Vietnamese Fruits

Vietnamese fruits, one of best vietnamese food you have to taste when you visit this country. They appear all streets and market. Mother Nature gives to Vietnam an amazing weather, which people can grow any fruit from around the world. From North to South of Vietnam, each area can grow one tradition fruit. Today, we will introduce you most traditional and popular fruits in Vietnam.

Many kinds of fruits in Vietnam.

Firstly, one of most popular fruits is Green Dragon (Thanh Long). It almost is grown in Phan Thiet, Phan Rang where has a hottest weather in Vietnam. Green dragon is the name of a newly cultivated fruit. It is rather big, weighs from 200 to 500 grams, and has pink or dark-red colour. The ripe fruit looks like the kohlrabi cabbage and has an oval shape. Before 1945, green dragon fruits were not sold in southern markets. It is said that Americans brought green dragon fruits to the south. From Phan Thiet to Nha Trang or from Ninh Hoa to Buon Ma Thuot, bushes of green dragon fruits can be seen climbing to tree trunks in gardens and even on doors. Different from any other southern fruit, its harvest season is particular; fruits become available in markets in October, November, April, and May. They are more expensive in October and April, since there are smaller quantities available.

Waterapple

A bell-shaped fruit, mostly 5cm in diameter, the Waterapple is abundant in Vietnam, its neighbours in Southeast Asia as well as in the Pacific Islands. It may be named waterapple, but it does not, in any way, taste like an apple. The fruits’ color could vary from pale green to ruby red, though sweetest when at its red-most. With a few brown seeds found in its hollow core that sometimes contain a loose weave of cotton candy-like mesh, its white wooly fibrous flesh holds a thirst-relieving juice that is slightly acidic but refreshing to the taste. Its flavour is likened to that of a snow pear, but with slight hint of bitter aftertaste. When young, the waterapple could be very sour. Because of its vibrant color, the subtle sheen of its outer texture and its unique shape, it is popularly used in the country to adorn altars.

The waterapple could be eaten in a variety of ways. Most would prefer to cut the fruit in parts, but those who greatly enjoy the appeal of the bell-shape would rather eat is as whole, taking bitefuls from it. Chilled or fresh, having a taste of the waterapple is always a delightful experience. Its seeds are not edible, though, so be careful not to swallow them.

Blue dragon (Thanh Long)

Thanh Long (Blue Dragon) is the name of a newly cultivated fruit in Vietnam. The fruit weighs from 200 to 500 grams, and has pink or dark-red colour. The ripe fruit looks like the kohlrabi cabbage and has an oval shape. When ripe, the fruit peels as easily as a banana. Its pulp is white and gelatinous. The pulp contains many dark seeds, which cannot be extracted.

The flesh of Thanh Long, which is normally eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories. The fruit is generally recommended be eaten chilled to improve the flavour; it can be used to "change taste" between dishes. The season of Thanh Long is in the months of October, November, April, and May.

Star Apple (Vú Sữa)

Star apple is a fruit commonly grown in the orchards of central and southern parts of Vietnam, though the most famous ones are located in Can Tho Province in the Mekong Delta. The fruit appears round with a smooth texture that is often green or violet. But when cut open, it reveals a fragrant white flesh resembling the shape of a star, of which how it is named after. The fruit’s Vietnamese name, Vu Sua (meaning milk from the breast), is owed to the milky sweet juice contained in its flesh.

The star apple could be eaten in many ways. A simple way would be to peel the fruit with a sharp knife and take bitefuls from it, careful not to swallow its seeds. But this may cause most of its sweet-tasting juice to be wasted. Cutting up the fruit into two parts and using spoon to scoop out the pulp carefully is less messy and saves its precious juice for you to enjoy. Orchard growers eat the fruit as a whole by first squeezing it until it becomes tender and that the juice mixes up with its meat. They then drill a small hole on top of the fruit and drink the flow of mixed-up meat and sweet juice.

Fruits of Viet Nam: Longan (Long Nhãn)

Vietnam Fruits - Long Nhãn (means Dragon Eye in Vietnamese language) is abundant in many provinces in the Viet Nam. Known as a close relative to the lychee, this fruit is also tiny (about 2 cm in diameter) with a brownish brittle covering. The peel can be easily removed by hand, usually by pressing its tip with the thumb and index finger. Once a part of the shell slightly breaks, the rest can be removed with ease. Inside it is a whitish translucent pulp enclosing a glistening black hard inedible seed. With its size, you can easily pop these pulps into the mouth since some of them do not contain seeds. Apart from not edible, the seeds also has a strong bitter taste to it, therefore, should never be eaten along with the flesh. Many believe that its pulp taste similar to the lychee but somewhat sweeter and less juicy.

