Bananas.
Bananas certainly will not surprise us, but in Thailand there are different. There are more than 20 different species. Thais use bananas in different dishes or prepare them separately. For example, fry or cook deep-fried.
Coconuts.
Coconuts, oddly enough, are not nuts. It is a stone fruit, which has a flesh and seed inside. White flesh is a seed, and coconut milk is an endosperm. Coconut milk contains 90% saturated fat, which is much higher than the fat content of sour cream or cream. Coconut milk has beneficial properties. It stabilizes the sugar level in diabetic patients, lowers the temperature, is an antiseptic.
In Thailand, coconut milk is a part of every second recipe. Of the coconuts themselves Thais do almost everything.
Mango.
Ripens from March to June. Some varieties of Mango grow only in Thailand, which successfully exports exotic fruit to other countries. The mango contains iron, potassium, vitamins A, B and C, organic acids and dietary fiber. Useful for anemia, beriberi reduces blood pressure, strengthens immunity. But can cause an allergic reaction.
Thais eat mango in its pure form or add it to various salads or serve it to meat.
Watermelons.
Watermelons in Thailand were brought, but today they grow on each plantation. Thais grow five kinds of watermelons, differing in taste and even color. The peculiarity of eating watermelon in Thailand is that the local residents salt it and eat it.
Papaya
Papaya in Thailand is collected year-round. It is added to salads, soups and many other dishes. Specific smell and taste for Europeans is not always understandable and pleasant. But Thais are very fond of this fruit.
Pomelo.
Analog of grapefruit. The largest citrus fruit grows throughout Southeast Asia, including Thailand. They began to grow pomelo in China, then brought to Europe, where it was not widely used.
It's almost kilogram to weigh pomelo. From grapefruit it is distinguished by sweet taste and larger grains. In Thailand, four kinds of pomelo are grown, which are exported. Khao horn is round in shape, has a white sweet flesh and a yellowish green color. Khao namphung - pomelo has the shape of a pear, the flesh is more yellow than white, the taste is juicy and sweet. Khao phuang has sourish pulp, also pear-shaped, green peel. Khao paen has a sweet, but at the same time, sourish taste of pulp, a flattened round shape, a yellowish peel. Thongdi hides inside a pink juicy pulp, has a round shape. The Thai people prefer khao horn and thongdi.
Pomelo has a tender and juicy taste. It is often served for breakfast. Thais add pomelo to different dishes. Serve with hot hot dishes to emphasize the taste of individual ingredients. Pomelo is a part of many Thai dishes. For example, a spicy yam som-o salad, sharp baked miang som-o bread crates with pomelo, boiled shrimps with pomelo som-o song khmang.
Thais like to dunk pieces of pomelo in sugar and pepper sauce and eat as a snack. Peel pomelo dried and cooked from it a delicious dried fruit.
In the West, pomelo is added to the filling for pies, fruit salads, make marmalade. Often add to sauces to fish or meat. In China, pomelo is often presented as a gift to the spirits to get a good harvest.
The rind can be used to serve a dish or to make an elegant and original vase.
Pomelo is rich in vitamins A and C. When choosing a good fruit, pay attention to a smooth and strong peel, but at the same time, when pressing it, it should be soft. Fresh pomelo can be stored in the room. The cleared fruit is a few days in the fridge. The most "season" for pomelo is in August - November.
Rambutan.
Small fruits of the tropical tree from the family of sapindovyh are round nuts, red or yellow, having long elastic hairs up to 5 cm in length. Inside is a white gelatinous flesh around the bone, which to taste resembles an acorn. In rambutane contains vitamin C, calcium, iron, carbohydrates, protein, phosphorus.
Thais eating as fresh rambutan, and in a canned kind. Add to fruit salads. This exotic fruit is very popular in Southeast Asia. It is also exported to other countries. Fruits are stored no more than a week in the refrigerator.
Rambutan should be able to properly eat. It is necessary to cut the peel, remove half, and leave the second as a holder. It is important not to spoil the taste of fruit by biting off the bone.
This is only a small part of Thai exotic fruits. I'll tell you about the others next time.