5 Weird but Great Thai Fruits

Thailand’s national fruit, mangosteen, has a thick and hard rind concealing an edible, white-coloured endocarp. It has a subtle, almost sherbet-like taste. Interestingly enough, the endocarp's fleshy segments correspond to the number of tiny tabs seen on the bottom of the fruit. You can easily open a mangosteen with your hands, but be careful as the juice from peels can form a rather indelible stain.

Rambutan’s name comes rambut, which is the Malay word for 'hair'. The reason is pretty obvious – its red or yellow rind is covered with hair-like spikes. 

Once you look past this weird exterior and open the fruit, you'll find a white, translucent flesh with a seed at its heart. Rambutan flesh looks almost identical to lychee, but it has a grape-like flavour – mostly sweet and creamy, with a slightly sourish edge.

Originally from Central America, the custard apple looks like an overgrown and bloated green raspberry. You can easily break this fruit into halves with your hands. While it's best eaten fresh with a spoon, custard apple is often mixed with coconut milk and enjoyed as ice cream. Custard apples are valued both for their great taste and fabled medicinal qualities. It's also known as sugar apple or bull’s heart. 

Durian is known as the ‘king of fruits’ in Southeast Asia. While it looks more like a medieval mace than a tasty treat, this fruit is very popular with Thais. Expatriates and tourists tend to be starkly divided between those who adore its flavour and those who abhor its smell. Those who love durian think that it tastes like cream cheese, onion sauce and sherry,  while others likened it to decomposing flesh.

Due to its pungent smell, you're not allowed to bring durian into most hotels, taxis, minivans and buses. There's no cholesterol in its pale yellow flesh, but it does contain high amounts of natural sugars, which may have contributed to the myth that you can’t pair durian with alcohol.

If you open this pinkish-purple, hostile-looking little fruit, you’ll see that its white creamy inner flesh has a polka-dot pattern of black seeds. Dragon fruits (or pitaya) are rated as effective laxatives, so avoid eating too many in one go. This tropical fruit is also excellent as smoothies, with seeds adding an interesting texture for good measure.