Introduction Tropical Fruits of Thailand & Southeast Asia

Tropical Fruits of Thailand & Southeast Asia.

One of the many joys of Thailand is the kingdom's stunning array of ambrosial fruits. Their succulent sweetness, astonishingly varied shapes, colours, size and heady perfumes delight not only visitors, but also send the Thais into raptures as each fruit comes into season.

 

Pass a durian stall, where this notoriously pungent, spiky “king of fruits” is on sale, and you’ll see enthusiastic crowds devouring the creamy rich flesh at makeshift tables or even just standing or squatting on the pavement, too eager to enjoy the fruit to wait to take it home. Thailand is renowned throughout Asia for the standard of its magnificent durians, mangoes and pomelos, and also for some of the cooler climate fruits grow in the hills around Chiang Mai.

 Permanent local markets carry seasonal fruit as well as the many fruit which are avallable year round, while in some areas, special fruit stalls are set up. It is common to find stalls at food centres and markets offering cut fruits, while itinerant vendors sell these as well as prepare special local fruit salads, often of tart or unripe fruit mixed with pungent sauces. Fruit such as pineapple, pomelo and guava are often dipped into tangy sauces, or simply sprinkled with salt.