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Glossary
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Thai
Fruits
Papaya
(Ma-la-kor)
Papaya
trees are quite easy to grow. Thailand has papayas for all
year round. The fruit has many benefits for health. They are
high in vitamin A and C. Unripe ones help with the process
of digestion and also cure indigestion. Ripe ones are a mild
tonic. The enzyme papain found in papaya tree sap is used
to marinate meat. Add a few drops to the boiling water to
soften meat. Ripe papayas turn yellow-orange on the outside
and a brilliant orange-red inside. They offer a sweet and
juicy taste.
Pineapple
(Sup-pa-rod)
Thais
have pineapples all year round. Their taste can be sweet-and-sour
or just plain sweet. A favorite in Thailand is the Phuket
pineapple which is smaller and crisper, with a deep yellow
color and unique aroma. A pineapple can also make a refreshing
drink either by itself or mixed with assorted fruits. It also
makes a delicious sorbet.
Moreover,
pineapples make a wonderful dish in Thai cuisine. The menu
is called Khao Ob Sup-pa-rod (Baked Fried Rice in Pineapple
). Thai seaside restaurants like to serve fried rice in a
hollowed-out pineapple. It’s a perfect container, and some
of the taste and aroma is infused in the rice.
Pineapple
juice also has medicinal benefits. It can help relieve sores,
cut, and swelling. Eating pineapple regularly, it helps to
prevent gum problems.
Pomegranate
(Thab-thim)
In
Thailand, pomegranates are believed to be the fruit of luck.
They are always seen at wedding feasts and at other festivals
and ceremonies. The smooth glossy skin is dark green when
young, but turns greenish-orange or red when ripe. Inside,
the segmented flesh is a deep red color, which gives them
their Thai name ‘Thab-thim’ (means ruby). When eaten, the
segments burst into liguid with a sweet and sour taste.
They
are highly nutritious and good for stomach problems. The skin
and roots can be used to make an antiseptic. The only reason
they are not verypopular is that they are rather rare and
very expensive.
Pomelo
(Som-O)
The
pomelo is one of many kinds of citrus fruit found in Thailand.
They are round and quite big with thick green skin. The color
of the flesh ranges from whitish yellow to whitish pink. They
can taste from very sweet to slightly sour. Pomeloes are largely
grown in Nakhon Pathom province with various types such as
Kao Nam Pueng, Tong Dee, Kaopan and Kao Puang. They are somewhat
different in their colour and taste.
They
can be eaten fresh by simply peeling off the skin and the
thin white protective layers. In summer, Thais eat pomeloes
with light syrup and crushed ice to reduce heat.
Medicinally,
pomelos help to cure asthma. Their juice clears the throat
and relieves a cough. They are also good for the stomach since
they help with digestion.
Rambutan
(Ngoh)
Rambutans
belong to the same family as lychees and longans. They are
egg-shaped with soft spines. Inside, the translucent white
flesh is wrapped round an almond-shaped seed. They taste sweet
with just a hint of sourness.
Thailand
has two types of rambutans. ‘Ngoh Rong Rien’ have a bright
red skin with green tips on the spines. They are grown particularly
in the south. ‘Ngoh Si Chompu’ have a pink skin with longer
spines. They are found in abundance in the east, most in Chanthaburi.
Both types normally bear fruit between May and September.
Off-season, you can enjoy rambutans in syrup available as
canned fruit.
Rambutans
are rich in vitamin C, calcium and phosphorous and can provide
relief for chronic diarrhea.
Roseapple
(Chom-pu)
There
are several types of roseapple (Chom-pu) in Thailand. Some
are bell-shaped, some look like a fluted pyramid. All have
a glossy smooth, thick and juicy skin, which can be light
green, light pink or bright red. Inside is mostly hollow with
some spongy pith. The whole fruit can be eaten except the
pip. The taste is delicate but very refreshing. Of the many
varieties, the ‘Chompu Gam Mam’ has a pink skin and a sweeter
taste, while ‘Chompu Tien’ is pink and less tasty but is usually
eaten with a dip of chili powder mixed with salt. ‘Chompu
Petch’ is translucent green with a very tempting aroma, but
this type costs more than others. Thais are lucky to have
Chom-pu available all year round, but they are most abundant
from October to March.
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