For most of us in the Western world, a trip to the fruit section of the grocery store is pretty mundane. Bananas…apples…maybe a mango if we’re lucky. Even some trendy farmer’s markets are pretty limited to whatever islocal. Exotic fruits just aren’t available everywhere.
But there is anabsolutely massivenumber of exotic fruits out there than you may have never seen before! I’ve listed 98 of them here. Even if you do recognize a few of them, some of these guys you can only get on certain continents, or cost a crazy amount of money and are only available from specialty stores in trendy US cities. For example, I bought a single Kiwano fruit the other day for $6.00 USD!
If you could pick just one to try, which one would it be? I’d love to try the cucamelon because it looks just like a mini watermelon 🙂 Also, if fruit isn’t doing it for you, why not try out some unusual vegetables instead?
Table of Contents
Big List Of Exotic Fruits!
Lucuma
According to Peruvians, most people don’t actually eat this fruit, but they really enjoy the flavor of it in other things. The texture isn’t very pleasant according to the people I asked, but it’s sweet!
They put it in cakes, pies, pastries, puddings, ice creams, and other sweets. Actually, my first time learning about it was in a local Starbucks! You can’t get this in the USA for sure! I usually don’t drink Frappuccinos, and it was way too sweet for me. I couldn’t finish it. But I saw tons of people order it, so it must have been popular. The chirimoya (white one) is featured lower on this list as well.
28 Exotic Red Fruits That Will Blow Your Mind
Where To Buy Exotic Fruit Online
20 Exotic Mexican Fruits That Delight The Senses
Buy Fresh Breadfruit Online From These 3 Websites
Buy Fresh Persimmons Online From These 4 Websites
7 Amazing Exotic Fruit Box Companies
Buy Fresh Durian Fruit Online From These 4 Websites
Chinese Mango Pudding
Pacay / Guama (Ice Cream Bean)
The other fruit, which really impressed me, was the ice cream bean, also known as pacay. The first time I saw this fruit was in the famous restaurant called Centrale. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in the world, and you normally have to make a dinner reservation 4 months in advance. Well, I snuck in at lunch and found a spot. Lucky me! One of the courses was an ice cream bean.
Unfortunately, it was shockingly expensive there, and cost me about $150 for the whole meal, meaning my single “bean” cost about $20 (not even the whole pod!)
Then I continued to travel, and had it for breakfast again at a small hostel. There, it cost me about $0.20 for three beans. The consistency is a bit weird, but delicious. It looks like a styrofoam packing peanut, but has a cotton candy texture. It’s sweet, but not overly so. It kind of squishes in your mouth similar to cotton candy as well.
Chayote
Chayote belongs to the same family as squash, melons and cucumbers and the plant is native to Mexico, where it grows abundantly. The fruit can be eaten raw and is sometimes used in salsas or salads, although most of the time it is marinated in either lime or lemon juice first.
Most of the time however, the fruit is lightly cooked, which helps to keep the texture of the fruit. The skin does not need to be removed prior to cooking.
Fuyu Persimmon
Persimmons are often referred to as ‘the fruit of the gods’ and there is a fair amount of history and mythology that surrounds the fruit. However, it can also be a bit controversial, because many varieties need to be very soft before they can be eaten.
The Fuyu persimmon is the most accessible variety of persimmon because it is non-astringent. This means that it is sweet and tasty when the fruit is firm.
Durian
Durian is one of those foods that people either love or hate. Inside the thorny exterior is a soft creamy fruit that has an incredibly intense aroma. In fact, you can often smell the fruit even when the shell is intact.
Descriptions of the taste vary considerably, but one example is that the fruit tastes like ‘rotten mushy onions’. Despite this, there are many people who are fanatical about the fruit and even competitive eating contests that focus on its consumption.
Pomelo
As appearances suggest, pomelo is a citrus fruit and it originally comes from Southeast Asia. When ripe, the fruit is yellow or pale green and tends to have white flesh and thick rind.
The taste is like a sweet grapefruit and it lacks the bitterness normally associated with grapefruit. However, the fruit does still have the potential to interact with some medications in the same way that grapefruit does.
Starfruit
Starfruit is a type of tropical fruit that is rapidly becoming popular in the United States. The shape of the fruit means that when it is sliced, the section forms five-pointed stars (although in some cases fruits may have a slightly different shape).
The flesh of the fruit is crunchy and juicy, and the taste can vary considerably across the fruit. Ripe fruit can be eaten raw (in their entirety), while unripe fruit are sometimes used in cooking.
Kiwano, AKA African cucumber/horned melon
Even from the outside, the kiwano looks a little odd, and from the inside the fruit is even more confusing. The flesh itself actually tastes a combination of kiwifruit, zucchini and cucumber, which is an odd combination that also seems to be quite appealing.
Eating the fruit is simple, you simply cut it in half and squeeze the green ooze out, or you can eat it with a spoon. The pulp is also good as a garnish, in fruit salads or in drinks.
