Tropical Fruits in Vietnam
Corossolier - Mãng Cầu Xiêm
The corossolier is a close relative to the sweep-sop. In terms of size, the fruit is substantially larger than the sweet-sop with some fruits weighing as much as 1.5 kg. The peel is smoother with tiny spikes (more like bumps). These spikes turn black as the fruit ripens.
The corossolier has less seeds than the sweetsop and the meat is more firm, almost chewy. In general, the fruit has a sweet and sour taste. In Vietnam, the corrosolier is blended with condensed milk and ice to make a delicious fruit drink. During the Tet season, the corossolier is preserved with sugar to make a candy-like treat called mứt.
Jackfruit - Mít
The Jackfruit is a native fruit of Asia. It has its origin in India, though after many centuries of trade, it reached South-East Asia where it is considered a delicacy. Jackfruits come in many shapes and sizes, although generally they are oblong or pear shaped. They can grow to 90 cm long and can weigh up to 44 kg. The name Jack is believed to be a Portuguese mispronunciation of a Malay word meaning round.
Jackfruits have a thick pale green rind with thousands of sharp hexagonal spines. Once cut open, the interior yields dozens of individual golden yellow pulps. The meat of the pulp covers a large brown pit. When ripe, the meat is sweet. The pit can be boiled and eaten as well. The wood from the jackfruit tree is very strong. Sometimes, it is used to make furniture and to build houses. In the north, the wood from the jackfruit tree is carved into statues in pagodas.
Banana - Chuối
Although the banana can be found throughout the tropics, it is a native fruit to South East Asia. Reference to the banana was first made in the Epics of the Pali Buddhist canon in 500 BC. Bananas were exported to Africa from Indonesia around 1,500 years ago. Consequently, reference to this fruit can be found in the Koran as the Tree of Paradise.
The banana plant has no woody tissue, so it is not considered a tree at all, but a giant herb. The banana plant can grow to height of 4 to 8 m, depending on the variety. Today, Vietnam boasts 28 different varieties of banana from plantains (used in cooking) to the dwarf banana (finger size).
Tropical Fruits in Vietnam
Papaya - Đu Đủ
The papaya originated in Central America, and came to the Philippines during the Spanish occupation of this country. The fruit eventually spread throughout South-East Asia. The papaya tree bears only either male or female flowers with the female tree producing the fruits. Consequently, the male tree must be close by to pollinate the female flowers.
The fruits are large, weighing up to 9 kg and often look like a large squash. The skin is thin like those of the watermelon and turns from green to yellow and orange as the fruit ripens. The flesh of the papaya may be yellow, orange, or reddish orange and has a consistency of a very ripe (soft) cantaloupe. Papayas are sweet and are used as dessert.
In Vietnam, a popular dish using green papaya is "gỏi đu đủ bò khô", a salad like dish with shredded green papaya and shredded beef jerky eaten with a special hot sauce.
Guava - Ổi
The guava originated in the tropical region of the Americas and reached South-East Asia in the 17th century. Guava fruits are either round or pear-shaped, with thin dark green skin which becomes yellowish green as the fruits ripen. The fruits range from small tomato size to as large as 13 cm in length.
