Rambutan! Thailand’s BEST Fruit!
One of my favorite times of the year is happening right now in Thailand.
It’s time for the RAMBUTANS to become RIPE! I’m a rambutan lush, I have to admit. I eat more of these things than a man has a right to!
What in the world are rambutans? You might be asking yourself…
Rambutans are probably the most exotic fruit you’ve ever seen in your life. Maybe you’ve never seen them. They are grown the best in the south of Thailand. In fact, the best place I’ve ever had them from is from an area called, Ban Na San… a very small village along a river south of Surat Thani town about 30 km. Every year they have a huge week-long RAMBUTAN FESTIVAL there to celebrate since most of the residents make their living growing rambutans on their farms.
Rambutans when they’re best, are just bigger than golf balls and a lot more oblong (oval) than a round golf ball. They are bursting with flavor though there is nothing I could compare the taste of a rambutan to unless you are familiar with another exotic fruit called the “longan” or “lumyai”. The texture too is something quite unlike fruits I’ve had in America. Amost like a hard, fleshy grape. There is not a lot of juice in rambutans – loose juice that is, because the juice is locked up in the almost clear fruity flesh.
A rambutan is best had in mid-season – somewhere around June-August as they seem to be most sweet, and large by then. The color ranges from a yellowish to an intense pink or red color. The color doesn’t matter much with regards to taste, as long ast the fruit is bigger than a golf ball you can almost be assured it is more sweet than sour. When it’s ripe the flesh separates easily from the seed. When not quite ripe the flesh sticks to the rambutan seed and the taste is a little sour overall, still not a bad taste though!
There are over 100 (I stopped counting at 100) green grass-like hairs a half inch to 3/4 inches long with slightly curled ends protruding from every rambutan. This is normal, do not be afraid.
Upon first inspection you might think it inedible, or, that it resembles poisonous caterpillars that even when touched bring great burning pain through your skin. Nothing could be further from the truth, though you may find some black ants in your batch you purchase. There is one crawling on my rambutan I brought out of the bag!
How to eat a rambutan?
There are a couple theories on this but I take the quickest route which doesn’t require a knife. Takign the rambutan in front of me in both hands I grip it like I’m wringing washed wet socks dry and twist the skin of the fruit in opposite directions with each hand. Invariably the skin tears and an incredible bulbous clear fleshy rambutan is waiting for me to suck it out with suction or bite and pull it from the other half of the skin.
When chewing a rambutan you’ll eventually come up with a good system to let you avoid biting directly into the seed in the middle that is about the same size, shape and color as a big almond nut. I usually put the whole rambutan in the side of my mouth and chew almost halfway through it longways and maneuver it around using my tongue until I’ve pulled off 95% of the flesh. Then I either spit out the seed or pull the seed out with my fingers and polish off the remaining fruit.
There is an exo-seed type peel that is loose and surrounds the hard seed – it’s fine to eat, but may take some getting used to. I didn’t like it at all for the first few months I ate the fruit, but gradually it made no difference to me to eat it along with the rest of the flesh.
Be careful if you eat a lot of rambutan at one time not to handle the fleshy part with your fingers before you eat it as pesticides are usually used on the outside of the fruit to keep it safe from pests eating it. It’s delicious to them too.
Rambutans here in Thailand are at the usual rate of 15-25 baht per kilogram (2.2lbs). 25 baht is roughly equivalent to 80cents USD.
Rambutan taste is something you’ll quickly become accustomed to and addicted to. I am completely addicted and when each season comes I eat kilogram after kilogram of the fruit!
Short rambutan video here >
More Thai food videos at Joy’s Thai Food YouTube Channel >
There are two kinds of rambutans in Thailand: Rong Rien (grade school) like those seen here, and one with pink hairs instead of green & yellow called the “Si Chompoo” (pink).
Vern
14 Comments, Comment or Ping
Talen
The very first fruit I tried in Thailand was the Rambutan and they are absolutely delicious.
