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| Fruits in Thailand |
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Thai-grown tropical fruits are
becoming legendary the world over. Their heady fragrances, ripe colours
and succulent flavors have rightfully contributed to the country's
burgeoning reputation as one of the world's major culinary
hubs.
The Hot Tropical Climate
and abundant rainfall in Thailand are ideal for growing a huge variety of
fruit which, for range and quality, are among the most diverse and
delicious to be found anywhere.
Some Thai fruits are incredibly sweet
and juicy. While the taste of other may, at first, seem strange and exotic
to visitors, they add a delightful extra dimension to the found in this
magical country.
Fresh fruit is popular with Thais as
an anytime snack and is eaten as dessert at most meals. It may be served
raw, freshly sliced, in salads, or cooked in many different ways The
carving of fruit is also a tradition art form, often forming a major
decorative element in buffet presentations.
Some fruits are seasonal in Thailand,
but there is always a wide choice available, so the visitor is assured of
ample opportunity to enjoy a mouth-watering
variety. |
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Banana (Kluey)
Many varieties of banana are grown in
Thailand, but the most popular for dessert are kluey hom or kluey kai.
Other popular ways of eating bananas are deep-fried in a light coating of
batter to make fritters, or as banana cake.
Season: All
year |
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Coconut (Ma-phrao)
Widely available in several varieties. Coconut
milk is a refreshing drink and the soft white flesh of the young fruit is
delightful as a snack. Coconut flesh and milk is also widely used in Thai
cooking.
Season: All
year |
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Custard Apple (Noi-na)
With its distinctive knobbly outer skin, this
delicious fruit is pulled apart by hand to reach the soft, sweet pulp
inside. The black seeds are discarded.
Season: May to August |
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Durian (Toorian)
The most charismatic, and known to Asian
people as the 'King of Fruits', the durian is about the size of a melon,
and covered with hard spikes. Colour ranges from green to yellow. The
yellow segmented flesh inside has the consistency of custard and a
distinctive taste, with a pungent smell that people either love or
hate.
Season: Best from May to
July |
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Green Plum (Put-sar)
Also called crab apple, or jujube, this
yellowish-green plum has a crisp texture and a sharp taste.
Season: October to
February |
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Guava (Farang)
This fruit bears the same name as that used to
describe a non-Asian person in Thailand. Hard as an unripe apple, with a
somewhat tart taste, the guava is best eaten with pinch of salt and
sugar.
Season: All
year |
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Jackfruit (Ka-noon)
Huge and sticky, the jack-fruit has concealed
within it hundreds of fleshy pieces with a distinctive, sweet taste,.
Extracting the segments is always left to the vendor, as it is such a
tedious job.
Season: All
year |
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Lychee (Lin-chee)
Highly regarded by Thais, lychees are grown in
abundance in the North, but for only a brief period. Small and round, with
a hard seed inside, they are easily peeled by hand and are really
juicy.
Season: April to
June |
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Mango (Ma-muang)
One of the most popular Thai fruits, with many
varieties to be found, mostly yellow and soft to the touch when ripe.
Slice open lengthwise, remove the large seed, then scoop out the delicious
juicy flesh with a spoon. It is also eaten unripe, in
salads.
Season: February to
May |
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Mangosteen (Mangkut)
The hard purple shell conceals a soft pulpy
flesh surrounding large seeds. A popular fruit with visitors as well as
Thais for its sweet juiciness.
Season: March to
November |
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Marina Plum (Ma-prang)
Peel off its golden yellow skin and a firm,
sweet fruit is exposed inside, with a dark seed. Marina plums are often
carved because of their firm texture.
Season: March to
September |
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Orange (Som kee-o warn)
Sweeter than those usually found in the West,
the Thai orange is hugely popular and is eaten as a between-meals snack,
as dessert, or squeezed for the juice. Best enjoyed with pinch of
salt.
Season: All
year |
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Papaya (Malakor)
When ripe, the papaya turns and orange colour
with streaks of red. The flesh inside is sweet, juicy and full of
vitamins. Unripe papaya is used to make a popular spicy salad known as
som-tam.
Season: All
year |
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Pineapple (Saparot)
Sweet and juicier than those grown in other
countries, the Thai pineapple is reckoned to be the best of them all. The
southern variety is smaller, but even tastier. A Pinch of salt enhances
the flavour.
Season: All
year |
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Pomelo (Som-oh)
Similar in appearance to the grapefruit,
though generally rather larger, the pomelo is much sweeter and may need a
touch of salt to bring out the best taste.
Season: All
year |
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Rambutan (Ngo)
Pink and hairy in appearance, the rambutan's
skin can be squeezed open by hand or cut with a knife. Inside is a juicy,
pale-coloured fruit and a large seed. Cheap and plentiful while in
season.
Season: May to
October |
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Rose Apple (Chom-poo)
Shaped like a small, pale green bell, the rose
apple has a firm and crunchy inside, similar to a melon, but not so juicy.
Several varieties are Available, with most having a rather sharp
taste. |
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Sapodilla (Lumut)
Sweet, but somewhat pungent in taste, the
sapodilla is most usually eaten with other fruits as a cocktail. Avoid the
hard brown seeds inside. |
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Strawberry
Not native to Thailand, but now grown widely
in northern regions, where the kind climate produces generous crops.
Similar in taste and taxture to western
varieties. |
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Tangerine (Som)
The Thai tangerine is small-er and has a
thinner peel than its western counter-part. It is sweet and delicious and
full of vitamins. Squeezed, the juice makes an excellent
drink. |
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Watermelon (Theng-moh)
Big and succulent, Thai watermelons are
usually eaten after a spicy dinner, when their delicate taste helps to
quench the hot chillies of Thai food. Another type of melon, cantaloupe,
is also now widely available. This is smaller and yellow or white inside
Both are ideal for decorative carving. |
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Zalacca (Ra-gam)
The zalacca has a thin red-orange skin over a
sweet, but tart fruit inside An acquired taste. |
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Information that help you plan your trips to Thailand
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