Atemoya
The atemoya is actually a hybrid of two different fruits, which are cherimoya and the sugar-apple, although most people probably haven’t heard of those either.
Even though it looks resilient, the fruit is easily damaged, so it needs to be handled carefully. While the flesh of the fruit is edible and delicious, the seeds are not safe to eat and should be avoided.
Black Sapote
For just about any other fruit, a brown or black interior indicates that the fruit is past its best, but that’s not true for the black sapote.
Instead, the interior looks like this when the fruit is ripe and ready to eat. The texture, taste and color of the fruit have all been associated with chocolate pudding, which makes the fruit both appealing and highly unusual.
While a real chocolate pudding might still be more appealing, the fruit has the advantage of being much better for you.
Buddha’s Hand
Multiple different varieties of Buddha’s hand exist, often with considerable variation in the way that the ‘fingers’ are held. In some varieties, the fingers are close together (as in the images), while in other varieties they are splayed out in an open hand pattern.
The use of this fruit is largely ornamental, both because of its appearance and because of the aroma of the fruit. However, the fruit can be eaten, and is sometimes used in desserts and in savory meals.
Canistel AKA Tiesa
Canistel is one of a few fruits in the world that isn’t juicy or particularly easy to eat. The fruit has a very chewy consistency that borders on chalky, and it is easy for some of the fibers to get stuck in your teeth.
At the same time, the taste of the fruit is reminiscent of a sweet potato, although it does tend to be a more intense flavor. When eating this fruit, you want to be sure that it is ripe.
This occurs when it gives in easily to a little pressure from your thumb (much like an avocado) and when the skin is entirely yellow.
Cucamelon
Cucamelons are incredibly cute tiny fruit that look like baby watermelons from the outside. They are considered savory fruits and taste more likely cucumber with a little lemon juice than like an actual melon.
The fruit works well in savory dishes, like stir-fries, and they also work well raw in salads or salsas. Or, you can just pop them in your mouth as-is.
Feijoa
Feijoas mature in autumn and are a sweet fruit with flavors of mint, pineapple and apple. They are commonly eaten but cutting in half and scooping out the interior with a spoon, although the fruit is also a particularly good in smoothies because of its complex taste.
Feijoas are most commonly cultivated for food in New Zealand and they tend to be hard to find and expensive in many other parts of the world, including the United States.
Soursop AKA Guanabana
The inside of the soursop has white pulp along with black seeds that cannot be digested.
The flesh itself tastes like a combination of pineapple and strawberry, along with some more sour citrus elements. This makes it a common choice for smoothies and fruit juice drinks.
Debate has focused on the potential health benefits of the fruit, including its potential to reduce stomach pain, inflammation, help relieve respiratory issues and even for fighting cancer. However, most of these claims need much more research before they can be verified.
Cherimoya
Cherimoya is thought to be one of the best tasting fruits in the world and has a creamy texture. This texture also means that the fruit is enjoyable when chilled and then eaten with a spoon.
Descriptions of taste vary, but most focus on cherimoya tasting like a combination of other fruits, including banana, strawberry and pineapple. The fruit has a very short shelf-life, which is one reason why it is so hard to find.
Jabuticaba
Jabuticaba is an unusual case of a fruit that grows directly on the trunk of the tree. The fruits can be eaten straight off the tree and grow to around 1.5 inches in diameter.
Often the fruit is used in a similar manner to grapes, which is why some parts of the world also have jabuticaba wines and liqueurs.
Jackfruit
This is a tropical fruit that is most commonly produced in Vietnam and Thailand, with a flavor that resembles a mix of other fruits, including banana, mango and pineapple.
Sometimes the flavor is also described as similar to Juicy Fruit gum. The fruit is also high in vitamin B, potassium and protein, making it a particularly healthy but severely underutilized crop.
Gac AKA Baby Jackfruit
From the outside, gac does kind of look like a baby jackfruit, but visual appearance is where the similarity ends. The fruit has a very short harvest season, making it a relatively rare food.
Because of this, it is often used for festive or ceremonial occasions, rather than as an ingredient. One common dish from the fruit involves cooking the flesh and the seeds in rice, resulting in a bright orange rice dish.
Dietary supplements from the fruit have also been produced as it offers a high amount of phytonutrients.
Calamansi Lime
Calamansi limes are best described as a mix between a lime and an orange. This gives them a strong citrus fragrance and they also tend to have much more juice than limes typically do.
Despite this, they still have that sour tartness of limes and they can be used in the same way as a lime. The limes are often green and tend to be relatively small, however, you can also find them with orange skin, which causes no end of confusing for the unwary shopper.
Cempedak
The cempedak is a close relative of the jackfruit, and interior structure of the two fruits is similar. The individual pulpy pieces can be eaten straight out of the fruit as-is, and the flesh is a less sweet version of the jackfruit.
The fruit also has a very strong smell and you can smell it from quite some distance away. Opening a cempedak needs to be done with care, as doing so releases a sticky juice that you need to use an oil-based product to remove.