Fruits of Viet Nam: Durian

Vietnam Information - It is quite unusual smell makes the Durian one of the most unique fruits to ever exist. Such odour often yield mixed reactions from different people ranging from deep appreciation to pure disgust. Six times larger than the cantaloupe, its green thick, rough, thorn-covered husk looks similar to the jackfruit but its thorns are more projected and definitely sharper. A knife is needed to cut through the outer shell while extra caution is required to break open the rest of the husk to avoid hurting one’s hand from its thorns. Once open, it is noticeable how the inside is divided into cells holding a few of the cream-colored custard-like flesh in every compartment. It is from such rich flesh where the strong smell, which others find specially tempting, while others label as unpleasantly nauseous and offensive, comes from. Even with its shell intact, the odour remains overpowering and penetrating and could be detected from a distance.

Fruits of Viet Nam: Rambutan (chôm chôm)

Vietnam Information - The Rambutan, also known unofficially as Hairy Cherry, comes originally from the Malaysia peninsular, where the name Rambutan came from the Malay word 'rambut' for hair. Today, a lot of rambutan is grown in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta area. The fruit is about 3-4 cm in diameter and has soft fleshy hair over the entire surface. The peel turns from green to yellow to red as the fruit ripens. To eat: Partially cut through the skin or break open with a thumbnail and pull apart. There is a hard seed inside. Once peeled the fruit yields a flesh that is white and firm; the taste is sweet with a touch of acidity and is very refreshing. 

Fruits of Viet Nam: Mango (Xoài)

Though widely grown in the country’s Southern provinces, mangoes are most abundant between March to May, known as Vietnam’s mango season. The country grows many different varieties of this fruit, of which the Cat mango (Ben Cat mango), Tuong mango (elephant mango) and Xiem mango (Siamese mango) are the most popular. Each variety has a unique flavour, smell and taste, but all are generally sweet and tasty. In fact, the mango is branded as one of the best-tasting fruits ever. When young, the fruit could be very green and gradually turns yellow, and when at its brightest yellow, indicates its ripeness. With its succulent sweetness and invigorating smell, all the fruits’ flavour is contained in its smooth-textured flesh on both cheeks hugging a single flat and oblong pit that is usually fibrous or hairy on the surface. 

Jackfruit (Quả Mít)

Vietnam Information - Considered a delicacy by many, the Jackfruit (Quả Mít) is a native to Asia though known to originally come from India. It could have many shapes and sizes, but generally, they are oblong or pear shaped. A single jackfruit can grow up to 90 cm long and can weigh up to 44 kg. Its exterior is usually green, and gradually turns yellowish as it ripens. Around it are numerous sharp hexagonal spines similar to the Durian, yet slightly blunted on the ends. Handling the jackfruit by hand is still possible compared to durian. 

Custard Apple (Mãng Cầu)

Vietnam Information - In Vietnam, there are basically two kinds of custard apples: firm and soft. Both varieties can have various round or oval shapes. The peel is thick, green, and covered with white or green pollen. The pulp is white and contains black inedible seeds. When a custard apple is ripe, it is easy to peel. To eat: divide the fruit into pieces or peel it, use a spoon to eat the flesh, discarding the seeds and skin.

Custard apples ripen in July, but not all at the same time. Firm custard apples are densely grown in the south, mainly in Ninh Thuan and Ba Ria areas. Custard apple trees deliver fruit after three or four years of growth.

Sapodilla (Hồng Xiêm, Sa Pô Chê)

Vietnam Fruit - Originally from Central America, Sapodilla was introduced to Vietnam for a long time now. However, it was only during the recent decades that this fruit was widely planted and cultivated in the country. Two popular species of sapodilla grows in Viet Nam, the orange pulp and the other, with a white-yellowish pulp. Shaped like an egg, weighs around 100 grams and measuring 4-8 cm in diameter, this fruit resembles smooth-skinned potatoes. 
 
 Its yellowish-brown slightly granular pulp looks similar to overripe pears and has a nice peculiar smell to it. It is juicy and has an exceptionally sweet taste which could be overly sweet and juicy, malty and caramel-like when ripened too much. Since its skin and seeds are inedible, this fruit is best eaten when sliced into parts, and served fresh or chilled.

Fruits of Viet Nam: Guava (Ổi)

Vietnam Information - A native of the tropical regions in Central America, the guava was introduced to South-East Asia around the 17th century. The guava fruit could either be round or pear-shaped, with thin dark green skin that turns yellowish green as the fruit ripens. Depending on the kind, guavas can vary in size ranging from tomato-like sizes, but could grow as large as 13 cm in diameter. With a light and sweet taste, its flesh could be white or deep-pink and contains a variable number of tiny seeds in its center that could be eaten along.

Tamarind (Me)

The tamarind is a graceful stately tree commonly found in the Mekong delta and growing wild along South of Vietnam roadsides. The fruit hang in clusters peapod like legumes typically six to eight inches long. The fruit is eaten fresh, in candies, and in sauces.

The tamarind is a graceful stately tree commonly found in the Mekong delta and growing wild along South of Vietnam roadsides. The fruit hang in clusters peapod like legumes typically six to   eight inches long. The fruit is eaten fresh, in candies, and in sauces. In fact, it is one of the primary ingredients of soup (canh), as well as numerous other jerk and barbeque sauces