Southeast Asia has some of the world’s most delicious and strangest fruits I have never seen. Here is some advice about the taste and properties of the most popular ones.

Pitaya AKA Dragon Fruit

This bright pink fruit is widely popular in all Southeast Asian countries in either the white or red version. It has a mild taste and similar texture as Kiwi with small black crunchy seeds. It is a good source of Vitamin C, Dietary fiber and Iron.

Carambola AKA Star Fruit

Carambola resembles a star for its oval shape and prominent longitudinal ridges. This crunchy and juicy fruit has a sour taste similar to pomelo or orange. It is packed full of antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C.

Durian

It is consider by the locales the “king of fruits”, the durian is distinctive by its large husk  and overpowering smell. There is no middle ground: people either love or hate durian. It contains lots of vitamin C and potassium. It is often used in ice cream, milkshakes and traditional sweets.

Salak AKA Snake Fruit

Salak or snake fruit has a sweet, tangy taste similar to pineapple. It got its name from its brownish dry scaly skin. Inside is sweeter than honey, sour and slightly acidic. It is easy to eat by peeling away the skin with your fingers. Is a powerful source of antioxidants as it contains beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium.

Langsat

These small, translucent, orb-shaped fruits are also known as duku. They are sweet with a similar taste to grapefruit, just be careful not to bite the seed as is really bitter. It is rich in vitamins A and C.

Rambutan

Rambutan looks like a hairy Lychee and is soft and crunchy with a really sweet taste. Like Duku, it can be easily peeled with the fingers, which makes it a perfect snack. It is a big boost in vitamin C and iron.

Jack fruit

Its husk looks similar to Durian and is yellow inside, with a taste similar to a mix of Mango and Orange. Unripe fruit is often used as a substitute for meat by vegetarians, the Jack fruit curry is quite popular in Asia. When ripe the fruit can be used to make custards and cakes. Jack fruit mix with banana smoothie is a must try. Is a rich source of vitamin B, C and potassium.

Soursop

Soursop´s flavour is a combination of strawberry and pineapple, with a creamy texture reminiscent of coconut or banana. This fruit contains significant amounts of vitamin C and B.

Ube

Ube is not a fruit but it is consumed in fruit salads and used to make ice cream and desserts in the Philippines. It looks like a taro root and tastes a bit like hazelnut, chocolate, and vanilla. It´s a great source of antioxidants as it contains lots of minerals, Vitamins B and C.