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Glossary
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Thai
Fruits
Banana
(Gluai)
Bananas,
or ‘gluai’, are household plants in Thailand. They are also
important economic fruits as they are widely harvested for
export.
Thailand
grows many kinds of bananas. The three most popular types
are Gluai Nam Waa, Gluai Kai, and Gluai Hom. They have different
features and distinctive flavours. Gluai Kai is the smallest
in size. When getting ripe, it usually has little brown spots
on its glossy skin. Gluai Hom is the biggest, about the length
of an adult’s hand. It looks similar to bananas found in the
western countries. Gluai Nam Waa has medium length but it’s
rather fat. It is also the most common banana for the Thais.
Gluai
Hom and Gluai Kai have almost the same taste and texture but
Gluai Hom has a stronger smell. Gluai Nam Waa is completely
different with a firmer texture and slightly sour taste. Besides
being eaten fresh as fruits, all of them are also seen in
delicious desserts. Gluai Tod (Fried banana), Gluai Chuam
(Banana in syrup) and Gluai Buad Chee (Banana in coconut milk)
are the most popular.
Banana
is amazing. Its fruits are nutritious, containing plenty of
vitamins and minerals that are good for body. Thais even like
to feed their babies with banana since they believe that it
can help the baby stay healthy. Besides the fruit, other parts
of the banana trees (leaves, stalk, stem and flower) are also
useful. Thai people are ingenious in making full use of banana
for various purposes.
Coconut
(Ma-phrao)
Coconuts,
or ‘Ma Phrao,’ are grown almost anywhere in Thailand. But
since they prefer a stable temperature around the seashore,
coconut plantations are mostly seen in the country’s long-stretch
coasts and islands, especially in the South.
There
are two kinds of coconut trees –dwarf coconut trees (ma phrao
ton tia) and tall coconut trees. When they are underripe,
the coconuts appear in bunches of ball-like fruits and are
light green in colour. The colour turns brown and the size
can become bigger as coconuts ripen.
Coconuts
that are picked under-ripe are best for fresh consumption.
The juice of these young coconuts is refreshing and pleasantly
sweet. The young flesh also provides a delicate taste. The
flesh of fully ripe coconuts is different. Normally, they
will be grated to make coconut milk, which is normally used
to cook curry and various appetizing Thai dishes.
Coconuts
contain a lot of saturated fat but are less fattening because
the coconut fat burns off quickly.
Custard
apple (Noy-nah)
The
Thai variety of custard apples is smaller than those found
elsewhere. Their season is from June to September. They have
a light green or cream colour. The knobbly skin makes them
look similar to bomb’s shells. Custard apples have a sweet
taste. They are especially good to eat when they’re just ripe.
Leaving them to pass their prime can make them too soft and
too sweet.
To
eat a custard apple is easy. Just gently break one apart with
your hands and scoop out the creamy fragrant flesh inside.
Because of its unique sweet taste, custard apples can make
a wonderful flavour of ice cream.
The
leaves of custard apples have medicinal benefits as well.
A handful of their leaves, when crushed and mixed with 1-2
tablespoons of coconut juice, can be used to kill lice. Apply
the juice onto the lice-infested hair, wrap with a towel and
leave for about half and hour, then wash to clean the hair.
Durian
In
Thailand, durians are dubbed as the ‘King of Fruits’. They
are about the same size as jackfruit but their spikes are
sharp and much bigger. Each durian contains two to three segments
of creamy yellow flesh around a large seed. A popular variety
is Mon Thong (golden pillow) whose flesh is firm, golden yellow,
and very sweet.
The
smell of durians is so strong that it is compared to ripe
camembert. So, some people are put off from eating them. However,
most people are addicted to its exotic sweet taste that is
unlike any other kind of fruit. Durians should be eaten as
soon as they are picked. Other varieties are Kradoom Thong
(golden button), which are smaller and have a smoother, richer
taste, and Garn Yao (long stem) durians are also large and
have a lighter flavor.
Guava
(Farang)
Thai
guavas are different to the small, pink-fleshed type found
elsewhere. They are large with a green skin and white flesh.
Thais rather like to eat them under-ripe when the flesh is
slightly sweet and crisp. There is no need to peel off the
skins or cut out the pips as the whole lot can be eaten. They
are best eaten with a dip of palm sugar and ground chilies.
Chopped guava adds a bit of crunchiness to a fruit salad.
Some people love them pickled. You can also make fresh guava
juice by using a blender.
Guavas
are good sources of vitamin C and A as well as other valuable
elements which help prevent gum disease. You can also make
a liquid by boiling their leaves which is good as a breath-freshener
and also as a relief for skin rashes and swelling.
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