Tropical Fruits of Malaysia: Have you tasted them?

The tropical and equatorial weather of Malaysia, its rich rainfall and fertile soils gives it’s a rich spoil of fruits and ones that are so exotic that you feel like something is missing in your diet when you are unable to taste it anymore. And the best part is that most of these fruits are available all year around and the monsoon period is the period of rich hauls both in terms of numbers and variety.


I have always been pro fruits and hence whenever I am visiting Malaysia, I simply gorge on them. It is my way of staying healthy while traveling and staying cool in the tropical weather. Some of the famous fruits of Malaysia are the Mangosteen, Mango, Pomelo, Papaya, Banana, Rambutan, Longan, Guava and Pineapple. My personal favorites are the Mangosteen, Pomelo, Guava and Papaya. Cold Pomelo with some dried plum and salt is like my favorite way to forget the heat and the humidity. Even ice cold Guavas are nice. The Mangosteen, a seasonal fruit is a hot favorite with many for its succulent taste and its sweet flavors.


Every season brings in different and interesting varieties that you are almost spoilt for choice every time you visit this tropical south east Asian country. Have you tasted any of these fruits during your trips to Malaysia? If yes, what is your favorite? If no, you need to know what you are missing and hence do try it out on your next trip to Malaysia, the fruit country of South East Asia.

Courtesy: Tourism Malaysia

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Durian: The King of South East Asian Fruits

This fruit is native to Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. It is exported the most by Thailand. It is considered obnoxious by some and divine by the others. It is banned in many hotels and public transportation across South East Asia. It’s pungent aroma is what makes this fruit special. It has a hard thorny shell and is succulent yellow (sometimes red) flesh inside. It is seasonal in nature and fruits primarily during the rainy season. It is consumed as a fruit and is a major ingredient in many south east Asian drinks and desserts. This is the Durian, the king of all South East Asian Fruits.


Most of the people do not come even close to tasting this fruit as they find its smell to be a huge turn-off. Even the ones who end up trying it may not necessarily like it. But, the ones who like it absolutely love it and will vouch for its excellent taste and nutritious properties. Well, to start with, this fruit is fairly nutritious with a lot of vitamins and potassium in it. It also has a lot of carbohydrates and raw fats. It is considered a cooling agent too.


The fruit is extremely popular in South East Asia and this can be seen through the many Durian specialty stalls in the major cities across South East Asia. Even better is Singapore’s esplanade, which is designed like a Durian. Personally, I find the smell overpowering, but I like its taste. I prefer the slightly riper version even though they smell stronger. Have you tried the king of south east Asian fruits? What did you think of it?

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Feast on the tropical fruits of Thailand

As a vegetarian, my choices of cooked food in the countryside is pretty limited as fish forms the staple diet of the people here. But, this is compensated by an abundant number of exotic tropical fruits that will ensure that you get detox’ed the natural way, while enjoying fruits that you would have never seen before. This rich supply of fruits is possible due to Thailand’s tropical climate and soil conditions that are conducive to their growth.


Well known tropical fruits, include papaya, pineapple, banana, jack fruit, mango and watermelon, but the more exotic fruits are the fleshy mangosteen, the hairy rambutan, the grapefruitlike pomelo, the much prized durian and the pink dragon fruit. These fruits are sold sliced as snacks by street vendors everywhere, and the full range of fresh produce can be seen at most markets.


Out of these fruits, my favorites are the mangosteens that has a melt in the mouth texture, the juicy guavas that taste yumm with a chili dip, the rambutans that taste very much like the lychee and the Durian that looks like a small jack fruit, but has a great tangy taste. The other plus is the availability of Mangoes throughout the year. This is fabulous as I love mangos.

So for all those who think vegetarians will have a tough time in Thailand, think of the brighter or should I say fruitier side.

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Citrus Fruits from Honey Valley, Coorg

At first look, these fruits looked like an orange. In fact, all of us in the group thought that way. But, at closer look, these looked bigger than an orange, but had all other external attributes of an orange.

 
I spotted this tree and its Citrus fruits during my long weekend holiday at the Honey Valley Estate in Coorg. Apparently, the monsoons are the fruit season for these Citrus fruits.

 
Any of you have an idea of the name of this citrus fruit?

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Passion Fruit: The Exotic Tropical Fruit

The passion fruit is one exotic fruit that is known for its rich aroma and flavour. This tropical fruit is grown widely in the Western Ghats of India and is more commonly found during the monsoons. Hence, it was no surprise that I saw the passion fruit and vine during my recent trip to the tropical forests of Coorg in Karnataka.

 
This highly nutritious fruit tastes great with a pinch of salt and tastes even better in juice. The variety that is found in India is the yellow variety, which is also used to make home-made wine in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Do remember to taste this fruit when you are travelling to the Western Ghats this monsoons.

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