I spent 2 years living in Malaysia - here are 14 of my favorite fruits Americans probably wouldn't recognize
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Jul 21, 2018, 20:07 IST
The quintessential Southeast Asian fruit is the durian. Malaysians call it the 'king of the fruits' and it's a source of national pride.
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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.
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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.
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The rambutan, covered in soft bristles, looks like it comes from another planet.
'Rambutan' comes from the Malay word for 'hair.' On the inside is a pleasantly sweet fruit that tastes somewhat like a red grape.
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Salak is sometimes called "snakefruit" in English because of its scaly exterior.
The flesh isn't juicy like the other fruits — it's much dryer. It tastes sweet and slightly acidic, like a citrus fruit.
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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.
Langsat is another popular fruit in Malaysia.
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Peel back the thin skin and you'll find a translucent, juicy orb inside with a sweet and sour taste.
Jackfruit looks like a durian from afar, only much bigger — imagine two watermelons side by side. There's no putrid smell with this fruit, either.
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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.
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The flesh is also much more mushy and custardy than a jackfruit, although the appearance is similar.
Pulasan has a tough exterior, but it's easy to break open.
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On the inside is a juicy sphere that has a complex flavor that's fragrant, sweet, and slightly tangy.
Mata kucing is Malay for "cat's eye" — no surprise why once you open one.
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Asian pears are crisp and fragrant, and have the texture of an apple.
Lychee is an Asian fruit many Americans may be familiar with. It's common for Malaysians to put lychee in their iced tea.
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The jambu air, or water apple, has a crisp, watery texture.
And the taste of a soursop might catch you off guard — it's thick, somewhat creamy, and a mixture of sweet, sour, and musky.