Asia are used to make juice or desserts such as mousse, ice-cream and jelly.
The slightly bumpy thin skin of this irregularly shaped fruit is green even when the fruit ripens. They are large, weighing in excess of 3 kg (7 lbs). Inside, the flesh is white and pulpy, full of shiny black seeds, with a central pithy core running its length. The soursop bruises easily when fully ripe, so buy it while still firm and wait until it yields slightly to gentle pressure. Then, eat it immediately.
The flavour of the soursop is somewhat acidic, but this is easily counteracted by adding sugar. It is refreshing, with a faint fragrance and an elusive but irresistible flavour. Soursop derives its name from the Dutch zuur zak or sour sack. Sop is an English word meaning something which soaks up liquid; as the flesh of the soursop is certainly saturated with juice, the name is not inappropriate.
Durian
Durio zibethinus
Botanical Family: Bombacaceae
Thai name: Thurian
Malay name: Durian
Indonesian name: Durian
Filipino name: Durian
The durian, Southeast Asia's most highly prized fruit, is also its most controversial because of the overpowering odour. It is the only fruit banned from airline cabins, hotels and some public transport.
Native to Southeast Asia, the fruit of the very tall durian tree is roughly the size and shape of a spiky football. Inside the tough skin are five white segments enclosing two or three portions of soft cream-coloured flesh, each wrapped around a single large beige seed. Both the flesh and the seed (after boiling) are edible.
The durian is surrounded by folklore. It is reputed to be an aphrodisiac (there's a Malay saying that when the durians are down, the sarongs are up). It is also claimed to be dangerous to drink alcohol when consuming durians. The Chinese believe the durian is very "heaty" to the body (but this doesn't stop them consuming vast numbers of them just like everyone else!).
The famous 19th-century naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, described the durian thus: "It is like a buttery custard flavoured with almonds, intermingled with wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry, and other incongruities.... It is neither acid, nor sweet, nor juicy, yet one feels the want of none of these qualities for it is perfect as it is."
Durians should be eaten within hours of their falling or being harvested, and fruits which have split open should be avoided as the flesh deteriorates quickly when exposed to the air. Roadside stalls spring up near durian orchards or in special markets in towns during the season. Most durian lovers cannot wait to take the fruit home and ask the vendor to open it (usually with the aid of a pair of gloves and a strong knife) so they can devour it immediately.
Today's durians are almost all hybrids and each has its special characteristics. Durian is best consumed fresh, although inferior quality or over-ripe fruit is also cooked to make sweetmeats such as dodol or made into jam.
Pineapple
Ananas comosus
Botanical Family: Bromeliaceae
Thai name: Sappa-rot
Malay name: Nanas
Indonesian name: Nanas
Filipino name: piña
The pineapple, native to South America, is cultivated throughout tropical Asia. The name comes from the Spanish word for pine cone (piña), which the fruit vaguely resembles with its scaly skin. Ripe pineapples have a juicy sweet flesh with just a hint of acidity to make them even more refreshing. Pineapple is not only good raw or cooked in savoury dishes, it also makes good pickles, chutney and jam, as well as delicious juice.
Several types of pineapple are found in the region. Some are grown only for ornamental use, their decorative leaves making them a popular pot plant. Small varieties that tend to be somewhat acid, or unripe fruits, are used as a vegetable or in sour fruit salads—and also made into pineapple curry. Freshly peeled and sliced ripe pineapple is found everywhere in the region. If buying a whole fruit, check that it is ripe by smelling to see if it is fragrant and try to tear one of the leaves sprouting from the top. If it comes away easily, the fruit is ready to eat.
Papaya
Carica papaya
Botanical Family: Caricaceae
Thai name: Ma-la-kaw
Malay name: Betik
Indonesian name: Papaya
Filipino name: Papaya
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