langkawi magazine

Nature SECTION

Fruits of Malaysia

CIKU

The Ciku fruits are produced in frequent intervals throughout the year. The fruits are round or oval, about 5 - 10cm long. Mature fruits have a dull pale to rusty brown thin skin. When ripe the flesh is yellowish to pinkish brown, soft, sweet and delicious. Unripe fruits are hard and unpleasantly astringent. Each fruit has 2- 3 seeds about 1.5 - 2 cm long which are hard, black, shiny and somewhat flattened. They are easily separated from the flesh.

COCONUT

Few people need an introduction to the coconut, which has a worldwide following due to its widespread use as a flavoring in candy, ice cream, and sauces. Fresh coconuts are available year-round in Malaysia, and coconut milk is present in a variety of culinary treats. The peak season lasts from October to December. Choose one that's heavy for its size and that sounds full of liquid when shaken; avoid those with damp "eyes."

DURIAN

"It smells like hell and tastes like heaven," is a common description of the durian, the national fruit. This large green fruit has a hard and spiny exterior containing several soft, edible segments. Because of its pungent smell, Malaysians also like to say that eating durian is "like eating ice cream in a toilet." Despite its smell, it is by far the most loved fruit in the country, and negotiations for a single fruit can easily last ten minutes. Durians are also reputed to be phenomenal aphrodisiacs.

GUAVA

Also a native of tropical America, the guava is known for its musky aroma and soft, delicious pulp. It has a thin greenish-yellow skin and a flesh of varying thickness which may be white, yellow-pink or red. It is popularly consumed in juice, ice cream, marmalade, and jam, and of course eaten raw.

JACK FRUIT

Those who have never seen a jackfruit, or Nangka, are often surprised when they see these hulking, yellow-green fruits for the first time. They can weight up to 20 Kg, and inside are many bright yellow segments. They taste lightly sweet, with a very enticing aroma.

MANGOSTEEN

This small purple-brown fruit (which is unrelated to the mango) has tasty white segments inside with a tart, sweet flavor. The cooling, juicy fruit was so loved by Britain's Queen Victoria that she offered a reward to anyone who could import fresh ones to England.

POMELO

Though it looks like a grapefruit, the pomelo's sweet taste is far closer to that of an orange. It is the largest of the citrus fruits, and has a thick rind. It is also known as jerunga.

PAPAYA

The papaya is oval with a thin, waxy skin; it is green-turning-to-yellow at maturity, when its juicy sweet yellow flesh tastes similar to a cantaloupe. The papaya's flavor peaks out when its skin is 80 percent colored. It is most commonly eaten fresh, peeled, seeded and cut into sections. It also can be added to salads, baked and served as a vegetable, made into sauce, jam, jelly, pickles, or juice.

RAMBUTAN

Though the rambutan's hair like spines can look intimidating, they are actually quite soft, and hide an incredibly sweet and succulent white fruit. The outside of the fruit is bright red, and it grows in small bunches from a tree. The name is obvious once you see a starfruit for the first time. This waxy, four-ridged fruit is one of the best thirst quenchers around, and it is available almost anywhere in Malaysia. Its flesh is watery, crunchy, and sweet.

Malaysia 2002