from the sacred fruit of Buddhist monks to the rotting stink of a tropical
favorite today we look at strange fruits you've never heard of
number fourteen carambola often called a starfruit for its distinct pointed
ridges the carambola is native to Indonesia the Philippines and other
nearby regions used as an ingredients for a variety of juices preserves and
relishes the carambola is entirely edible it's yellow tinge to translucent
flesh is sour and the small breeds and sweet in the larger ones but overall
they have a tart and subtle taste the skin of the carambola is thin and waxy
taking on different shades of yellow when ripe another particular feature of
this produce is its gelatinous layer of goo known as Errol that coats and
protects about a dozen seeds per fruit number 13 Perea often found in tropical
climates the Perea fruit is also known as the aptly named bitter melon
recognizable by its bumpy wart like exterior and strange elongated shape the
innards of this fruit are spongy and surround big flattened seeds
unlike most other fruit the Perea can be eaten fresh or ripened with the
preferred stage of consumption dependent on the species
the Chinese Korea for example is best when still mostly green and has a
crunchy hydrating texture resemblance of a cucumber except bitter the flesh in
this state remains a plain off-white other variations however taste best when
allowed to ripen fully when the skin of the fruit turns yellow and peels back
revealing sweet and juicy red pulp beneath in addition to its culinary uses
this fruit has been used traditionally in herbal remedies and medicinal
concoctions across the globe number 12 persimmon mostly popular in Asia the
persimmon can be found around the world with varieties also harvested regularly
in Mexico the Philippines and American Midwest the fruit comes from tall trees
that reach heights of anywhere between 15 and 60 feet the flesh of the
persimmon is dry and pucker inducing until ripe when it produces its yellow
orange or orange brown complexion the fully developed taste is sweet and high
in glucose for this fruit which is technically albeit surprisingly
classified as a berry number 11 Halla fruit like the result of a pineapple
genetically spliced with a pine cone the hollow fruit is native to and almost
exclusively eaten in Australia and the Pacific Islands it's sticky Center host
a bundle of stocks called keys notable for their green coarse and bulbous tops
and sweet yellow fibers near the point the pulpy ends of each key from the
Halla fruit needs to be chewed on and broken down but once they are the thick
sticky nectar inside resembles a mix of mango and sugarcane while a tasty treat
when eaten raw as a paste or made into a juice this strange fruit takes on a
different phase when left out in the Sun too long
the Halla fruit will begin to ferment and can currently start to produce an
incredibly foul odor a trait that has earned it the colloquial name of stink
not number 10 buddhas had rarely referred to by its more technical name
of the fingered citroen the spindly strange shaped fruit known commonly as
Buddha's hand has a wide variety of uses due to its unique shape this fruit has
been a staple of not just food goods but is also utilized in perfume religion
medicine and even decor the Buddha's hand has a special fragrance making it
perfect for adjusting the scent of rooms and clothing it's bulky size and odd
contour make it a popular choice for containers and even as an ornamental
plant in gardens and on patios across Asia and living up to its namesake
Buddha's palm is a traditional offering and New Year's gift as it symbolizes
happiness longevity and good fortune number 9 rambutan translating to Harry
from male Indonesia languages the thinly spines surface of the rambutan resembles
a scarlet Hedgehog or perhaps a burgundy sea anemone a tropical fruit its
leathery outer layer peels back to reveal a white or pink tinted semi
translucent Center the taste of rambutan is said to be similar to a grape with a
somewhat acidic flavor accenting the sweetness of the fruit at the center of
the rambutan is a single seed about the size of a pistachio nut while they may
be intrusive while delving into your new favorite fruit these seeds have value as
their high fat content makes them a common ingredients in cooking and soap
number eight miracle fruit imagine being invited to a party in which bitter and
sour foods like radishes beer pickles lemons and limes were served after
taking a mouth puckering bite the host hands you a small red berry to try
before the next tart tasting miraculously the pickle suddenly has a
sweet flavor instead of its usual acidic zest these parties actually take place
thanks to the miracle fruit surprisingly containing little sugar this sweet
tasting berry contains a special molecule called miraculin that binds
proteins when consumed with sour foods unlocking your sweet receptors and
giving everything a sweet taste for up to 30 minutes or until you brush your
teeth the miracle fruit continues to be used
in Africa to sweeten foods and drink because it remains banned in the United
