4 ms·

Unrelated, but if you're going to go the deep end on Indian, and other Asian fruits, I recommend also trying: - Rambutan (similar to lychees) - Custard apple

Unrelated, but if you're going to go the deep end on Indian, and other Asian fruits, I recommend also trying: - Rambutan (similar to lychees) - Custard apple (haven't seen it, but I've heard it can be found) - Vietnamese Durian (tastes like a milkshake, and I couldn't smell the stinky smell..) - Guava (they're not very sweet but are very flavorful) - Sapota (aka Chiku) - the best fruit milkshakes I've had were chiku shakes. Finally, if these are hard to come by and you can't travel, make the most of your local fruits: there are some incredible apples, blackberries, red raspberries, blue berries in the US that are hard to find in other parts of the world.

Kaijo 3y ago
These are all common, obvious fruits, several of which are not even from Asia originally. I feel someone speaking from "the deep end" would have more esoteric recommendations but also very strong preferences about what particular cultivars to seek out -- in each case, but especially for durian, where it's almost like each of its hundreds of named varieties can have its own cult following -- when and where to get them, how they should be harvested, how prime individual specimens should be selected, etc. Guava not very sweet? You just haven't had the right variety of guava fully in season. And so on.
- langfan 3y ago
  Yes. For a simple example, guava with pink flesh inside is very different in taste from the white flesh ones.
- xarope 3y ago
  OMG, durian, it's like a entire cult following, golden phoenix, sultan (d24), black gold, mountain cat, red prawn, black pearl, king of kings... Speaking of cult following, I once tried a durian that tasted rotten, so I warned my friends accordingly, one who promptly grabbed them and started smacking their lips, going "this is the good stuff". Found out it was the XO variant, which is supposed to taste like it's fermented. Who would've thunk.
- ido 3y ago
  Aside from Guava I knew none of the fruits the OP mentioned, just as a side-note. I think you may be overestimating how common and obvious these are for people not from Asia.
xarope 3y ago
I'll add, dragonfruit. The typical purple one has a very mild taste (exceedingly mild to the point of tastelessness), but the yellow ones are really sweet.
schrectacular 3y ago
My absolute favorite was not on your list: mangosteen! Available in the US at some Asian groceries but so expensive that I usually can't stomach it.
- carlmr 3y ago
  Exactly, discovered that one on Indonesia. Amazing taste. I'd surmise if you like lychee you probably will like this, too.
- Cerium 3y ago
  In the US they are expensive and usually bad.
umeshunni 3y ago
FYI - Sapotas are from Mexico (Yucatan) Custard apples are from the West Indies Guavas are from Mexico (and are often grown in backyards even here in California)
- givemeethekeys 3y ago
  Well, they've all been growing in the East Indies for a long time and I've never been to the Yucatan or the West Indies. Maybe the varietals are different.
pvaldes 3y ago
Paw Paw would be the best local replacement for tropical flavor

Kaijo 3y ago

These are all common, obvious fruits, several of which are not even from Asia originally. I feel someone speaking from "the deep end" would have more esoteric recommendations but also very strong preferences about what particular cultivars to seek out -- in each case, but especially for durian, where it's almost like each of its hundreds of named varieties can have its own cult following -- when and where to get them, how they should be harvested, how prime individual specimens should be selected, etc. Guava not very sweet? You just haven't had the right variety of guava fully in season. And so on.

langfan 3y ago
Yes. For a simple example, guava with pink flesh inside is very different in taste from the white flesh ones.
xarope 3y ago
OMG, durian, it's like a entire cult following, golden phoenix, sultan (d24), black gold, mountain cat, red prawn, black pearl, king of kings... Speaking of cult following, I once tried a durian that tasted rotten, so I warned my friends accordingly, one who promptly grabbed them and started smacking their lips, going "this is the good stuff". Found out it was the XO variant, which is supposed to taste like it's fermented. Who would've thunk.
ido 3y ago
Aside from Guava I knew none of the fruits the OP mentioned, just as a side-note. I think you may be overestimating how common and obvious these are for people not from Asia.

xarope 3y ago

I'll add, dragonfruit. The typical purple one has a very mild taste (exceedingly mild to the point of tastelessness), but the yellow ones are really sweet.

schrectacular 3y ago

My absolute favorite was not on your list: mangosteen! Available in the US at some Asian groceries but so expensive that I usually can't stomach it.

carlmr 3y ago
Exactly, discovered that one on Indonesia. Amazing taste. I'd surmise if you like lychee you probably will like this, too.
Cerium 3y ago
In the US they are expensive and usually bad.

umeshunni 3y ago

FYI - Sapotas are from Mexico (Yucatan) Custard apples are from the West Indies Guavas are from Mexico (and are often grown in backyards even here in California)

givemeethekeys 3y ago
Well, they've all been growing in the East Indies for a long time and I've never been to the Yucatan or the West Indies. Maybe the varietals are different.

pvaldes 3y ago

Paw Paw would be the best local replacement for tropical flavor