Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM

Exotic produce from Ta-Lin

This is my favorite time of year to get produce at Ta-Lin- when things I don't immediately recognize are available, or things that normally aren't available are. Today we picked up two new fruits, and two that aren't usually available.

Click for full size image:

From the top left, clockwise: Mangosteen, Longan, Rambutan and Lychee! I've never seen mangosteen or rambutan before and usually only find the other two in Vietnamese shakes.

This is going to be fun.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron Da Bomb on June 13, 2009 at 6:45pm: Very cool. I JUST finished watching Simply Ming on PBS cook Seared Lychee Scallops in Champagne-Butter Sauce and for dessert famed pastry chef Gale Gand whipped up Moscato Sorbetto with Lychees and Lime.

(Photo from Simply Ming website); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ron Da Bomb on June 15, 2009 at 11:52am: Let us know how you prepared the mangosteen and rambutan. (and the other two, if you like!); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brendan on June 15, 2009 at 12:10pm: Thusfar: Raw! Though I think any of them would be great on vanilla ice cream. Some notes:

Mangosteen: Texture of a banana, flavor of a mild peach, sectional like citrus, looks like a brain when opened. Mmm. Brains..

Rambutan: The outside is soft and cuddly, like a plush toy. Once pealed there's a giant pearl with a long pit inside. Sweet, juicy, mild flavor. Vaguely like the sweet part of grapefruit. The pulp is in sections like citrus, only there's no per-section pith or peel. Nothing like a sea urchin, as initially feared.

Lychee: These are pretty on the outside, ugly in the middle. Chinese buffets often have mandarin oranges and sometimes have these mixed in. It's a similar and complimentary flavor. They're just a little bit astringent in the after-flavor department. It seems to be the pulp near the seed causing this (Also causes some discoloration).

Longan: I'm loving these, they're similar in flavor to rambutan, but have a maltiness like dark rum. Remove the small seed in the middle, put 3 on cocktail umbrella and garnish your tiki beverage.

What's unusual about all of them is that once you get the skin off, there is nothing there but sweet delicious pulp and a seed: No peels, dividers, etc. All but the mangosteen have a single pit in the center: Mangosteen has 1 pit in a larger section, or sometimes 2 pits opposite each other within the cranium. Mmm brains.; ▶ Reply to This