Langsat
Langsats are orb-shaped fruits that look a little bit like a small potato when the skin is on, although the inside of the fruit is an entirely different matter. When ripe, the fruit is sweet and tastes a little bit like a grapefruit.
The simplest way to eat the fruit is to peel off the skin and eat it out of your hands, although the fruit can also be cooked. Two main varieties of langsat exist. One of these is thick skinned and the other is thin skinned, although both taste good.
Lychee
The lychee is a sweet summer fruit that comes from the soapberry family. The outer rind of the fruit is inedible, but it is easily removed to allow access to the white flesh inside.
The fruit is known for its floral scent, although this scent is lost when the fruit is canned, making the fresh fruit a more popular option. Lychees are also common across a number of different desserts.
Loquat
The loquat resembles an apricot, and like an apricot, the yellow flesh of the fruit is the part that is eaten.
Unusually, loquat trees flower in autumn or the beginning of winter and fruits ripen in winter itself or at the start of spring. The fruit is best if picked when the fruit is entirely yellow, but before it starts to go orange, as the yellow stage is where the flavor is the most intense.
The fruit does also have a very thin skin, which can be removed. However, removing the skin can be challenging and messy, so most people simply don’t bother and use it as-is.
Mangosteen
The mangosteen has an interesting history. Despite the fruit’s popularity, it was illegal to import them into the United States for a long time, because there were fears that the fruit contained the Asian fruit fly.
They are now available and the best place to source them tends to be Asian specialty food stores. At the same time, there has been a growing interest in the juice from the fruit, which has been associated with a number of health benefits.
How many of these are real remains to be seen, as research into the fruit and its juice continues.
Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa is another tropical fruit, although this one looks a lot more like an ear of corn than it looks like a fruit. The green scaly exterior of the fruit is tough and inedible, and it is the white flesh beneath this that people eat.
That flesh has a similar texture and taste to pineapple, although there are also some similarities to the jackfruit in terms of taste. The fruit should only ever be eaten when it is completely ripe, as the unripe fruit can irritate and cause adverse reactions.
Noni Fruit
The noni fruit is a native of Australia, Asia and the Polynesian islands. The fruit is roughly the size of a mango and is normally eaten for its potential health benefits, rather than its taste.
Many different health claims have been made about the fruit, although little has been proven. Nevertheless, the high antioxidant content of the fruit suggests that it may offer some benefits. The juice from the fruit is bitter, so people tend to use it as part of a fruit juice or smoothie, so the taste can be masked.
Another alternative is to add a dash of lemon juice and drink noni fruit juice like a shot.
PitahayaAKA Dragon Fruit
There has been a lot of popularity surrounding dragon fruit drinks and dragon fruit flavorings in recent years, but the fruit itself tends to get overlooked.
The white flesh of the fruit along with its black seeds are the part that you eat, as the skin itself cannot be eaten. The seeds have a nutty taste while the flesh of the fruit is sweet. Altogether, the flesh and the seeds go well together and can be easily scooped out of the skin and eaten.
Poha Berry, Physalis, Cape Gooseberry
The yellow-orange fruit of the cape gooseberry grows inside of thin papery husks that are incredibly easy to remove. The fruit grows to roughly the size and shape of a cherry tomato, although the color and interior of the fruit is very different.
The taste is best described as an appealing cross between tomato and pineapple, and they are commonly eaten dipped in chocolate.
Rambutan
You wouldn’t know from looking at it, but the fruit of the rambutan is actually a sweet and white oval. The fruit can be easily opened either by cutting into the rind or by making an incision with biting, as the spines themselves do not hurt and are harmless.
From there, the outer rind of the fruit can be peeled off to reveal the soft flesh. Doing this can also release some juice, which is as sweet as the fruit itself.
Rollinia Deliciosa AKA Birbia
Like many other members of the custard-apple family, birbia doesn’t look all that much like a fruit from the outside. The outside of the fruit is yellow as it ripens, but the spines taste on a black appearance when handled, which can make the fruit look very unappealing.
However, the interior of the fruit is a different story, and tastes a little bit like a lemon meringue pie. The fruit does have an incredibly short shelf-life, which makes it very hard to find.
Rose Apples
The rose apple goes by a host of names, including mountain apple and wax apple. Yet, despite these names, it isn’t much like an apple at all. The main feature in common in the waxy red skin.
Beneath this skin, you have a surprisingly moist fruit with a sweet and floral flavor. This floral flavor is reminiscent of a rose, which may be where the fruit gets its name from. Still, you can bite into rose apples just like you would regular apples. However, the seeds of the apple are inedible, so these need to be avoided or spat out when eating the fruit.
They’re often used in cooking and preserves as well.
You may notice different colors and flavors for this fruit, including some that are lighter and have a more rose-like flavor. This is because there are multiple varieties, which vary in the flavor and color of the fruit.
