Eight Exotic Fruits Your Senses Have Never Heard Of
While you eat healthy, you might not eat exotically. Maybe it’s time to expand those horizons of yours and eat fruits that dazzle with colors of the sunset? Oh, you’re in? Terrific! Here are some interesting fruits that will intrigue you and make one heck of an addition to your meal.
Cherimoya
Reminiscent of an object from an impressionist painting, this fruit boasts the nickname of “custard apple.” It sports insane flavor and a score of fiber, calcium, and Vitamin C.
Found in: Chile, United States
Tastes like: Strawberry, mango, pineapple, and pear combined
Kiwano (Horned Melon)
This bonkers fruit-weapon has a jellyfish-like interior, bopping with seeds. Chill it for maximum flavor and use with sorbets, syrups, and ice cream to blow away your friends with your cultured sweet tooth.
Found in: Africa, United States
Tastes like: Like somebody blended a zucchini, cucumber, and kiwi.
Kaffir Lime
The kaffir lime’s skin is truly something to behold: rough, bumpy, something that resembles a brain. The fruit itself is normally served pickled, while its leaves are a key ingredient to curries and soups and is essential to Thai cooking.
Found in: Tropical Asia
Tastes like: A stronger, more fragrant version of the common lime
Pandanus Fruit
This thing kind of looks like nature’s dirty bomb that comes apart like a puzzle. Its leaves are often used to wrap meat and fish when island locals cook them. It’s also turned into an edible paste that’s spread like butter.
Found in: Mostly tropical coastlines of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans
Tastes like: Slight coconut sweetness with citrusy notes
Pepino Melon
Although “pepino” is the Spanish word for cucumber, which is fair, this melon’s width is more like someone forced a cucumber and pear to mate. Every bite practically saves your life with Vitamins A, C, and K.
Found in: South America
Tastes like: The love child of honeydew and cucumber
Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)
Pitaya definitely earned its more commonly known nickname by looking like a dragon’s cartoon heart (all pink with wild stretches of green). Though the inside looks like cookies ‘n cream with its seeds, this cactus fruit makes for a great beverage flavor, notably juice, wine, and tea.
Found in: Mexico, Southeast Asia, Northern Australia, Southern China, and many more places
Tastes like: Subdued sweetness, a subtle version of Kiwi flavor
Rambutan
Straight-up looking like some kind of sea urchin that tough characters eat in a fantasy or sci-fi flick, these fruits get diced up for desserts, bopping on your tastebuds like the offspring of a strawberry and muscat grape.
Found in: Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, United States
Taste like: Grape-like, a good kind of sweet and sour
Tomatillo (Tree Tomato)
While perhaps not instantly recognizable, it’s not far off from the baby tomatoes you’re familiar with. They feel like paper husks and they kill it with peppers, making it a key ingredient in salsas, sauces, and salads or sandwiches.
Found in: South America and New Zealand
Tastes like: The brighter, more citrusy version of the green tomato