Vietnam is replete with exceptional tropical fruits. These fruits are a strong part of the nation's culinary profile. For example, there are as many street food vendors selling fruit as there are serving the country's signature soup dish, Pho. Fruit is so popular that carving it has become an art-form. Moreover, no meal in a Vietnamese home is served without some type of fruit.
Most of these exotic fruits are unknown to Americans and Europeans. However, due to the large population of Vietnamese in California many of the delectable fruits are now showing up in Cali grocery stores. Not only are they insanely delicious, but they present beguiling opportunities for the foodie to experiment with new products.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world
I simply can't get enough of jackfruit. I loved this fruit so much that when we moved to San Diego ten years ago I attempted to have a tree planted---until I learned that it took 20 years for the tree to bare the first fruit. Thankfully, I was able to find an Asian market that carried it. Last year my local grocer began selling jackfruit, so it appears that I'm not the only one wowed by this seductive fruit.
Jackfruit's taste is somewhere between a pineapple and a banana. It's distinctive. It's also addictive. When cooked, the fruit has a texture similar to pulled pork, thus it has become popular in vegetarian cooking. (Trader Joe's sells a frozen jackfruit curry that is subline!) My favorite way, nonetheless, is the raw fruit.
Durian
Durian's taste is delectable
I was introduced to this fruit on my first trip to Vietnam years ago by a Vietnamese friend living in California. She and I went to Vietnam to retrace her roots from living there as a child. She made certain to warn me that this fruit was like a horribly stinky cheese in France. She was right: just get past the smell and you find a mouth-watering fruit.
Durian's taste, an almost indescribable cacophony of flavors, is a combination of sweet and savory. The texture is super creamy. Unfortunately, durian is very expensive due to its short period of ripeness. Don't miss it if you see it.
Rambutan
Rambutan are harvested twice a year in Vietnam
Rambutan, which belongs to the lychee family, is an absolutely visually stunning fruit. The first time I saw it I thought it was a flower. Its Vietnamese name actually translates to "messy hair." Once peeled, the interior reveals a white fleshy fruit which is a little like a grape in texture and taste.
Longan
Longan is another member of the same family as rambutan and lychee. Its name means "dragon's eye" for when the fruit is peeled it resembles a large eye. The fruit's musky sweet taste is similar to that of lychee with gentle flowery notes. While eaten raw, it is also popular in desserts.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is a feast for the eyes & taste buds
While this fruit is actually native to Central America, it is widely grown throughout Vietnam. Its bright red shell decorated with green scales resembles a dragon, thus, its name in Asia. Inside is a white fruit studded with tiny black seeds. Personally, I don't find much taste at all in the fruit, however, others feel its taste is a cross between a kiwi and a pear.
Star Apple
The star apple is a gorgeous purple-tinged fruit when fully ripe. Measuring only 2-3 inches in diameter, the small found fruit gets its name from the star pattern seen when the fruit is cut in half. A spoon is necessary to scoop out the sweet interior as its delicate jelly-like pulp is juicy. The Vietnamese call star apple "milk fruit" because of the rich milky liquid that oozes from its center.
Mangosteen
The inside of the hard-shelled exterior is a big surprise
Native to Southeast Asia, the mangosteen is one of the best tasting fruits in all of Vietnam. It's tough exterior resembles an acorn but a soft and sweet interior tastes like a melange of orange, banana and peach. The fruit's segmented flesh is similar to than of an orange, however, the flesh is white.
Those coming with us to Vietnam in February 2020 will be able to sample most of these fruits on the foodie's tour of Saigon's exciting central market. There are two seats remaining on this trip: http://www.wineknowstravel.com/itinerary-vietnam/
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