Salak (or Snake Fruit)
It’s easy to see why many people refer to this as snake fruit. The little fruit is covered with tiny scales, which look much like the ones you’d find on a snake.
Salaks might be rare in the United States, but they are particularly common in Indonesia. The fruit is roughly the size of a strawberry and has a complex taste that includes honey, citrus, and pineapple.
The texture of the fruit is spongy, which is a bit unusual for people who aren’t used to it. Despite this, it is a fruit that people quickly come to love and it is easy to eat straight out of its rind.
Yet, the fruit itself is delicious. Tourists sometimes find them eating one piece of fruit straight after another, delighted at the texture and flavor profile.
Santol
The santol is an unusual fruit that has a very thick skin, with white segments of flesh inside. The fruit itself is a mixture of sweet and sour, which can be appealing to some and not to others.
The most common way to eat the fruit is to suck the flesh from the seeds, as the pulp from the fruit sticks strongly to the seeds. You do need to be careful not to swallow the seeds in the process.
Sapodilla
The sapodilla is known for its unusual taste combination, which is said to be a mixture of root beer and brown sugar. Because of this, the fruit is commonly eaten as a sweet treat. The texture of the fruit most closely resembles a pear, although botanically it is considered to be a berry.
Custard Apple
The custard apple seems to get its name from the flesh of the fruit, which has a mild and sweet taste that resembles traditional custard. There are several varieties of custard apple, with the most common being African
Pride and Pink Mammoth, with the latter being a considerably bigger fruit. Although they are relatively uncommon, custard apples can be found in the United States, and are a sweet treat for those lucky enough to find them.
Ugli Fruit
The ugli fruit is a citrus fruit, created from the hybridization of tangerine, orange and grapefruit, and the fruit hails from Jamaica. Unusually, the name ugli itself is actually trademarked, but it is a suitable name, as it has a more misshapen and less appealing appearance than most traditional citrus fruits.
Yangmei
The yangmei fruit is extremely common in China and is frequently eaten raw and used in creating alcoholic drinks. However, it is much less common outside of China, because the fruit is very perishable, making it challenging to transport.
The fruit is small, slightly larger than a cherry, and has a similar taste and texture to a strawberry. Even where the fruit is common it can often be expensive, as it has to be chilled from when it is harvested onwards.
Prickly Pear
While many people have heard of the prickly pear cactus, few realize that the fruit of the cactus is edible. If you find them in the market, the worst of the hair-like thorns will probably have been removed, but if you find them wild, eating the fruit without hurting your hands can be quite challenging.
While the fruit itself is popular, many people prefer the juice, which can be obtained by liquefying and then straining the flesh of the fruit.
Longan
Like the lychee, the longan comes from the soapberry family, although it is not as well known. The shell of the fruit is both firm and thin.
This makes it easy to get the fruit out of the shell simply by cracking the shell apart. The fruit also has the name Dragon’s Eye, because of the way the fruit and its black seed resemble an eye when cut in half.
Wood Apple,Bael, Stone Apple
The wood apple seems to get its name from the very hard rind of the fruit. This rind makes it challenging to get the fruit open and the rind is also often used as an ashtray or a bowl.
The flesh of the fruit can be eaten as-is and is often scooped directly out of the rind. It can also be used in a range of other ways, such as scooped out and frozen.
Breadfruit
An interesting thing about the breadfruit is that it can be eaten in multiple different stages of development.
When the fruit is mature, it can be eaten raw and has a sweet and creamy taste, making it a good option for desserts. It also makes a good substitute for most starchy vegetables, like potatoes, and mature breadfruit can actually replace potatoes in many recipes.
Water Apple
The water apple is a tropical fruit and despite its name, the fruit isn’t actually considered to be an apple. The fruit itself is relatively small and tends to be less than an inch in length.
It has a relatively mild or faint flavor, which resembles an apple, however, the texture of the inside is more similar to a watermelon.
Nipah Seeds
Nipah seeds come from the nipah palm. This is a particularly versatile species of plant and most parts of the plants are used for different purposes, such as the sap being tapped or the young shoots of the pam being eaten. The fruit is also sometimes used as an ingredient in desserts.
Pulasan
Visually, pulasan looks a lot like rambutan, and the two tropical fruits are often confused with one another.
One difference between the two species is that the seed of the pulasan can be safely eaten raw, and it has a similar taste to almonds. The plant is native to Malaysia, and the fruits are rarely found outside of Southeast Asia.
Kaffir Lime
Also called the makrut lime, this type of lime has a bumpy outer skin. Most of the time, it is the zest of the fruit that is used in a large range of traditional dishes and the juice of the fruit is considered too acidic for food.
There has also been considerable controversy surrounding the name kaffir lime, as the word kaffir is considered a racial slur in many parts of the world.
Platonia AKA Bacuri
With a mottled yellow-brown outer skin, the bacuri fruit is unlikely to win any beauty contests. Yet, despite this, the flesh of the fruit is surprisingly tasty and achieves a good combination of both sweet and sour.