States with miraculin classified as an illegal undeclared sweetener number 7
durian considered the king of fruits across
Southeast Asia this large spiny melon like produce is known as the durian
beneath its mace shaped rind the durian hides oblong yellow chunks of flesh
resembling something between a large nut and an indistinct animal organ while its
appearance is certainly strange to unfamiliar eyes what truly separates
this fruit from others is its notorious stench depending on the individual the
smell of durian can evoke a feeling of ecstasy or one of repulsion as
descriptions have ranged from reminiscent of a sweet perfume to the
stinking rod of raw sewage it's polarizing odor has caused it to be
banned in public places throughout its native land though its flavour is said
to be delicious and alike a blend between almond and custard or caramel
and is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian dishes number six
Lange's hat originating from the Malaysian Peninsula the langsat comes in
a wide variety and typically grows in clusters looking like a chandelier made
of potatoes but contrasting the dry dense core of the starchy root the flesh
of these fruits is like a marriage between grape and grapefruit with its
sharp sugary taste the major types of langsat fall into two categories
the smaller langsat that grows in larger bundles and the larger Dooku which only
get to the size of a golf ball the Duke who are valued as supposedly having a
less sappy core and sweeter flavor its hairy outer shell has been used in some
countries to treat diarrhea and even a mosquito repellants when ignited number
5 mangosteen springing forth from the
evergreen tree of the same the purple plum mimicking fruit known as
the mangosteen can be found in Asia India and even tropical regions in
Florida and Puerto Rico but unlike its juicy soft fleshed doppelganger this
fruits outer rind hardens into a thick protective layer guarding its white
pulpy innards from pests once picked a mangosteen does not remain edible for
long and its ripeness can be especially difficult to decipher as its stiff skin
makes for a hard indication of digestibility rarely found in North
American markets mangosteen remains a popular export of Thailand as consumers
worldwide have found somewhat unorthodox uses for the fruit as a medicinal
ingredient a component for tanning leather and other strange applications
number four a key traditionally in African fruit the ickey is a soap berry
similar to the lychee and rambutan that is a staple in a variety of Caribbean
recipes today this strange rotund fruit gives the appearance of an apple crossed
with a bell pepper before ripening when it splits and reveals a unique inner
core protruding from its cracked ma are typically three large black seeds coated
in a spongy flesh that keeps the seeds attached to the fruit this fluffy
whitish yellow interior is buttery and creamy in its texture with a mild tank
like a semi-sweet scramble day adopted by Jamaica as its national fruit the
ickey has even been used in the production of some Jamaican wines but
despite its popularity the fruit poses a danger when consumed unripened and can
induce bouts of sickness and vomiting number 3 Pattaya harvested from cacti
native to Central and South America the Pattaya or dragon fruit as it's often
called is now a favorite in Australia the Caribbean and Southeast Asia as well
grown in varieties ranging from a strongly sour and juicy texture to
mildly sweet and saturated with seeds different regions prefer different types
of Pattaya these low-calorie fruits are favorites and teas juices sports drinks
and even alcoholic beverages so next time you take a vacation to your
favorite tropical getaway be sure to order yourself a drago tini and give
this flaming red fruit a fair shot number 2
agua hey this pinecone strawberry fusion known as the
agua hey fruit in Peru comes from the marici a palm tree native to the swamps
and tropics of Central and South America this large tree has been reported to
reach as high as 115 feet the fruits that grow from these trees grow in large
hanging clusters and the shiny scales of the skin protect a sweet yellow Center
used in sweets preservatives juices and white but these aren't the only food
that come from these trees as the sap of the MER reach a tree has proven to be
sweet enough to drink fresh or preserve into wine and the buds that sprout from
its stalks are considered a vegetable in some cultures even the palm weevils that
burrow within the trunks of these topiary titans are treated as a delicacy
number one black sapote a specific type of persimmon this goopy cocoa colored
fruit echoes a thick chocolate pudding in color texture and taste hidden within
the tar-like innards of the black sapote are typically up to a dozen seeds and
it's thin green yellow skin becomes edible when ripe but this fruit
reminiscent of a hazelnut flavored papaya is completely inedible when
unripe as it tastes a bitter agitating acidity and have even been used in the
Philippines as fish poison