Tropical Fruits to Try

If you have read my blog before, it's probably obvious that I love to try new things. So, today I am suggesting a few fun fruits available at your local Grocery store to try. My family loves traveling, and when we go to new places, we love expanding our taste buds with the local fruits. A lot of people don't even realize how many fruits there are. There are 2,000 different fruits, 10% of which the western world eats. So, when we go to different countries, there are so many fresh, flavorful local fruits, some of which you can get in the US. Like Jackfruit, Rambutan (or lychee -- they taste very similar), papaya, guava, mangosteen, and Guanabana, to name a few.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit: one of my family's favorite fruits from the Asian store. We get them whenever we are there. They are HUGE, and can grow up to 55 pounds! But, they are filled with delicious tropical pods that taste similar to mango or pineapple. But when getting them whole, the insides are super sticky, so we wear gloves, use oil on the knife, and put saran wrap on the cutting board. However, you can also get pre-cut ones. They are a great addition to smoothies, pizza, spring rolls, tacos, or just eat it plain. Furthermore, for all the vegans or vegetarians out there, canned green jackfruit (so they are not sweet) is a great substitute for pork. We once made jackfruit barbeque tacos to try and trick my dad because he is a huge meat supporter, he disapproved because it wasn't meat, but it turned out really well!

Rambutan/ Lychee/ Longans

No, they are not the same. However, their flavors are very similar. Rambutans are my brother's favorite fruit from Honduras. They are small fruits like huge grapes. But you peel the skin and eat the fruit inside, but watch out for the pit in the middle.

-Rambutan- They are sweet and creamy; I think they have a hint of floral taste. In Malaysian, the name “Rambutan” is derived from the word Rambut meaning "hair." But they are native to southeast Asia but grow all over the world.

-Lychee- The more well know ancestor, but they are not hairy like the rambutan. Their flavor also differs because the lychee is crisper, also sweet, and aromatic. Similar to a grape with a hint of rose.

-Longans- They are similar to lychees, but tarter and less pronounced floral aroma, with a musky undertone

They all would be great in Tropical smoothies, ice cream, cocktails, salads, and (I want to try this!) ceviche.

Guava

These actually grow really well in Texas, where we live. However, the ones in the photo are not ripe; they are supposed to be more of a yellow, with some bruising (like how a banana gets ripe). We actually had a pineapple guava tree in our old house; they were so good! And the flowers are actually edible, but they are not just for decoration. They are sweet and have a flavor. So, when the birds realized that, they came and ate most of them. But you can just bite right into it, and The whole thing is edible. It tastes fruity and slightly floral, with sour seeds, like a mix between a pear and a strawberry. They are good in smoothie bowls, made as jam, chutney, and my favorite in cheeses. I once got a guava cream cheese spread from the farmer's market in Austin; it was sooo good!

-change photo to pineapple guava

Mangosteen

Mangosteens are quite difficult to find because they go bad very fast and don't grow up to the US's regulations *The fruit spoiled so fast that someone started the rumor around 1890 that Queen Victoria would grant knighthood to anyone who brought her one. They were once banned, but it has been lifted as of 2007; you can find some. But they are delicious and are described to be similar to lychee, pineapple, peach, and strawberry. The texture is very soft and light.

*From National Geographic "Meet the Mangosteen" By Danial stone. Read on 5/1/21

Guanabana/ Soursop

I love soursop juice; it's sour but flavorful, it tastes kind of like strawberry and pineapple, but more tropical. It's the national fruit of Jamaica but native to west Africa. It's been a while since I have had one, but I remember it being very creamy. It is illegal to import but is grown in southern Florida.

- If it's not ripened correctly, its toxins could release a surplus of glucose and dangerously drop the consumer's blood sugar, which could end up being fatal.

Papaya

And last but not least, papaya tastes very similar to cantaloupe, melon, or a more exotic mango. When really ripe, it melts in your mouth. It is actually botanically a berry. It can be used in salsa, an escabeche, a smoothie, guacamole, and muffins. You just need to cut it like a melon and scoop the seeds out and cut it. However, it does not smell very good a lot of people find it off-putting, but a quick fix is lime juice; it eliminates the smell and adds some zest.

These fruits are enjoyable to try; maybe today is the day you can step out of your comfort zone. But they are also enjoyable to experiment with, see what it's good with, make a smoothie, or try something more complicated and make a fruit ceviche.