The fruit is largely eaten fresh, although are a few other uses, such as creating jams and jellies from the fruit.
Duku
Duku is actually a member of the same species as the fruit langsat. However, the two are considered to be different cultivars.
Species that fall under the duku variety tend to have thick bright green leaves with bunches that contain just a few fruit. The fruit themselves tend to be large and round with thick skin.
Pitanga AKA Surinam Cherry
Technically, the Surinam cherry isn’t actually a cherry and the fruit doesn’t even look that much like a cherry. They are also a bit of an acquired taste, especially as they don’t actually taste anything like a cherry.
They should also only be eaten when they are completely ripe. At that time they are a deep red color. Fruits that aren’t as ripe won’t necessarily make you sick, but you will regret trying anything even a little bit less ripe.
Safou
One of the most distinctive features about safou is the way that the fruit have a texture like butter when they are cooked. This texture is why the fruit is sometimes referred to as butterfruit.
The fruit is particularly significant as it is high in calories and in fat, while it also contains a significant number of nutrients. This is particularly important for areas that have limited food and it can be a key resource in reducing hunger.
Salmonberry
Visually, salmonberries look a lot like raspberries. However, their color (not their taste) is often a salmon color. The coloration of the fruits can range though, and you can see fruits anywhere from pink to dark red.
The fruit doesn’t have the sharpness that you find in raspberries, but the taste is still appealing. The orange fruit tend to have the most flavor, while the more red fruits are often disappointing in terms of taste.
Star Apple
What do you think of this little beauty? The start apple comes from the tree Chrysophyllum cainito and is named for the distinct star shape seen when the fruits are cut in half.
Despite the name, you can’t eat these like a traditional apple. The skin and the rind are both inedible and need to be removed before you can enjoy the fruit.
The texture is interesting too, as the flesh of star apples is soft and a little like jelly. They’re best served chilled and can be delicious as a flavoring ingredient as well.
Miracle Fruit
Surprisingly, the name miracle fruit is entirely accurate. This unusual berry is significant because glycoproteins within it bind to the taste buds on the tongue.
The end result of this is that for roughly an hour, any other food you try will be distorted into having a sweet taste. This feature of the fruit can create whole new taste. This effect means that you could eat the fruit and then eat a lemon, and that lemon would taste sweet.
Strawberry Tree AKAArbutus unedo
Despite the name, the strawberry tree doesn’t actually produce strawberries (those don’t grow on trees). Instead, they produce a berry that is red when it is ripe.
The fruit can be eaten and has a sweet taste that some consider similar to a fig. In general though, the taste of the fruit is considered unremarkable and it is not widely popular.
Finger Lime
Australian finger limes are a particularly unusual type of citrus fruit. The fruits have been becoming increasingly popular as a type of gourmet food, and have also been referred to as lime caviar.
The little bulbs within the fruit contain juice that tastes similar to a common lime. These burst when chewed, which makes them an appealing garnish to many dishes.
Medlar
The best time to eat medlar is when the fruit has become extremely soft. When this happens, the flesh of the fruit feels and tastes like a form of fruit butter (which is more appealing than it sounds).
When it is at that stage, the fruit can be challenging to eat, but one approach is to simply create a hole in the skin and suck out both the seeds and the flesh through that hole.
Cloudberry
Cloudberries tend to be a soft and juicy taste. When they are ripe, they have a tart taste that many people find appealing. They are also often eaten when they are overripe.
At that point, they have a more creamy texture and they also taste sweeter. Cloudberries are frequently used to make products like juices, jams, and tarts, and also make a fantastic topping for foods like ice cream and pancakes.
Crowberry
The crowberry isn’t a particularly popular type of berry, but there is growing interest in using it as an edible fruit.
Traditionally, crowberries have been paired with meals like dried fish, sour milk and roe, as the berry is tarter than many other types of berries. It is also best used cooked and the taste tends to be unappealing when the berries are eaten raw.
Imbe
Imbe is a relative of the African mangosteen, although it is not as well-known. The fruit resembles an apricot, with one large seed per fruit, although the amount of edible material per fruit is relatively small. The fruit has a pleasant sweet taste that is similar to apricots.
Natal Plum
The natal plum is a particularly delicious fruit, yet the plant is from a highly deadly family, which makes people steer well clear of it.
A key member of that family is oleander, which is often responsible for fatally poisoning people. Additionally, the fruit is the only part of the natal plum plant that is safe to eat – something that does not exactly help the reputation of the fruit.
Honeyberry
Honeyberry plants produce these unusual elongated blue berries that look almost like someone has taken a blueberry and stretched it out. The berries are zesty, with a thin skin, and are easily eaten.
However, there is a lot of debate on what precisely the berries taste like. A range of flavors have been attributed to the fruit, such as cherry, kiwi or blackberry. Despite this, the simplest explanation may simply be that the fruit has its own unique taste.
