Glossary

Thai Fruits

Jackfruit (Kha-nun)

Jackfruits are the largest fruit in the world. They have a rough, uneven and yellowish-brown skin. The flesh inside is divided into many small segments with a glossy soft skin. The color and taste depend on the variety of jackfruits but they commonly have a yellow color with strong sweet taste.

The fruit can be eaten on its own but is even better when eaten with syrup and crushed ice. In Isaan, the jackfruit is applied in some recipes such as jackfruit soup. The seeds can be boiled in salty water to make a type of snack. Thais like to grow a jackfruit tree in their garden because they believe it brings good luck. The Thai name ‘kanoon’ sounds similar to a Thai word ‘Nun’ which means ‘to be supportive’.

Langsat (Lang-sad) and Longgong

Langsats are quite round and grow in bunches. They have a yellow-colour peel and their skin contains a sticky white sap. The meat has five uneven segments. They are usually eaten fresh. The taste is relatively sweet with a trace of sourness. Another kind of fruit that closely resembles langsat is ‘Longgong.’ Both kinds can be easily identified because Longgongs are normally bigger, tastier and, of course more expensive. They are sweeter than langsats because they don’t have any sap on their skin. Some say that longgongs are the best fruit, second only to durians. Longgongs and langsats are both available in Thailand during their season between June and October.

The bark of the langsat tree is used to treat dysentery and scorpion stings. The seeds help to lower fever and also to get rid of intestinal worms.

Mango (Ma-muang)

Mangoes are the most favorite tropical fruit for many people. They can be grown in all regions of Thailand. Each region has typical taste of its own. There are several kinds of mangoes and they can be enjoyed either when they are green or fully ripe.

Ok-Rong, Nam Dok Mai, or Thong Dum are best eaten when they are fully ripe. They are excellent when eat with sticky rice with some amount of coconut milk on top. This popular dish is called as ‘Kao Niew Ma-Muang’ or ‘Ripe Mango and Sticky Rice’. Mangoes can also be made into a refreshing sorbet.

Green mangoes, on the other hand, offer a crispy-crunchy taste. Recommended types to eat when it’s green include Kaew, Raed, Pim Sane, Keow Sawoey, Pha Lun and Nong Saeng. These are delicious with chili powder and salt dip. Unfortunately, the mango season lasts only from February to May. But the rest of the year you can still get dried mangoes, pickled mangoes or mango paste.

Mangoes are high in vitamin A. Eating the fresh skin helps to cure gum disease, relieve asthma, reduce phlegm, and combat nausea.

Mangosteen (Mang Kud)

Features: Mangosteens, or ‘Mang Kud’, are small and round with a hard skin. While ripening they are pinkish red and turn dark purple when fully ripe. Choose the fruit by pressing the skin to make sure that it’s not too hard. The petal-like formation at the base of the fruit tells you how many segments there are inside (normally five to seven). The taste, aroma and texture of mangosteens are quite unique. They are known as the queen of tropical fruits. In Thailand, the mangosteen season is from May to September.

Thais believe them to be a ‘cool’ or ‘yin’ fruit which can balance the effect of ‘hot’ or ‘yang’ fruit such as durian. They can help to cure stomach problems. The skin can be used as a cloth dye. It gives a colour of violet.

Melon (Tang Thai)

A favorite Thai dessert is melon with coconut milk, but it all depends on choosing the right melon. For sweet tasting and fragrant melons, choose those with a tight, green-yellow skin. The patterns on the skin should be quite far apart from each other. If the skin looks slightly cracked, it means that the melon has fully ripened, so they’re okay. Melons normally have yellowish-green meat.

Thai restaurants usually serve melons with coconut milk, because they are sweet, similar to cantaloupes. Other fruit eaten with melons include sweet corn, black sticky rice, taro, and mangluck. Once you’ve tasted melon with coconut milk, you’re bound to fall in love with other fruits eaten in this uniquely Thai way.

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