Sometimes you can seek advice from employees or fellow customers, but there may be a language barrier, or no one around to ask.
I think the canned route is a reliable first step when trying “new” fruit. You know it was picked at the proper time, and if you don’t care for it, you haven’t spent a lot nor is there a large quantity to either eat, or waste by throwing away.
My favorite tropical fruit is mango, especially the ones in the Philippines. The sweet varieties are delicious, but I especially like them unripe and dipped in shrimp paste, which is definitely an acquired taste. Other fruits I inevitably overeat while I’m vacationing there include: dalandan (bitter orange), lanzones (tastes like a cross between lychees and grapes), and rambutan.
While I cast yet another vote for Mangosteens I truly miss Pommerac at the peak of their season, Pommecythre or golden apple. half ripe with just salt mixed with pepper sauce that you would dip in and eat, chewing on cold sugarcane quarters on the back stoop and fresh Passion fruit juice sweetened with brown sugar.
Berkeley Bowl always has a wide selection of tropical fruits, more diverse than Asian markets but fewer numbers of each item. They had mangosteen recently.
Dragonfruit, cactus pears (are they tropical??), lychees, and those atoulfo mangos are my favorites. But I certainly haven’t tried enough of them. I like jackfruit in savory dishes, but I haven’t had it fresh. Star fruit and buddah’s hands aren’t worth revisiting for me, and after many tries papaya and guava i’ll pass on.