Barrel Cactus
Yikes! That looks dangerous. But those are often the most delicious. Here are some tips for eating and cooking barrel cactus fruit.
Saguaro
Saguaro is a cactus species that is particularly common in Arizona, although it is also found in other parts of the United States and further afield.
The cactus grows bright red fruit that have to be harvested using a stick because of the spines of the cactus. Most of the time the fruit is used to make a syrup, which is a particularly rare type of syrup.
Cupuacu
Cupuacu comes from the same family as cocoa and is commonly used to create a new kind of ‘chocolate’, one that uses cupuacu beans instead of traditional cocoa beans.
This creates a chocolate alternative that is appealing to many, especially people who are trying to move away from cocoa. It is an interesting alternative to chocolate, with a more complex taste that isn’t quite what you expect from standard chocolate.
Pepino Melon
Despite its appearance and name, pepino melon isn’t actually a melon. Instead, the fruit is related to the nightshade and has a flavor that is a combination of the flavor of honeydew and of cucumber.
The fruit is frequently used raw, such as part of a salad or simply eaten as-is. Many varieties of the melon have yellow instead of purple skin, but still retain the distinctive purple striping.
Pandanus(from theScrew Pine tree)
The screw pine tree is a particularly common type of tree in many Pacific coastal regions. The fruit can be a bit tricky to eat, as you need to remove the individual fruit pieces (called keys).
Often the first key or two needs to be removed with a hammer, but the rest can be removed by hand. This makes for a tricky process, but the fruit itself can still be appealing.
Akebi
Akebi has the appealing nickname of chocolate vine, which tends to get people’s attention relatively quickly, although the fruit certainly doesn’t taste like chocolate.
Instead, the pulp of the fruit is relatively mild and tends to have a very slight coconut flavor. The fruit has a very short fruiting period. This means that it isn’t very widely available and can be difficult to find.
Ackee
The ackee is another member of the soapberry family, much like the longan and the lychee. It is a tricky fruit to eat, because if it is not eaten properly, the fruit can lead to vomiting, a coma or even death.
The only edible part of the fruit is the yellow flesh that surrounds the seeds. This part can also only be eaten when the fruit has turned red and split open. However, some who have tried the fruit do claim that it is worth the risk. That said, you should always cook the fruit, rather than eating it raw.
Achiote AKA Bixa orellana
For cuisine, the most significant aspect of the achiote tree is the compound annatto, which is extracted from the seeds of the fruit.
Often, these seeds are ground to produce a paste or powder that is used in many recipes. Likewise, the extracted annatto is used as a spice and it is also commonly used to give a yellow color to food, such as rice.
Genips (Spanish Lime)
Tangy flavor, sometimes sweet. The pulp is creamy. It can be eaten fresh, or made into jams/jellies, and limoncello!
Jenipapo
Interesting information can be found about this Brazilian fruit here. Apparently it smells like overripe bananas and can be dried, then made into ink!
Jambula
Also known as syzygium cumini, it’s got a sweet and sour taste, and is used for medicine in some African countries. It may have some anti-diabetic properties.
Jujube (Chinese Date)
Jujube is very much like a date. You can eat it fresh, or dry it like the dates which are commonly found in the USA. A flavor compound spinosin found in jujube can be used as a natural sleep aid!
PawPaw Fruit
Pawpaw is not the same as Papaya!
Barbados Cherry
The Barbados cherry also goes by the name acerola or acerola cherry and comes from a tree that can get anywhere up to 20 feet tall. While the fruits themselves are roughly the same size as cherries, they actually contain three small pits rather than a large stone.
The cherries are delicious, with juicy and sweet flesh that contains just a hint of tartness. They’re even tarter if you consume them when they’re underripe.
The flavor is tough to describe. It’s best considered a mixture of other fruits, including cherries, plums, and apples. Some nurseries and specialized sellers in the United States even offer Barbados cherry trees, giving you the chance to grow them yourself.
Ambarella
These interesting fruits go by a host of names, including golden apple, June plum, and Makok faring. While the fruits start off green, they ripen to a golden yellow – becoming sweeter and juicier as they ripen.
That said, ambarella fruits can be enjoyed when they’re green too. In this state, they tend to be somewhat crispy and have a distinct sour flavor.
The fruit is versatile. It can be easily eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in jellies, smoothies, and other dishes.
Ambarella fruits have even been linked to health benefits. They’re thought to help combat premature aging, inflammation, and oxidation, while improving endurance and even bone health.
Jamaican Strawberry
Despite the name, Jamaican strawberries aren’t strawberries at all. That shouldn’t be too surprising, given that strawberries don’t grow on trees anyway.
The fruits themselves look like small lightly colored cherries and have plenty of juicy pulp on the inside. The berries are sweet and delicious, plus they’re packed with vitamin C and antioxidants.
Jocote
This fruit is most often called Jacote or Spanish plum. Although, like most fruits on this list, it has a host of names. While the fruit isn’t common in the United States, it’s often seen in the Philippines, Brazil, and plenty of other locations.
