 |
Thailand Travel Assistant |
|
|
|
 |
Tropical Thai Fruits
|
 |
Mango
(Ma-Muang)
Thailand grows more than a dozen
varieties of mango, the variety determining the way in which it is eaten.
Some, particularly the light yellow and slightly darker types, are
traditionally served at the peak of ripeness, accompanied by sticky rice
and coconut milk. Others are more often eaten as a condiment or in salads
when the skin is still dark green and the flesh white. Some mangos can be
pickled.
|
 |
Mangosteen (Mang
Khut)
Grown in Southern Thailnad, this
delicious fruit has a thick, dark red skin, and creamy white segments
inside with a sweet, slightly tart
flavour.
|
 |
Papaya
(Ma-La-Gor)
A long yellow or orange coloured fruit
which is well established in Thai cooking. It is probably most frequently
used in a spicy salad - som tam - where it is sliced and ground with dried
shrimp, garlic and hot chillies. The ripe fruit is also eaten fresh with a
few drops of lime juice.
|
 |
Pineapple
(Sapparot)
The pineapple is grown particularly
along the coast of Thailand and the Kingdom now ranks as one of the
world's leading exporters of canned pineapple. It can either be eaten
fresh, or used as an ingredient in cooking such as in a spicy soup called
kaeng khua sapparot.
|
 |
Pomelo
(Som-O)
The Thai version of the grapefruit,
although slightly larger and with a sweet taste. There are a number of
varieties, each with different coloured flesh ranging from pale yellow and
orange to red.
|
 |
Rambutan
(Ngor)
An attractive fruit with a bright red
skin covered in green tipped hairs, the rambutan is a delicious, white
fleshy fruit. Thai rambutans are particularly noted for their
sweetness.
|
 |
Rose Apple
(Chomphu)
The rose apple is bell shaped,
with a glossy, edible skin that can be either green or pink. It is crisp
and slightly acidy in
taste.
|
 |
Sapodilla
(La-Mut)
Similar in shape to a small mango, the
sapodilla is eaten when ripe by removing the peel and slicing the reddish
brown flesh.
|
 |
Banana
(Kluay)
About twenty different varieties grow in
Thailand. It is a versatile fruit, used in various forms. They can be
eaten raw when young and green as a vegetable with a spicy sauce; others,
still un-ripe are sliced, dried in the sun and fried for a snack. They are
also grilled and soaked with syrup; boiled in coconut milk with salt and
sugar; boiled in syrup; smoked in their skins or turned into golden
fritters.
|
 |
Coconut
(Ma-Phraw)
Available throughout the year, coconuts
appear in almost every Thai dish. The milk is a prominent ingredient is
soups and curries, where the sliced or grated flesh also features. It is
even more frequently used in desserts either as a custard, or as a candy,
as crispy strips cooked in brown syrup and countless other
confections.
|
 |
Durian (Thurian)
The
legendary durian is renowned for its distinctive aroma. The durian is
regarded as the king of fruits, a rare and expensive delicacy. Of the
large fruit it is the creamy golden flesh within the spiny exterior which
is eaten. Thai durians are noted for their subtle flavour and smooth
texture.
|
 |
Guava
(Farang)
One of the most popular snacks, guava can
be eaten when ripe or still green, often dipped in salt and sugar. There
are two varieties, the usual white flesh type or one with bright red flesh
when peeled.
|
 |
Jackfruit
(Khanun)
Looking like a large melon, this fruit has
a grey skin and has a great number of pips or kernels which can be the
size of a pigeon egg and when roasted are like chestnuts. The fruit has a
strong smell, but is yellow and succulent with a sweet taste. It can be
eaten fresh, with ice cream or mixed with other fruits and coconut milk.
The cooked seeds are also found in many
dishes.
|
 |
Jujube
(Putsa)
This is a small, round sweet fruit which
can be eaten fresh, processed for fruit juice or
dried.
|
 |
Litchi
(Lin-Chi)
Another fruit which comes in various
forms. Litchi are eaten peeled and seeded, with the flesh having a sweet
taste with a hint of tartness. The skin can vary from being pinkish in
colour to dark red.
|
 |
Longan
(Lam-Yai)
A small brown fruit, grown in the North,
the crisp skin is removed to reveal a white flesh with a texture and
sweetness similar to a litchi. It is most often eaten
fresh.
|
 |
Sugar Apple
(Noi-Na)
Also known as a custard apple, it is a
heart shaped fruit with a lumpy green skin covering masses of sweet
scented white flesh. In most cases the fruit can be divided into two and
the creamy flesh eaten with a spoon. Alternatively it is used as a base
for ice cream.
|
 |
Watermelon (Taeng
Mo)
Grown in most areas of Thailand, the watermelon
is sweet and refreshing, often eaten dipped in salt. The juice is often
used as a beverage.
|
|
|
