Vietnamese fruits may become among the first touches of exoticism that bring variety of color and tastes into the kitchen when it comes to the tropical fruits and the Vietnamese foods. fruit in Vietnamese translation means “Hoa Qua” and here we are trying to let you understand and familiarize you with the Vietnamese tropical fruits that you may try when traveling to Vietnam, some of the fruits tastes sweet while others with no taste.
Vietnamese Star apple is mainly cultivated in the fruit orchards of Central and South Vietnam, with Can Tho enjoying a particularly good reputation in the Mekong Delta. The fruit is round with pleasant surface and green or violet color. But when they are cut open, they reveal fragrant white pulp, which appears star-shaped, hence star-apple. The Vietnamese name refers to the milky-sweet juice.
Vietnamese Star apple can be eaten in a variety of ways. The Vietnamese apple tree is different in shape and shape as well. Cutting and biting is the easiest way for many, but you have to be careful with the cores. But then you lose the good juice. Therefore it is advisable to halve the fruit and then spoon it. On fruit orchards, the fruits are pressed and pressed together, so that the liquid is mixed with the meat. Then you can make a hole in the hull and drink the fruit.
The pomelo (Chinese grapefruit) belongs to the citrus fruits and is native to South-East Asia. As the largest fruit of her family, she appears like a huge grapefruit, but has a sweeter taste and is less bitter. The dish can be removed with a knife, after which you can eat it by hand. However, one has to remove the spongy white binding substance, since this does not taste, if one wants to come to the sweet liquid of the meat.
In Vietnam there are some variants of the Pomelo, which are mostly named after the region in which they grow. In the north there is the Doan Hung Pomelo, which grows in the Phu Tho province, while Central Vietnam prefers the Phuc Trach Pomelo from the Ha Thing province and the south propagates the Tan Trieu Pomelo from the province of Bien Hoa. Each has its unique qualities, The Phuc Trach has a particularly sweet taste, which originates from the glucose and cools the body and relaxes the mind. The Thanh Tra turn is less sweet, but much sour, while the Buoi Duong is incredibly sweet.
The Vietnamese fruit Rambutan is unofficially known as “hairy cherry,” as it is as soft, but has hair-like forts that obscure the green or yellow color, which becomes red when the fruit ripens. The name originates from the Malaysian, where ‘rambut’ means ‘hair’ and is home to. Since import, the plant has been highly cultivated and grows throughout the Mekong Delta. The fruits are 3-4cm in size, and under their head of hair they contain white translucent pulp, which is solid and sweet and surrounds a hard core. With a touch of acidity, the taste is a little like that of grapes.
The trees can be 20m high and have a broad canopy and many branches. They carry fruit from May to October and grow in large groups and are a real feast for the eyes when the fruits hang on them. The village of Binh Hoa Phuoc in the Province, Vinh Long is considered the best cultivation area.
Thanh Long (Green Dragon) is a recently cultivated fruit in Vietnam. It weighs between 200 and 500 grams and has a pink to dark red skin. The ripe fruit has the shape of a kohlrabi head and is oval. Ripe it is as easy to peel as a banana. Its pulp is white and gelatine-like and is traversed by dark seeds which can not be removed.
The flesh of the Dragon Fruit is raw, is slightly sweet and low in calories. Usually, it is eaten cool to best produce the taste. It is suitable to neutralize the taste between different courses. It is harvested in October, November, April and May. Learn more about Dragon Fruit
Water apple is a bell-shaped fruit usually measures around 5cm and is indispensable neither in South-East Asia, nor in the Pacific islands. Even if it is called apple-apple, it has nothing in common with apples. The color ranges from pale green to ruby red when it is the sweetest. With a few brown seeds in the hollow core it has woolly white fruit pulp, which contains a thirst-quenching juice, which tastes slightly sour but refreshing. The taste is similar to a snow pear but is a bit bitter. Young water apple is very sour. Because of the intense color, it is a popular sacrifice for altars.
Water apple can be consumed in various ways. Usually it is cut open, but because of the form it is usually eaten in the whole and directly bitten off. Spiced or fresh – water apple tastes wonderful. The seeds are not edible, so you have to be careful.
Although the Guava was originally from Central America, it was already introduced in South-East Asia in the 17th century. It is round or drop-shaped and has a thin, dark green skin, which becomes yellowish-green when you approach the fruit. Depending on the variety, their diameter ranges from that of a tomato to 13cm. The light, sweet meat is white or deep-pink and contains a series of small kernels inside which can be eaten.
The fruit can be cut open, even if some people think they have to eat them as a whole by biting pieces. In Vietnam, guavas are also very popular, which have not yet matured (Ổi sống), then they are eaten with fish sauce (nuoc mam), chili, salt and sugar. Also chopped guava is often dipped in salt or red chilli. However, the “Ổi Xá Lị” is most notorious in the Mekong Delta.
Since the Vietnamese climate corresponds to the native of this plant, mango trees are cultivated in South-East Asia. As a tropical fruit it can hardly be grown in European areas. Instead, Purple mangosteen
are mostly imported into cans or frozen, making them a real exotic fruit.
The trees need 8-15 years to bear fruit, which makes the cultivation more difficult because you have to plan far-sighted. The bark of the fruit is dark orange with a yellowish margin. You break the skin about in the middle and then remove it. Inside there are wonderfully arranged soft fruit segments. The larger ones contain seeds. These segments are easy to remove and eat well. The meat is sweet, but also slightly sour with an aftertaste like grapes or strawberries.
The season goes from May to August, in which three varieties of fruit are cultivated and harvested, one of which is the Purple mangosteen. Of course, each variant has its own special qualities. It is traded as one of the top 5 fruits in the world.
A tree spread in Hanoi carries a simple, but native and foreign favorite fruit. It is called Quấ Sấu, is sour and is used in cooking soups and making beverages. The mixture with jasmine water is a popular drink among the locals. Especially in the summer you get it everywhere. Quấ sấu can be eaten fresh with fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) with sugar and chili. Then it tastes great to every dish. Some like it cold in a drink with sugar. Specialties in Hanoi are ô mai sấu, salted or sugared Quấ Sấu.
People are constantly seeing this fruit when it is green or ripe. The green ones are more popular as an ingredient for soups and drinks. An acid base soup can be created by boiling water spinach and adding some green Quấ Sấu. Then the whole is refined with onions, spices and pork or fish. Tamarind is also very popular here, as it combines with green Quấ Sấu the perfect basic flavor of a soup. Quấ Sấu is still available in many other combinations. When you peel them and cut them into stripes and then put them in sugar water enriched with ginger, you get a wonderfully sweet-sour taste.
Ripe the fruit reaches a delicate acid taste, which can be used very variably. Quấ Sấu, which has been inserted into salt or sugar, is used to mix beverages. It is also made durable.This fruit grows in Hanoi from June to September and is often bought as a souvenir.
That’s not all, in Vietnam you may find a lot more seasonal fruits while you travel from north to south, however, we just listed some of the most popular Vietnamese fruits that are easy to find. In addition, there are other tropical and really rare fruits in the region as you may find them in either Vietnam and or Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Try them and let us know by sending us a note so we publish them on behalf of you.
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