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Tropical
Fruits in Vietnam
Mangosteen - Ma(ng Cu.t
The Mangosteen is a fruit that is unique
to South-East Asia. The fruit is extremely hard to grow and it often
takes 8-15 years for a tree to bear fruits. The rind of the mangosteen
is dark purple marked by a yellowish resin. In terms of size and shape,
the mangosteen is similar to the Japanese persimmon. It is also compared
to a small tomato.
When sliced at the equator, the mangosteen
yields white segments of flesh. These segments taste sweet and sour
and have a slight acid after-taste similar to grapes or strawberries.
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Rambutan
- Cho^m Cho^m
The Rambutan, also known unofficially
as Hairy Cherry, has its origin in the tropical low-lands of Malaysia.
The name rambutan came from the Malay word 'rambut' for hair. Today,
the rambutan is grown in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The fruit is
about 5 cm long and has soft fleshy hair from 2 to 3 cm long over
the entire surface. The peel turns from green to yellow to red as
the fruit ripens. Once peeled the fruit yields a flesh that is white
and firm. The rambutans grow in large bunches on trees that are 20
m high.
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Sapodilla - Sa Po^ Che^
Sapodilla is one of several fruits which
were brought to South-East Asia from Central America. During their
occupation of the Philippines, the Spaniard brought this fruit to
the country and eventually it was exported to the rest of region.
When ripe, the fruit is very sweet, and
has a molasses-like taste. The peel is thin and brown and the flesh
itself is light brown. It is best eaten a couple days after it is
picked, to wait for its resin to dry.
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Sweet-sop
- Na or Ma~ng Ca^`u Ta
Sweet-sop, sugar-apple, and custard-apple
are names given to this fruit from South America. Like the pomegranate,
the sweet-sop is packed with seeds. The edible pulp is a thin layer
covering the individual seed. The outer layers appear to be rough
and scaly. The fruit is green even when it is ripe.
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Longan
- Nha~n
In Vietnamese, "long nhan" means
dragon eye. The Longan is a close relative to the litchi. Longans
are grown mostly in the cooler highlands of South-East Asia. It was
brought here by Chinese immigrants as they migrated south and settled
in various areas. The peel is brown and brittle. The meat is translucent
white and is very juicy and sweet. In Vietnam, dried longans are cooked
in water to make a dessert drink called 'nuoc long nhan'.
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Star
Fruit - Khe^'
The starfruit is a native fruit of South-East
Asia. The fruit has a distinct taste and is often used in cooking.
When sliced cross-wise, the pieces look like five distinct-angled
stars. Consequently, the fruit is a must in certain Vietnamese dishes
as garnishes. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.
Starfruits grow in cluster of three of
four. The sizes vary from 5cm to 17cm. The fruit is green when young,
turning yellow to almost orange and slightly translucent when ripe.
Starfruit's skin is quite tough while the flesh is soft, juicy, sweet
and sour tasting.
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Papaya - DDu DDu?
The papaya originated in Central America,
and came to the Philippines during the Spanish occupation of this
country. The fruit eventually spread throughout South-East Asia. The
papaya tree bears only either male or female flowers with the female
tree producing the fruits. Consequently, the male tree must be close
by to pollinate the female flowers.
The fruits are large, weighing up to 9
kg and often look like a large squash. The skin is thin like those
of the watermelon and turns from green to yellow and orange as the
fruit ripens. The flesh of the papaya may be yellow, orange, or reddish
orange and has a consistency of a very ripe (soft) cantaloupe. Papayas
are sweet and are used as dessert.
In Vietnam, a popular dish using green
papaya is "go?i ddu ddu? bo` kho^", a salad like dish with
shredded green papaya and shredded beef jerky eaten with a special
hot sauce.
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Guava
- O^?i
The guava originated in the tropical region
of the Americas and reached South-East Asia in the 17th century. Guava
fruits are either round or pear-shaped, with thin dark green skin
which becomes yellowish green as the fruits ripen. The fruits range
from small tomato size to as large as 13 cm in length.
Some Vietnamese like to eat the guava
when it is not completely ripe. The flesh is crunchy much like eating
a slice of apple. Sometime, the guava slice is dipped in a mixture
of salt and grounded red chili pepper. The Mekong Delta's Xa' Li.
variety is probably the most famous in all of Vietnam.
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Waterapple
- Roi or Ma^.n
The waterapple is native to the South-East
Asia. The coloring of the fruit varies from pale green to ruby red.
The waterapple is bell-shaped and is about 5 cm in diameter. The center
of the fruit is hollow and is filled with woolly fibers and brown
seeds. The waterapple has a slightly acid flavor and can be very sour.
Vietnamese often use the waterapplase as offerings at the altar because
of their vibrant colors.
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Jackfruit
- Mi't
The Jackfruit is a native fruit of Asia.
It has its origin in India, though after many centuries of trade,
it reached South-East Asia where it is considered a delicacy. Jackfruits
come in many shapes and sizes, although generally they are oblong
or pear shaped. They can grow to 90 cm long and can weigh up to 44
kg. The name Jack is believed to be a Portuguese mispronunciation
of a Malay word meaning round.
Jackfruits have a thick pale green rind
with thousands of sharp hexagonal spines. Once cut open, the interior
yields dozens of individual golden yellow pulps. The meat of the pulp
covers a large brown pit. When ripe, the meat is sweet. The pit can
be boiled and eaten as well. The wood from the jackfruit tree is very
strong. Sometimes, it is used to make furniture and to build houses.
In the north, the wood from the jackfruit tree is carved into statues
in pagodas.
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Corossolier
- Ma~ng Ca^`u Xie^m
The corossolier is a close relative to
the sweep-sop. In terms of size, the fruit is substantially larger
than the sweet-sop with some fruits weighing as much as 1.5 kg. The
peel is smoother with tiny spikes (more like bumps). These spikes
turn black as the fruit ripens.
The corossolier has less seeds than the
sweetsop and the meat is more firm, almost chewy. In general, the
fruit has a sweet and sour taste. In Vietnam, the corrosolier is blended
with condensed milk and ice to make a delicious fruit drink. During
the Tet season, the corossolier is preserved with sugar to make a
candy-like treat called mu+'t.
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