Rambutan – Southeast Asian Fruit
If you’ve noticed a soft & spiky, deep colored, egg-shaped fruit with thick ‘hairs’, it’s not something from another planet. Chances are you’re looking at a rambutan, and it’s one of my favorite fruits.
Rambutan is a Southeast Asian fruit, and is related to the lychee and longan fruits.
What does it taste like? It’s curiously sweet with citrus notes, and sort of has a sweet-sour taste. The flesh is white and semi-translucent in color, and very juicy. On hot days they are a thirst quencher. Our kids go crazy for these, although whether it is from their appearance or flavor, I’m not sure. It’s probably a little bit of both. The flesh is surrounded by a smooth seed that’s brown in color.
How to eat them: just peel the skin – which is a little thick and leathery. The spikes on the outside are soft and hairy rather than pointy so they are easy to carry and peel.
Images below are courtesy USDA.