Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
I spent 2 years living in Malaysia - here are 14 of my favorite fruits Americans probably wouldn't recognize
I spent 2 years living in Malaysia - here are 14 of my favorite fruits Americans probably wouldn't recognize
Mark AbadiJul 21, 2018, 20:00 IST
Advertisement
Southeast Asia is home to several fruits that most Americans probably haven't heard of.
They include the durian - the pungent "king of the fruits" - and the unusual-looking rambutan.
I compiled 14 of the most bizarre fruits that I tried during my two-year stay in Malaysia.
Trying new foods is one of the best parts of visiting Southeast Asia.
In the two years I lived in Malaysia, I came across dozens of fruits I had never even heard of in the United States, let alone tasted. Some of the most notable were durian - the so-called "king of the fruits" whose smell is so strong it's banned from hotels - and rambutan, nature's answer to the Koosh ball.
Nothing can compare to tasting these exotic fruits for the first time, but after one bite it's clear to see why they are so beloved throughout the region.
Here are 14 fruits from Southeast Asia that the average American didn't know existed.
Durian has an incredibly pungent taste and smell that many outsiders can't tolerate. Anthony Bourdain once said of durian, "your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother." The fruit is banned in many Malaysian hotels.
Speaking of forbidden fruits, the mangosteen is another popular one.
It has a tough purple husk and soft, juicy flesh inside. It doesn't stink like durian, but it's banned in many buildings because the rind leaves a purple stain on anything it comes in contact with.
The rambutan, covered in soft bristles, looks like it comes from another planet.
Dragon fruit is notable for its psychedelic appearance. Its texture is reminiscent of kiwi, and its taste is mildly sweet. The pink version is often used to give color to smoothies and other drinks.
The inside of a jackfruit contains dozens of pods of thick, chewy flesh — it's sometimes used as a meat substitute in cooking. The taste is something like a banana and pineapple.
Another gargantuan fruit from Malaysia is the cempedak — pronounced with a "ch" sound. The pods inside a cempedak are a lot harder to reach than those of a jackfruit.