We love rare and exotic foods. Discovering new foods is one of the best things ever! We just learned about these 14 super rare fruits and wanted to share all of our new knowledge with you. Get ready to learn all about some of the rarest fruits in the world and hopefully, if you are lucky, you can find some for sale near you to try!
Black Sapote
You might not think that a black fruit would taste good. We usually think of the color black as being related to mold. However, when the sapote is a deep brownish black in the center, that means it is ripe and ready to eat.
The black sapote is from the tropical regions and Central America. It has a creamy, pudding like texture and a sweet chocolatey taste. Sounds like a fruit we want to try!
Kiwano Melon
The kiwano melon is found in Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. It has a lime green pulp that looks a little bit slimy. However, you can get past that slippery texture when you taste the sweet fruit. The Kiwano melon, also called a horned melon, tastes similar to a kiwi and a zucchini combined. It has tons of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals so you should definitely give it a try!
Mangosteen
You have probably heard of mango but have you ever heard of mangosteen? Mangosteen is native to Asia and it is hard to find in the United States. There was actually a ban on the fruit in the past but has since been lifted.
The citrus like fruit tastes similar to an orange but has a white, spongy flesh. Keep your eye out for the elusive mangosteen and give it a try when you can. It sure is interesting!
Lychee
Lychee has become more and more popular over the years but it is typically found dried. It is very hard to find fresh lychee unless you live in China where it grows. The small berry like fruit is pink on the outside and white inside. You need to peel off the rind in order to get to the juicy, floral tasting fruit inside.
Buddha's Hand
This weird looking fruit grows mostly in Asian countries. It has long, fingerlike tentacles that make it literally look like a hand. It is probably the weirdest-looking fruit you will ever see. The Buddah’s hand is typically used in savory dishes, adding a lemon and lime flavor to pastas and salads.
Jabuticaba
What a weird fruit this one is! The black one inch balls grow on the bark and branches of the jabuticaba tree, making it look almost like the tree is diseased. But it’s not! That is just the fruit growing off the tree.
The dark berries are very rare outside of Brazil. They have a very short shelf life which makes them challenging to import. You’ll have to travel to Brazil if you want to try this sweet and tart fruit!
Rambutan
Rambutan looks almost like a sea urchin. It has a pink skin with weird little spikes coming out in all directions. Peel back the skin and you will find a sweet, floral flesh that you can pop right into your mouth. Rambutan is typically eaten fresh and may be very hard to find outside of Asia and Australia.
Jackfruit
Not only is the jackfruit one of the rarest fruits in the world but it is also one of the biggest. Jack fruits are huge, reaching up to 2 feet in length and 40 pounds in weight! Lots of people actually use the jackfruit as a meat replacement. You can make a delicious BBQ jackfruit sandwich if you are able to find this obscure fruit. But you may be in luck because jackfruit is actually becoming more and more popular in the US.
Snake Fruit
This rare fruit got its name thanks to its snake-like skin. That peel literally looks like snake skin! However, peel back that skin and you will find a pure white flesh that is very sweet and delicious. Snake fruit, also called Salak, is very popular in Southeast Asia but pretty rare everywhere else in the world.
Australian Fingerlime
These long, skinny limes are most well-known in Australia, hence the name. They are skinny and full of little pearls of lime juice inside. The juicy beads look similar to caviar but taste like a very pungent, floral lime. If you ever see a fingerlime, get it! You will be happy you did.
Gac Fruit
This little melon like fruit can be found in Asia and Vietnam. The oily red flesh has a moderately sweet taste that many people compare to a cucumber. The skin of the gac fruit is inedible and can be hard to remove. While the fruit may taste good, the fact that it is so hard to get to the tasty part may be part of the reason why this fruit is not that popular just yet.
Durian
The only reason why people know about durian is because it smells so bad. It may just be the stinkiest fruit in the world in addition to being rare. Durian is native to Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Cut into the fruit and you will smell gym socks, rotten eggs, and manure. If you are daring enough to take a bite, you will taste almonds and custard. If you are able to find a durian, would you try it?!
Pomelo
Pomelo look like giant grapefruits and they are part of the citrus family. Pomelo are native to China and have a similar taste to a grapefruit but without the bitterness. They are actually sweeter than a grapefruit which makes them pretty desirable. However, they can be hard to find since people seem to just stick to the classic, real grapefruit and skip the pomelo completely.
Feijoa
Feijoa are grown in Australia and they typically stay in Australia. No one outside of the country seems to know what a feijoa even is! The small egg-shaped fruit looks like a kiwi but tastes more like a guava and a pineapple combined. It has edible seeds and a white, pulpy center. It is one tasty little fruit that you will go crazy for if you can ever find it!
This article was originally published at Spatula Desserts.
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