16 Rare and Exotic Fruits You’ll See for the First Time (We’re Eager to Taste Pacay)

Nowadays, some fruits that were once considered exotic, such as lychee and durian, no longer surprise anyone. Even children know that the first has a jelly-like texture and the second has a cloying smell. About bananas and kiwis, we don’t have much to add; they can be found in any supermarket. However, there are many other types of fruit that seem straight out of science fiction movies.

Today the awesome.club invites you to discover some of the most exotic fruits that exist.

Although exotic around the world, buriti is well known here in Brazil, especially in the Midwest — the fruit was “honored” in the building that houses the government of the Federal District, which was named Palácio do Buriti. Physically speaking, it is a very tall palm tree, native not only here in Brazil, but also in Central America and countries in the north of South America, such as Venezuela.

The fruit is covered in scales that hide a soft yellow flesh. Traditionally consumed raw, the buriti fruit can be transformed into sweets, juices, wine, desserts, jellies and its oil can be applied to the skin as protection against sunburn. Buriti has a lot of vitamin A and is found in many cosmetic products.

This fruit is only found in Java and other islands in Indonesia (its trees do not grow in other countries). The taste is similar to that of mango and the fruit has a violet scent. Prolonged consumption of kepel can lead to infertility in women; therefore, since ancient times, the fruit has been used as a contraceptive method.

To experience caimito you will need to travel to Central America. The skin of this fruit is not edible, so it is always cut in half. Its pulp is extracted with the help of a spoon. Caimito is not very sweet and its flavor is similar to that of plum.

Lemongrass grows in India and Sri Lanka, countries where it is not considered a rare fruit. On the outside, it looks like a coconut full of fungi, but the really bad thing is its smell, which seems to mix raisins with blue cheese. Also, the stronger the aroma, the more ripe the fruit is and the more delicious it tastes. People who have tasted it say that it looks like a mango or pineapple pudding. Locals use it to make juices. And they say that the fruit is very good for health.

Pink jambo is found in Southeast Asian countries and India. The fruit is not grown for export because its skin is very thin and it has a lot of water, which makes long journeys unfeasible, as is the case with bananas. The rind of the pink jambo, also called jambo, hides a pulp with a slight watermelon flavor. When the fruit is cut, it releases a strong aroma of flowers.

Nypa fruits are dried. These palm trees grow in the rivers of the coastal region of Asia, from the Indian to the Pacific coast. With its leaves, people build roofs and, with its fruits, alcoholic beverages are prepared. And the fruits can be eaten. They are gelatinous and a little watery and are often placed in ice cream.

Curuba is also known as ‘banana passion fruit’. Its shape and color make it look like a banana – the peel was inherited from citrus – but, inside, this fruit has a pulp similar to passion fruit. People who have tried it say that it has a sour taste with hints of banana and orange.

Pacay is found in Central America and some South American countries such as Peru. The skin is green, the fruit has black seeds and the part that people eat is the pulp, which is white and quite sweet. The taste is similar to cotton candy and the texture is spongy. The big question that remains is: after all, who was the first person to try this strange fruit to discover that it was edible?

Lucuma is found in Peru and Ecuador. The pulp is dry and it is almost impossible to eat it raw. Lucuma is usually crushed and added to ice cream, juices and smoothies. It has a unique flavor, which is similar to caramel. The fruit contains a lot of vitamin A and glucose and is used in these countries as the basis of infant nutrition.

By color and size, the dacryodes they look like eggplants. Inside, the fruit is green and its consistency is similar to butter (it has 48% fat). The fruit can be eaten raw, cooked or fried. In addition, it is also used to produce biofuels.

The palmyra (nungu) fruit grows on palm trees and the edible part is hidden in the center of a nut. Gelatinous fruits look like lychees, but have an almost imperceptible flavor. Indonesians often use them to treat cuts and scrapes.

Naranjilla, or lulo, grows only in a few countries in Central America and here in South America — in the case of Ecuador. On the outside, the fruit has a skin like a normal citrus, but in fact, it is related to the tomato. Inside, this resemblance is revealed.

At the same time, the flavor of naranjilla seems to mix rhubarb, lemon and pineapple. Locals use it to prepare jams, wines and pies.

Akee grows in Jamaica and is considered one of the strangest fruits in the world. These fruits have a mass of toxins and are banned in many countries. If consumed the wrong way, they can kill.

To eat akee, you must wait for the fruit to turn red and the white pulp must be removed. The seeds are its mortal part. In Jamaica, people fry akee and make delicious nut-flavored dishes.

Black apples are the creation of the Chinese. The ‘black diamond’ species was obtained through injections and the plant grows only in the mountains of Tibet. It is intense ultraviolet radiation that makes the skin ‘tan’.

Maybe you know someone who has a delicious monstera, as it is a very popular plant. But it is also edible. In Mexico, the fruit looks like an ear of corn and tastes like pineapple.

But it’s not easy to prove delicious monstera because she needs to mature for a year. If she is not mature, she is dangerous and can burn her mouth. The fruit contains oxalic acid, widely used in cleaning products.

Capulin tastes similar to cherry. Jamaicans cut down trees near their homes because bats love the fruit and feast at night. With the fruit, it is possible to prepare jellies and juices.

Do you like to try exotic foods when you travel? Have you eaten any of the fruits on today’s list? Tell in the comments.