The fruits are green or yellow when unripe. Most develop through to purple or red as they ripen, although a few varieties are yellow even when fully ripe. The fruits themselves are fairly sweet, with yellow flesh and a texture that’s much like a plum.
While jocote is often eaten ripe, this isn’t the only option. Some people eat unripe jocote fruits instead. These are much tarter and have some bitter notes. Because of this, they’re often pickled or used to make a tart sauce. They can also be eaten with salt and chili peppers to offset the flavor.
Babaco
These strange looking fruits are actually natural hybrids, thought to be related to the mountain pawpaw and the chamburo. Oddly, the plant only produces female flowers and no seeds. Because of this, it needs to be cultivated by hand, often through the use of cuttings.
The fruits taste like a combination of pineapple and pawpaw, plus some subtle notes of strawberry and banana. However, the fruit is relatively low in sugar, so it doesn’t taste as sweet as you might expect.
This isn’t a fruit you’ll often find in markets and stores, as babaco has soft skin that’s easily damaged. It couldn’t survive the handling and storage steps needed for a commercial crop, so is most often grown by home gardeners and naturally thrives in subtropical environments.
Naranjilla
Naranjilla is also known as lulo and the plant is popular throughout Central America. It’s a juicy fruit with membrane walls that separate each section. The flavor is distinctive too – like a delicious cross between lemon and pineapple. The lemon flavor notes mean that this is a fairly acidic and tart fruit, one that is popular for its juice.
The juice is particularly good as a contrast to overly sweet juices. It also works well in many recipes.
While the whole fruit isn’t commonly found in the United States, it isn’t too difficult to find frozen fruit concentrate or even frozen naranjilla fruit. The frozen concentrate is a great way to try the flavors of naranjilla without trying to grow the fruit yourself.
Sugar Apple
The sugar apple is a fascinating fruit. It comes from the species Annona squamosa and is similar to some of the other fruits we’ve talked about here, including custard apples and atemoya. However, sugar apples are distinct fruits that are particularly popular in tropical regions.
The fruit has a light inner flesh with a decent number of seeds. The flesh really does have the sweetness of an apple, although there are tropical flavors present too, including pineapple. But, it’s the texture that’s most notable, as the fruit has a creaminess to it that’s a little like custard.
While you can eat sugar apple fresh, it’s often better to chill the fruit for a few hours first. Doing so makes the creaminess stand out even more. You can even blend sugar apple flesh with frozen yogurt to create a simple and delicious dessert.
Plus, like other fruits on this list, the sugar apple is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. These make it an excellent way to promote health.
Araza
Araza is a rare fruit that comes from some parts of Peru and Brazil. It belongs to the guava family and offers a distinct pulpy flesh. The flavor profile is fascinating, with notes of pineapple and mango, along with distinct tartness.
Because of the fruit’s tart flavor, it is often combined with some type of sweetener before being used in desserts. In fact, the fruit is too tart for many people to enjoy on its own.
This isn’t a fruit you’ll see or hear about often, as the trees are normally only grown within their natural habitat. Still, they grow well in the wild and provide locals with an interesting fruit that is packed with antioxidants.
White Sapote
We’ve talked about the black sapote already. Now here’s a white one. Both fruits look similar from the outside, although the color of their flesh is quite different.
Interestingly, the fruits aren’t related. The black sapote is a species of persimmon, while the white sapote comes from the same family as citrus fruits instead.
The white sapote has plenty to offer, including a custard-like texture and a sweet flavor that’s similar to that of a banana or a peach. However, it’s important to harvest promptly, as the fruit can become bitter when overripe.
Barberry
Barberries have a long history and were once used as part of Indian folk medicine. They’re still associated with health benefits these days too, as they’re a rich source of antioxidants and contain an interesting alkaloid called berberine.
The berries have a distinct tart flavor that makes them exceptional in jellies. Dried barberries are often used in cooking as well. You may even be able to buy them in some local health stores.
Phalsa Berry
Phalsa also goes by the name Indian sherbet berry, which is pretty cool. As that name suggests, the fruit originally hails from India. However, it is found in a variety of other areas. It’s sometimes even grown in warmer parts of Australia and North America.
There are two cool things about this fruit. The first is the flavor, as phalsa berries have a delicious sweet-sour balance. They’re a little like grapes, really, and even look like grapes.
The second is the potential health benefits. Phalsa berries are rich in antioxidants and nutrients – features that could help to promote your health.
Tamarind
Tamarind is a pod-like fruit that has a sweet and tangy flavor. The exact taste depends on the ripeness of the fruit – as it gets sweeter the more it ripens.
It isn’t just used as a fruit either. You’ll often see tamarind extract, concentrate, or paste. These products are made from ripe tamarind and can be used in curries and many other recipes. There’s also tamarind powder, which is an easy way to add a flavor punch to sweets and snacks.
All in all, tamarind is incredibly versatile. This is why it features in so many recipes. You’ll also see the flavor in a surprising number of processed treats.
