Indonesian fruits: fun, creepy, healthy, delicious

Fruits is one of the five food groups that are recommended by the USDA to be consumed daily. Being born in a tropical country, I grew up eating many different fruits that are not available in the United States. Indonesia lays right on the equator, meaning it’s always summer in Indonesia! Because of its geographical location, Indonesia is gifted with tropical fruits. Not only they are very delicious, but these fruits are also rich in nutrients and worth the trip! If Indonesia is not on your trip calendar yet, read on to familiar yourself for future trips! And if you’re lucky, you can find some of these fruits at your nearest Asian/international grocery stores!

·       Durian
Known as the king of fruits in southeast Asian countries. It is known for its smell and strong taste due to its Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC). Despite its smell, durian fruit is a good source of macronutrients; carbohydrates (27%), fat (5.33%), and protein (1.47%); as well as micronutrients; vitamin C, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, vitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, and phosphorus (Husin, Rahman, Karunakaran, and Bhore, 2018). Not only it is nutritious to consume, but its leaf and roots decoction also have febrifuge and anti-malarial properties (Husin, Rahman, Karunakaran, and Bhore, 2018).
How to eat it?
Cut the fruit in half with a large, sharp knife. The meat should be visible, and you can start taking them with your hands. Then, make long incision through the thick skin in between meats, then pull the two sides back with both hands. Be careful not to prick yourself with the sharp edges!
Fun fact
To get rid of its stinky aroma, Indonesians would use durian husk to clean their hands. After eating durian with bare hands, rinse hands with water, then gently scrub hands and fingers with durian husk before continuing washing it with soap and water.
Can you get it in the US?
You can find durian in some Asian or international grocery stores. They might have it fresh, frozen, or processed into different types of dessert


·       Rambutan
In Bahasa Indonesia, “rambut” means “hair”. Rambutan got its name from its hairy outer shell. Rambutan has similar taste and texture to lychee and longan. Rambutan is rich in vitamin C, fiber, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
How to eat it?
This fruit can be easily peeled by pinching the skin with two hands and pulling the two sides apart. There is a big seed in the middle, which is a choking hazard for kids. Make sure to cut them if planning to feed rambutan to children.
Can you get it in the US?
Yes! Some Asian grocery stores would have these fruits on sale. It is available fresh or canned. To pick fresh rambutan, find the ones with mostly red color with slightly green color on the hairy part.


·       Mangosteen (manggis)
Mangosteen originated from Sunda island and The Moluccas in Indonesia and has spread throughout the Southeast Asian countries. This tropical fruit has hard, thick, dark purple outer shell. When it is peeled, the inner shell is red, and the edible part is the white part. The edible part is soft, creamy, and sweet. The seed is interesting because some of them are soft enough that it is edible, but some are hard and thick that it is a choking hazard for children. The edible portion is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and carbohydrates. The rind is often used for medicinal use; dried rind to overcome dysentery, ointment for eczema and other skin disorders, decoction and water infusion is used to relieve diarrhea.
How to eat it?
Similar to peeling rambutan, mangosteen outer shell can be peeled by pinching it on two sides and pulling them apart to reveal the white edible parts. If it is ripe, the edible part can be easily pulled with hand or fork
Can you get it in the US?
I have seen mangosteen in some Asian grocery stores around the US. It gets very tricky to choose the ripe ones, because they tend to be smaller and harder. Ripe mangosteen would show indentation when slightly pressed in


·       Buah Sawo (sapodilla)
Sawo is originated from Central America regions. It was brought to the Philippines before it is spread throughout the southeast Asian countries. It is personally my favorite fruit because of its texture, sweetness, and tartness. Once this fruit is ripe, it should be eaten immediately because it rots in 2 short weeks. This fruit is a good source of carbohydrates and vitamin C. Just like the other fruits, the seeds can be choking hazards. However, the ingestion of 6 or more seeds would cause toxicity due to the high content of saponin and sapotinin, which would cause abdominal pain and vomiting.
How to eat it?
This fruit would have to be peeled with pairing knife or a peeler. Some people would cut it in halves or quarters to reveal the seeds and take them out before eating, but it could also be eaten like an apple after peeling the skin as long as the seeds are not swallowed
Can you get it in the US?
This fruit is considered rare in Indonesia, and I personally have not found it in any store in the US.


·       Ciplukan (ground cherry/gooseberry)
Ground cherry, also known as gooseberry is originated from Brazil, then it made its way to the south American regions, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Gooseberry is wildly grown in Indonesia and because it is everywhere, a lot of people don’t realize that it is edible and it is actually very high in nutrients. Gooseberry is similar to cherry tomatoes for its texture and shape. However, gooseberry is a lot sweeter and some people said that it tastes like pineapple. This fruit is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, B-3, B-1, and B-2. Not only vitamins, it is also a good source for non-heme iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Some studies found that gooseberries can be used for a variety of treatments such as malaria, asthma, hepatitis, dermatitis, and rheumatism (Kusumaningtyas et al, 2015).
How to eat it?
Gooseberry has its leafy outer shell. All you need to do is to tear the leaf, and eat the edible part just like cherry tomatoes!
Can you get it in the US?
Yes! In fact, I was so excited when I found this fruit at my local farmers market! Depending on the season and the location, gooseberry can be found in your local farmers' market.


There are so many different tropical fruits that are grown in Indonesia. Some of the highlighted ones on here are either the rarest or the most popular ones. Fruits and foods, in general, would make it worth a trip to Indonesia. If it is not on your calendar yet, I hope you get to try some of the ones that are available in the states. It is always fun to explore new fruits, and fruits are amazing source for fiber and vitamins!

-         - SP

Resources
https://permaculturenews.org/2017/06/29/ground-cherries/

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