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Gumby
Fishnologist
Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 26,656
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Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 1
#15144919 - 09/27/11 11:31 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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The girlfriend and I decided to make a trip into Manhattan just for the hell of it last weekend. We ended up at Canal St. (for people that don't know NYC, Canal St= Chinatown) and spent several hours there. We kind of had a mission while we were there: find Rambutans and Lychees because they're in season now. I have a feeling that a lot of people here already know what both fruits are because the Shroomery has lots of fruit and veggie loving hippies, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people live in areas where they never see these things so I figured "what the hell, might as well share it."
Both fruits are weird looking, which adds to the appeal for me. I'm not even going to try to describe them because, well, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Here are some pictures
Rambutan:
Lychee:
Both come from Southeast Asia and tend to be in season in the early fall (short window of time, really).
If you can't tell from the pics, the part that you actually eat kinda looks like an eyeball. The texture is like... uhh... hmmm... kinda like a really soft, more gelatinous coconut (maybe kinda like a plum? I dunno). They are INCREDIBLY juicy, almost pure juice once you chew them up. Both have pits in the center... Don't bite into the pits, they're bitter and gross.
Their tastes are almost impossible to describe. They're similar yet distinctly different (I prefer Rambutans but hate the seed coat, more on that later). I would imagine most people will be weirded out by their first bite (I was) but as you eat more of them they grow on you. Supposedly they're really good for your health as well.
If you're looking to try them, find an Asian grocery store or market in your area. You want the Rambutans to be all red, if the spikes have a little yellow on them that's a good thing, but if the spikes are wilting or brownish at the tips avoid them. With lychees they should be mostly pink... not brown or orange. They start to go brown or orange when they are going bad and will eventually develop a fuzzy white fungus. If either have the fuzzy white fungus on them, toss them or don't buy them. They don't stay good for very long so don't let them sit around too long.
As far as storing them goes, I really think they're better off stored at room temp in open air (no bags!). Storing them in the fridge in a bag will encourage ethylene build up which makes them ripen too fast and the humidity of the fridge will encourage mold/fungal growth.
To eat them it's pretty simple, dig your thumb nail into them to break the skin and peel them like you would an orange. After that, eat up. Don't be alarmed if some sort of seed coat comes off the Rambutans. The seed coat texture of Rambutans really throws me off but I've gotten used it it. I've yet to find a way to eat them without the seed coat coming off.
So what ya'll hos think? You gonna try them? Already have them? Have any other info on them that I'm missing?
Also, let me know if the pics didn't work, I linked from Google images.
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Newbie
User of semicolons.
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Gumby]
#15145001 - 09/27/11 11:53 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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I saw them both on TV and they've been on my list since. I'm also dying to try durian. Zimmern hates it, Bourdain loves it. I must try it.
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P-O
#AnyoneButHarper
Registered: 05/13/09
Posts: 13,636
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Newbie]
#15145030 - 09/28/11 12:05 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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ive seen Lychee before, never thought to buy em.
just might now
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openmind
curious
Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,944
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Gumby]
#15145042 - 09/28/11 12:08 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've been wanting to try both of these for a while now, not sure if the local ethnic markets around here will have them but I'll take a look since you mentioned they are in season right now.
I have tried Mangosteen and Durian recently...
Mangosteen is incredibly delicious...
The Durian on the other hand was foul. I know it's a rather pungent fruit as it as and is an acquired taste. Not to mention the stuff I had was not fresh, it was frozen then thawed out, so I am most definitely willing to give it another try with a fresher specimen....The shit made my fridge stank for a week, and then every time I would open it the kitchen would end up stankin' like a Durian, it was pretty bad.
I love trying new thangs
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P-O
#AnyoneButHarper
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: openmind] 1
#15145081 - 09/28/11 12:22 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
I love trying new thangs
same
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abltsandwich
JFK = Jelly Donut
Registered: 06/16/09
Posts: 11,537
Loc: Dildoville
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Gumby]
#15145137 - 09/28/11 12:41 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Ripe lychee is good, I don't recall having eaten Rambutans by that name.
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MisterMuscaria
Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,646
Loc:
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Gumby]
#15145154 - 09/28/11 12:48 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Love rambutans and lychees. They are actually probably my favorite fruit, or one of them. I have a can of lychees in syrup downstairs and buy the juice regularly as well.
I also prefer rambutans but have been unable to find them since I was in hawaii...though lychee is commonly available in cans at the asian grocery.
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Gumby
Fishnologist
Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 26,656
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Newbie]
#15145725 - 09/28/11 06:17 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Newbie said: I saw them both on TV and they've been on my list since. I'm also dying to try durian. Zimmern hates it, Bourdain loves it. I must try it.
Durian is fucking vile. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. Tastes like month old rotten custard... smells like rotten month old custard and diarrhea. Thinking back on it I don't know how I ate it without throwing up.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,697
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: openmind]
#15145781 - 09/28/11 06:43 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
openmind said: I have tried Mangosteen and Durian recently...
I still have to try both of these
I have eaten rambutan and lychees; the latter are actually available in just about any supermarket in this country, but usually only just prior to and around Christmas.
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CosmicFool
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: koraks]
#15145812 - 09/28/11 06:58 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've never tried any of the fruits mentioned but I did know an asian girl that would eat a lot of lychee candy
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Beanhead
IS IRONIC PARADOX
Registered: 10/11/08
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: CosmicFool]
#15145831 - 09/28/11 07:10 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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lychees are my favourite fruits
so sweet so awesome
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spiral2012
dreamer
Registered: 08/19/11
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: Beanhead]
#15146057 - 09/28/11 08:36 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Had some longans in Hawaii. Fucking delicious! Similar to lychee, but better imo. Wish I could get more tropical fruits here in Cali.
-------------------- Spiral out. Keep going...
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,697
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: spiral2012]
#15146079 - 09/28/11 08:40 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Looks interesting! How do they compare to lychees in terms of flavor and texture?
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Gumby
Fishnologist
Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 26,656
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: spiral2012]
#15146082 - 09/28/11 08:41 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
spiral2012 said: Wish I could get more tropical fruits here in Cali.
I would imagine you'd be able to get way more tropical fruits than we can in the NYC area.
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spiral2012
dreamer
Registered: 08/19/11
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: koraks]
#15146172 - 09/28/11 09:01 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
koraks said: Looks interesting! How do they compare to lychees in terms of flavor and texture?
Texture is almost identical. Flavor is almost a cross between lychee and grape, without the strong perfuminess of lychee. I highly recommend if you like lychee.
-------------------- Spiral out. Keep going...
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,697
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Re: Weird fruits: Rambutans and Lychees 101 [Re: spiral2012]
#15146191 - 09/28/11 09:04 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
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Sounds great I'm going to keep an eye out for them.
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