There are many kind of local fruit I can still remember, fruits that was famous among the mothers who need to decorates their best looking offering. Some of the fruits seem to be dispear from today’s offering (now dominated by imported fruits such as: American apple, pear, kiwi?, and many weird looking fruit). The following is the local fruits, still popular among us. But, out there in Balinese traditional market, still many that I don’t know how to call them in English, will write about them some other time.

Salak (Salaka Edulis)
Still a favourite, this brown skinned fruits grows in clusters at the base of the plant. Sweet acid taste like pineapple, but crisp and crunchy. Karangasem is the central of producing this fruit, so when one of my friend (natively from Karangasem) going home, we used to ask to bring back this fruit. Best eat in fresh.

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)
Balinese call this fruit “Manggis” a most popular fruit in Bali, you can find them anywhere in Bali’s traditional market. Although original name is “Mangosteen” but there is no relation at all to Mango. The white flesh taste so sweet and juicy but avoid the exuding latex close to the skin. Tips: better to squeeze with both your hand to get the flesh out.

Lychees (Litchi chinensis)
Lychees is origaly comes from China, long time ago, some trader from china brought this to Bali as a gift to the King. With semi-translucent flesh which is tangy and juicy covered by rosy red skin and white. Balinese call it Leci.

Jack Fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
Jack Fruit or “Nangka” is a very famous fruit in Bali. The flesh is golden Yellow when ready to eat. The young Nangka is one of “Lawar” main ingredient, a local salad that prepared usually in Galungan Day come or become original Balinese cuisine. The taste very sweet and juicy and tastes like banana bubblegum.

Durian
Is very popular in Asia, “the king of tropical fruit” look so weird, tasting like heaven and stinking like hell, big size covered in spines with really rich creamy flesh tastes like cream cheese and onions. Uhh one of my favorite fruit, but some hate it from the smell.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)
Vivid red fruit covered in hairy spikes (that’s why we called them “Rambutan”, rambut mean hair) which has a sweet flesh with a mild acid flavour, which is very refreshing.

Mango
There are many kind of Mango in Bali. A very popular to make a fruit ice, or juice, and sell in any traditional market to big supermarket in Bali. I think everybody know this fruit.

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