Balata
Balata fruit can be found in the Caribbean, in South America, and in Central America, but remains a rare fruit. This might be because you don’t get much out of it. Only about 40% of the fruit is edible. The rest of it includes the seed (or seeds) and the fruit’s inedible skin.
Still, if you get the chance to try it, balata can be wonderful. The fruit has soft and juicy flesh, with a flavor that’s both sweet and slightly musky.
Grumichama
These fruits are also known as Brazil cherries, perhaps because they do look much like hanging cherries. The berries grow in clusters and offer a white and juicy flesh, which does taste fantastic.
These are also interesting fruits if you can’t grow regular cherries where you’re living. For example, grumichama trees will grow in southern Florida, while regular cherry trees won’t. That said, the fruits do have larger pits and less fruit than regular cherries, plus the trees are slow growing. So, some patience is required to grow these cherries for yourself.
Yuzu
Yuzu are a pretty famous type of exotic citrus fruit. They offer a blend of other citrus flavors, including limes, mandarins, and even some grapefruit flavors. The fruit is delicious raw and is often used in cooking as well.
While yuzu is easy to find in Asia, it tends to be expensive elsewhere. This is mostly an issue of supply and demand, as much of the yuzu grown in Japan and Korea is used domestically rather than being exported. There are also issues with importing citrus fruits, particularly for customers in the United States.
Marang
This fruit might look familiar, as it’s essentially a cross between jackfruit and durian. The marang has spines that are similar to those of durian, but these tend to be soft, making the fruit easy to open.
The scent is subtle too (much more than with durian!), while the fruit is also creamy and sweet, with a custard-like texture. These features make marang a delicious fruit that’s much easier to enjoy than the durian.
Granadilla
You’ll often see these sweet fruits called passion fruit. That’s not surprising, as there are plenty of similarities and the two are closely related. However, while the passion fruit generally has purple skin, the granadilla is bright orange instead.
Passion fruit also tend to have small black seeds within bright yellow pulp, while the seeds of the granadilla are larger and the pulp is clear rather than being yellow.
Still, the overall texture and flavor profile is similar – allowing you to use whichever fruit you have on hand.
The fruit is even popular enough that some street vendors sell it already peeled, saving you all the hard work.
Rattan Fruit
Rattan fruit sometimes goes by the name snake fruit as well, but it has larger scales and isn’t as prickly as the salak. The fruit is found on the rattan pine tree and has a long history of consumption throughout Asia,
Some people eat the fruit raw after carefully peeling it with their fingers or a paring knife. Other times the fruit is used as an ingredient in a stew. It’s delicious either way.
Dalandan
These interesting citrus fruits are popular in the Philippines. They’re notable because the skin is green (even when the fruit is fully ripe), while the interior remains bright orange.
Dalandans are treated much like regular oranges, so they can be eaten raw, juiced, or segmented and used in fruit salads.
Nyii
These small oval fruits also go by the name bird plum. They have slightly wrinkled brown skin, making them look a little like dates. They taste much like dates too and can be enjoyed either fresh or dried.
The one issue is that there are a decent number of seeds, so the fruits require a little work to get through. Still, the flavor makes them worth the effort, especially if you want to vary your diet.
Mabolo
Mabolo is an interesting fruit. Like many, it goes by a host of names, including butter fruit, velvet persimmon, and velvet apple.
Like the durian, this isn’t a pleasant-smelling fruit. Indeed, the skin is even said to smell much like spoiled cheese. This scent isn’t reflected in the flavor of the fruit at all, so if you can get past the smell, you’re in for a delicious treat.
Strawberry Guava
Strawberry guava fruits come from the species Psidium cattleianum and are native to South America. They do well in many environments, to the extent that they’re considered invasive species in some places, including Hawaii.
The fruits from this plant are indeed similar to the common guava, but look more stunning on the tree and taste better as well.
The fruit can easily be eaten raw without any effort. However, the seeds are tough, so it’s best to remove them. Some people swallow the seeds whole instead (doing so requires less work but perhaps isn’t the healthiest approach).
Governor’s Plum
The governor’s plum fruits are indeed much like European plums, complete with a dark purple to black coloring and familiar texture.
The plant has also traditionally been used for fencing, due to its notable thorns. However, some cutting-based plants are thornless, allowing them to be more easily grown in gardens.
Ice Apple
Ice apples are incredibly unusual. I mean, just look at the fruit. Weird, right?
The outer shell of this fruit is a little like a coconut. Opening this reveals orange or yellow pulp that covers transparent ice-looking fruit. The fruit itself has a texture much like a lychee. It is also surprisingly cooling, making it a refreshing summer treat.
The cooling feature partly comes from the high water content of the ice apple, which also makes this a hydrating fruit. It’s thought to offer a variety of important nutrients and antioxidants too. While the fruit is commonly eaten fresh, it can also be used in recipes, including desserts and ice apple milk.
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