While Malaysia is blessed with a variety of fruits to us to enjoy, the undisputed contender is always durian, which is often dubbed as the ‘King of Fruits’.
However, a ranking of fruits across the whole of Southeast Asia saw the durian being dethroned by an unlikely fruit — the mangosteen.
Mangosteen ranked best fruit in Southeast Asia, not durian
In an article titled ‘Top 26 Southeast Asian Fruits’ by international food and lifestyle website TasteAtlas dated July 15, it placed the mangosteen at the coveted #1 spot, writing that its origins can be traced back to the Sunda Islands.
Describing the fruit’s texture as “soft, juicy, and delicate”, it wrote that mangosteens are usually eaten as it is but can be added into baked desserts, mixed salads, custards, smoothies, teas, or ice creams.
Next on the list was the red, furry-looking rambutan, which TasteAtlas described as “a medium-sized evergreen tree originating from the rainforests of western Malaysia and Singapore”.
The travel website also revealed that rambutan seeds contain up to 40% fat, which is extracted and used to make soap. It also added that people in the Philippines sometimes roast the seeds before snacking on them.
Then how about the durian? Sadly, it was ranked at the seventh spot on the list, a far cry from its nickname of ‘King of Fruits’.
According to TasteAtlas, it described durians as “a large spiky outer shell with creamy, almost custard-like flesh, which, besides boasting a mildly sweet flavor, is notorious for being incredibly rank-smelling”.
It also said that durians are “highly nutritious and healthy” and is often used to make a variety of dishes and desserts such as durian ice cream, tempoyak, and lempok durian.
Here are some other fruits which were featured in the list and their ranking:
- Calamansi (#3)
- Pulasan (#4)
- Makrut lime (#6)
- Water apple (jambu) (#9)
- Pisang mas (#16)
Do you agree with the ranking? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section!
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