Mangosteens are my second favorite. Hard to get in the states but I heard the U.S will be relaxing some import rules wich will allow a lot of Thailand’s fruit to be shipped here. Hopefully thats the case because Americans will love rambutans.
May 24th, 2008
Roz
I was fortunate enough to be in Thailand twice when the rambutans were in season. They are just so delicious! I wish they could be imported into the U.S.
Aug 12th, 2008
Michelle
I just saw these fruits the other day in the grocery store! You make them sound delicious. I will have to try them. Thanks for the instructions! I have a good grocery store that sometimes sells an exotic fruit or vegetable that I have not seen before, but usually without directions. The rambutans in the store here (on the East coast of the US) are a dark ruby red, and I think they are charging 4 US dollars for .5lbs. This is the cost for discovering new foods from the other side of the world. =)
Aug 23rd, 2008
meandwi
Just came back from Ao Luk where my wifes family have 10 rai of 40 year old rambutan trees. We come every harvest to help pick them with durian and mangosteen. We love them.
Nice site.
meandwi
Aug 30th, 2008
Thom
Any know where I can find rambutans on the west coast? Thanks Thom
Oct 30th, 2008
admin
West coast of Thailand, Australia, England, or where? In the USA I know you can usually find them in China town. If you have a Chinese vegetable market you can sometimes find them there. In season is usually about June-Sept I think. Anyone know how much money you’d pay in the states for a pound of rambutan?
Dec 14th, 2008
admin
Wow, that is expensive. We can get a kilogram (2.2 lbs) for 25 baht in Surat Thani. It’s safe to say that Joy and I eat a whole tree of rambutan each season. I know I eat 15 kilograms by myself easy.
(Vern) Joy really likes durian, pineapple, rambutan, mango, and tamarind. I’m more of a rambutan, lumyai, mango lover. But, there are so many cool fruits to try. Try them all – despite the price. If you can’t eat the best foods in the world – what is life worth? lol. That’s my philosophy anyway! Thanks for writing!
Dec 14th, 2008
admin
They are! Or, somebody is growing them – but read the comments here because someone found them on the east coast.
Dec 14th, 2008
Nalin
I have seen in Southern California on a few occasions at asian markets (ranch 99), traders joes, and at vons. They are available for only a very short timeframe – perhaps 2 weeks a year, and when I have purchased they were on their way out in terms of freshness. The price is about $5 for a small container (perhaps 10-15 fruits). All and all the quality is much better other places where I have eaten such as in Singapore – the rambutan I have purchased stateside has not done the fruit justice.
You can buy online but I have not tried doing so.
Jun 30th, 2009
Joy
Hi Nalin,
Thank you so much for the information about California and rambutan availability. Wow, $5 for 10-15 fruits is expensive… but, when you taste them – assuming they’re ripe. I’d pay it. This morning I just bought 2 kg – about 4.4 lbs for 20 baht – which is about 60 cents USD. When they’re in season they’re plentiful, fresh, and so cheap. I saw a sign across the street for 4kg for 20 baht. I was leery about it – but shouldn’t have been, some have the trees in their yards and will try to outsell everyone else’s prices. Good to stay Thailand… Thanks again for your information… Vern
Jun 30th, 2009
John
I had Rambutans for the first time about three weeks ago in Phuket. Very delicious, if the seed skin didn’t come away with the flesh it would easily be the best fruit imo.
I actually like them when they were still a little bit tart, found the Thai mangos to be a bit too sweet for my liking(adding a lime to a glass of fresh mango juice was decent though).
Jul 6th, 2009
soujanya
rambutan is became one of my best fruit in my life. i ever taste it untill i visited singapore.They are just so delicious! I eat more of these things than a man has a right to!I wish they could be imported into the visakhapatnam which is the place of Andhra Pradesh india.
Dec 26th, 2009
Joy
Hi Soujanya! During the rambutan season, we ate it almost everyday.. 1Kg for each time. I remember one time I ate until my mouth hurt (I think it causes irritation inside your mount from its sweetness like many other sweet fruit. However, we still enjoy eating them so much.
Dec 27th, 2009
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