Though seasonal, there Malaysia fruits get be had all year round, cheapest and freshest at a pasar tani (farmer's market), pasar malam (night market), or rural roadside stalls. Malaysian fruit also features in local kuih (cakes) and desserts.
Durian, the football-sized "king of the fruits", emanates a distinct smell that evokes either love or disgust. Passionate Malaysians will travel miles for the best and spend a week's salary on one fruit. Although available all year round the prime season is from June to August. A spiked green casing encompasses a sweet, creamy yellow flesh.
Mangosteen are a traditional accompaniment to the durian, as they are believed to "neutralize" the potent, "heaty" properties of the latter. The size of a small orange, the mangosteen's thick, dark purple skin is squeezed open to reveal five to eight snowy-white segments. The flesh is both astringent and sweet but do mind the rind's staining purple juice.
Starfruit is pale yellow fruit with a waxy edible skin covering a translucent watery flesh. Eaten raw, or juiced for an acidic, slightly sweet thirst-quencher.
Pomelos are a large sweet grapefruit that the Chinese consider auspicious because it resembles an orange (kum meaning "gold"). Beneath the green rind and a thick layer of spongy pith, are the large segments which are gently prised apart. Perak has indisputably the sweetest and juiciest pomelos in Malaysia.
Jackfruit (nangka) is a large fruit that grows all year round. It is often seen on trees covered with sacks or plastic bags to keep away birds and insects. Averaging 50 by 25 cm (18 by 9 in), its thick rind is bumpy and greenish yellow. Inside are 20-30 oval seeds encased by thick sweet and fragrant flesh, with a firm, plasticky texture.
A relative is the chempedak, which is smaller, with sweeter, creamier-textured and stronger-smelling flesh. Battered and deep-fried, they make a delicious snack.
Cempedak (pronounced "chem-pe-dak") The vigorously growing, medium-sized tree can bear heavy crops of fruit once or twice a year. There are many varieties, although few are named. The sausage-shaped fruits range from 22-50 centimetres in length and 10-17 cm across. The edible arils surrounding the large seeds are yellow, orange or green in colour. The taste of the fruit is similar to the related Jackfruit. The sweet, juicy pulp surrounds the seeds in a thick layer between the husk and an inedible core. The green skin is thin and leathery, patterned with hexagons that are either flat or raised protuberances like jackfruit skin.
Ciku (pronounced "chickoo") looks like a hairless kiwi fruit. Its light brown flesh is unmistakably sweet and smooth, with a pear-like, gritty texture. Flat, black seeds are found in the centre of each fruit. Guava (jambu) comes in two varieties: a smaller, softer pink, or larger, harder white with an edible green casing. Generally, the former are sweeter and juicier, while the latter are crisp and milder-tasting. Locals eat the fruit with various condiments such as a sweet-sour plum powder.
Duku is about the size of a golf ball, and is available from August to September. Its
leathery light-brown rind is peeled off to reach the small segments of transparent tangy-sweet flesh around a hard small green seed. Langsat is a relative, but with a much thinner, lighter-colored skin. Also available is duku langsat, a hybrid.
Custard apples are not apples at all. About the size of a fist, the knobby green skin encloses black seeds wrapped by delicate sweet flesh, which is custardy smooth and fragrant.
Buah susu, literally "milk fruit"; this passion fruit comes in many delicious varieties: crisp-skinned orange from Indonesia, purple from Australia and California, and local ones with soft, velvety yellow skins. The translucent seeds are sweet and juicy.
Mangoes come in different varieties in Malaysia: small, hard and fragrant jungle types, eaten with salt or a spicy soy sauce dip; sweet, bright orange varieties dripping with juice; and pale yellow, milder-tasting ones of Thai origin.
Rambutan is an egg-shaped red fruit covered in dark thin hair and grows in bunches. A relative of the lychee, the rambutan's translucent white flesh, hugging a flat seed, is extremely succulent and sugary sweet. Open the rambutan by inserting a thumbnail into the thin rind. Rambutans are also canned.
