Fuzzy Red Alien Fruit!

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  Rambutan, the spikey red cousin to the lychee. I have seen them in food magazines, on TV and the Internet all my adult life. I'm not much of a tropical fruit fan, but when I saw these in the store last week I couldn't resist giving them a try. (And there was a $2 off coupon, all the better!) Like its relatives, rambutan is native to Southeast Asia. The name comes from the Malay word rambut which means 'hair' due to the fuzzy bits. 



 The spikey bits are soft, not pokey like I expected. Various Internet sources said the rind could be peeled with fingernails, but mine weren't up to the task. I used a paring knife and cut through it, then gave the fruit a twist and one end popped right off. 

 The fruit is a translucent white and smelled a little floral when I first opened it. Inside is a single white seed that I nibbled around. 

 The taste is sweet with a slight tart finish. The flesh was juicy but not drippy. It is traditionally eaten fresh or canned and made into jams and jellies due to the short shelf life. Not sure what I'm going to do with the rest of the bag, I know my husband wants to try some in a fruit smoothie. If you find some available, I would definitely recommend giving them a try.  





 





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