Langsat

What it is

Each fruit is about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) across. Under the peel, the white flesh separates into translucent, juicy segments. A seed can taste sharply bitter, and the flesh clinging to it can pick up that bitterness.

Names on a label help describe the type. Langsat has thin skin with sticky white sap. Duku is rounder, with thicker skin and no sap. Longkong has brittle skin and is almost seedless. Its sweet flesh has a citrus edge, with hints of grapefruit and white grape.

Where it comes from

Langsat comes from Southeast Asia, with a native range spanning Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It also grows in the Nilgiris and other humid parts of southern India. The tree reached Hawaiʻi before 1930, taking this Southeast Asian fruit into the Pacific.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Thailand, longkong can join lychees and other juicy fruit in som chun, a chilled dessert. One preparation soaks the fruit in jasmine-scented syrup with bitter-orange juice and peel. It is served over ice with young ginger, green mango and fried shallots. The sweet fruit shares the bowl with sharp citrus and savoury toppings.

How it's grown

The tree can reach 15 m (49 ft) in cultivation. Small flowers cluster directly on its trunk and older branches. It grows best in humid air and fertile soil that drains well. In the Philippines, langsat shares the shade of coconut plantings. A seed-grown tree can take 12–20 years to produce its first fruit.

When and where you'll find it

In India, the fruit usually ripens from April to September. One specialist online fruit shop in Europe sells Thai-grown fruit as Longkong (Duku Langsat). The skin bruises easily and turns brown at the damaged spots, so the pale peel can acquire darker patches during handling.