Durian, the football-sized "king of the fruits", emanates a distinct smell that evokes either love or disgust. Passionate Malaysians will travel miles for the best and spend a week's salary on one fruit. Although available all year round the prime season is from June to August. A spiked green casing encompasses a sweet, creamy yellow flesh.Mangosteen are a traditional accompaniment to the durian, as they are believed to "neutralize" the potent, "heaty" properties of the latter. The size of a small orange, the mangosteen's thick, dark purple skin is squeezed open to reveal five to eight snowy-white segments. The flesh is both astringent and sweet but do mind the rind's staining purple juice.
Starfruit is pale yellow fruit with a waxy edible skin covering a translucent watery flesh. Eaten raw, or juiced for an acidic, slightly sweet thirst-quencher.
Pomelos are a large sweet grapefruit that the Chinese consider auspicious because it resembles an orange (kum meaning "gold"). Beneath the green rind and a thick layer of spongy pith, are the large segments which are gently prised apart. Perak has indisputably the sweetest and juiciest pomelos in Malaysia.Jackfruit (nangka) is a large fruit that grows all year round. It is often seen on trees covered with sacks or plastic bags to keep away birds and insects. Averaging 50 by 25 cm (18 by 9 in), its thick rind is bumpy and greenish yellow. Inside are 20-30 oval seeds encased by thick sweet and fragrant flesh, with a firm, plasticky texture.
A relative is the chempedak, which is smaller, with sweeter, creamier-textured and stronger-smelling flesh. Battered and deep-fried, they make a delicious snack.
Cempedak (pronounced "chem-pe-dak") The vigorously growing, medium-sized tree can bear heavy crops of fruit once or twice a year. There are many varieties, although few are named. The sausage-shaped fruits range from 22-50 centimetres in length and 10-17 cm across. The edible arils surrounding the large seeds are yellow, orange or green in colour. The taste of the fruit is similar to the related Jackfruit. The sweet, juicy pulp surrounds the seeds in a thick layer between the husk and an inedible core. The green skin is thin and leathery, patterned with hexagons that are either flat or raised protuberances like jackfruit skin.
Ciku (pronounced "chickoo") looks like a hairless kiwi fruit. Its light brown flesh is unmistakably sweet and smooth, with a pear-like, gritty texture. Flat, black seeds are found in the centre of each fruit. Guava (jambu) comes in two varieties: a smaller, softer pink, or larger, harder white with an edible green casing. Generally, the former are sweeter and juicier, while the latter are crisp and milder-tasting. Locals eat the fruit with various condiments such as a sweet-sour plum powder.Duku is about the size of a golf ball, and is available from August to September. Its
leathery light-brown rind is peeled off to reach the small segments of transparent tangy-sweet flesh around a hard small green seed. Langsat is a relative, but with a much thinner, lighter-colored skin. Also available is duku langsat, a hybrid.Custard apples are not apples at all. About the size of a fist, the knobby green skin encloses black seeds wrapped by delicate sweet flesh, which is custardy smooth and fragrant.Buah susu, literally "milk fruit"; this passion fruit comes in many delicious varieties: crisp-skinned orange from Indonesia, purple from Australia and California, and local ones with soft, velvety yellow skins. The translucent seeds are sweet and juicy.
Mangoes come in different varieties in Malaysia: small, hard and fragrant jungle types, eaten with salt or a spicy soy sauce dip; sweet, bright orange varieties dripping with juice; and pale yellow, milder-tasting ones of Thai origin.
Rambutan is an egg-shaped red fruit covered in dark thin hair and grows in bunches. A relative of the lychee, the rambutan's translucent white flesh, hugging a flat seed, is extremely succulent and sugary sweet. Open the rambutan by inserting a thumbnail into the thin rind. Rambutans are also canned.
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