Traveling around the world and going into different markets allowed me to better understand diversity. What we see as fruits in North America and Asia is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of other rare foods and lesser known fruits that we would never thought existing. This list examines 10 unique and rare fruits that we recommend you try before you die, especially when visiting Asia, Australia and tropical islands.
1. Salak:
Better known as Snake Fruit, it is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia. The name Salak means bark. The fruit is covered in brown bark/skin which looks identical to snake skin. Eating it is easy as you peel the skin. It is one of the rarest fruits as it is not grown anywhere but in its native regions. All individuals who are buying it are warned against refrigerating the fruit as the skin tends to break.
2. Lucuma:
Commonly known as the egg fruit, it originates from the Andean Region in Peru. It is also popularly used as an ice cream flavor in countries like Chile and Peru. It is rarely found in Europe and in North America, as an import.
3. Durian:
This fruit is commonly found in South East Asia and is known to be the king of fruits in the region. It is large, has a special smell and is spiky. Many Chinese supermarkets sell this fruit, whilst major supermarket chains do not. They come frozen to prevent odors the flesh can emit.
4. Purple Mangosteen:
It is popularly grown in Malaysia and Indonesia. The rind is purple when ripe. When the juice comes into contact with clothes, the stain is permanent. The inner layer, which is white, is sweet and flavorful. Many are not aware that this food exists and it is not sold in major supermarkets around Europe and North America. In 2006, Puerto Rico started to grow a small amount of Purple Mangosteen.
5. Pink Banana:
We all know what a banana is. We also know that all bananas should be yellow when ripe and green when not. There, however, is another type of banana that people do not know about; the pink one. The person eating the banana should be warned against hard seeds which can chip a tooth.
6. Marang:
This fruit is native to Borneo, Philippines. It has a hard yellow-brown shell on the outside and white blossoming, flower like flesh on the inside. Many countries are not aware of this fruit, as it is cold sensitive. It would not survive in countries with cold and frosted winters.
7. Brazilian Cherry:
We all buy cherries in the supermarkets. We are also aware that all cherries should be either purple/red or reddish/white in color. However, there is one more type of cherry that is grown in South America. It has a distinct taste and is quite delicious.
8. Mammea Apple:
This is not your regular apple that you buy in your grocery store. The apple is grown in South America and is a berry. As you peel the skin, there is an edible membrane and seed. Although the seed is tasty, the membrane is sharp.
9. Ugli:
No one would ever guess that there is a fruit that grows in Jamaica named after the word ugly. The fruit is called ugly because of its skin, which looks dirty and rotten. The fruit is delicious and is similar to the grapefruit and tangerine on the inside.
10. Rose Apples:
I am sure you are not surprised about this fruit. It is an apple that smells like a rose (the flower). You hardly know about it because it is hard to keep it from rotting after being picked. It is popularly grown in Australia.
Leave a Reply