Philippine Fruits for all Seasons & all Tastes

Philippine Fruits

Philippine Fruits for all Seasons & all Tastes

•       You can find Philippine fruits almost anywhere – in supermarkets, restaurants, even from the street vendors – but the best lot can be found in fruit markets/wet markets. There you can find a large collection of indigenous Philippine  fruits as well as imported ones coming from nearby countries. Once you get there, make sure to keep in mind when and how you plan to consume it. Some fruits like the jackfruit are sold both young and ripe, since unripe jackfruit is also used as a cooking ingredient in some Filipino dishes. Also, if you’re travelling with it or plan on eating it two to three days after purchase, make sure to get the ones that are almost ripe, but not quite yet.

In a tropical country like the Philippines, one could find it hard to resist the charms of the glistening sun; the alluring wind along the beach; and of course, the luscious and succulent fruits that are available almost everywhere. Most tourists who visit here indulge themselves with all the fruits they can muster, taking advantage the abundance of fresh, organically grown fruits without the heavy price tag.  Below are descriptions of some popular fruits found here, their uses as well as tips on how to distinguish the ripeness of the fruit.

 

 

Mangoes

Mango – literally the sweetest fruit in the world… and probably the most famous and sought

Sweet Yellow Mangoes

after fruit here in the Philippines. For some reason, locals as well as foreigners can’t seem to get enough of this. This is available all year round but the best ones come out during the season of summer. Unlike mangoes found elsewhere, the local variety is elongated in shape and has a smooth-textured skin. Ripe mangoes are bright-yellow in color and can be consumed as-is or chilled, while young ones are green – which is also enjoyed together with your favourite “bagoong”(local shrimp paste) or just a bit of salt. Personally, I find the best mangoes are the ones coming from “Guimaras”, a remote island just beside Iloilo province. The quality is attributed to the natural, soft limestone found in the soil on the island. When purchasing ripe mangoes, make sure to inspect the surface for deformations since these are delicate to handle.  Mangoes are rich in sugar and is a good source of vitamin A, C, and D.

Papaya

Refreshing Papaya

Papaya - considered as one of the nutritious fruits in the Philippines, it has a reddish-yellow flesh which is both juicy and refreshing. The outer skin is green in color and turns yellowish as it ripens. Most papayas found here are organically grown by small-scale farmers so it is abundant anywhere in the Philippines. Besides enjoying it ripe, there are other uses for it. Young papaya meat is actually an ingredient in a local dish like the “Tinolang Manok”( a chicken broth dish with ginger, papaya and chilli leaves). It also contains the enzyme “papain”, which is used for the production of meat tenderizers, pharmaceuticals and beauty products. It is very rich in vitamins A & C.

Jack Fruit

Jackfruit – this would probably be the BIGGEST fruit one would come across with. Its size

A Very Addictive Flavour

 varies but some grow as much as 3 feet long and 20 inches in diameter –wider than the trees they grow on!  The skin is very rough in texture, covered with small shallow spikes. One would never think that inside this colossal piece of “so called” fruit, lies one of the most tantalizing delights I have ever encountered. When ripe, the skin becomes soft and in some cases, cracks open; emitting an appealing odour similar to that of an over-ripe banana. Coincidentally, the flavour is similar to that of a plantain and a banana. Young jackfruit is also viewed as a culinary ingredient, producing local, mouth-watering dishes like the “Ginataang Langka” or the “Kadios, Baboy, Langka”- better known as ”KBL”. Also, the seeds can be eaten when boiled. If you want to purchase ripe jackfruit, the best indication for its maturity would be the smell of the fruit; for the sole reason that the young jackfruit does not emit that certain odour we discussed earlier.

Durian

Durian – a fruit that widely grows in the southern part of the Philippines, this would be the “Ultimate Exotic tropical fruit” for me. Before I elaborate any further, bear in mind that this fruit is not for the weak of heart (or should I say stomach?). It has an acquired taste and not everybody can appreciate the sweet, pungent aroma that this fruit emits.

Not Everyones Favorite

Durian is a big and heavy fruit weighting up to 10 pounds and a foot in diameter. The brown-colored skin is very hard and is covered with hard, long spikes! This fruit dubbed as the “king of all fruits”, grows on a tree 25-50 metres tall… and did I mention it’s entirely covered with hard, long spikes?!  One could only ponder with the thought of taking an afternoon nap under one of these trees. Setting aside those matters, it is actually a very popular fruit in most South East Asian countries. For me, the taste is creamy & velvety -similar to that of melted vanilla ice-cream, but it varies on whose perception you base it on; some would describe the taste synonymous to rotten bananas. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the odor. As I was walking past a fruit stand earlier, I can’t help but appreciate the smell of a durian, just ripe and awaiting to be sliced open; while my wife was so eager to leave because she cannot tolerate the pungent smell any longer. The best advice for the enthusiastic traveller; the only way to find out whether this fruit is for you is to have a taste of it. When purchasing ripe durian, look for small cracks around the surface of the skin. This is a good sign since this fruit cracks open when over ripe.