13 Exotic Tropical Fruits You've Never Heard Of: Why Rambutan Will Amaze Your Taste Buds

10. Longan: The Dragon's Eye Fruit

Translating as "dragon's eye" in Chinese, longan is a small, round fruit with a thin brown shell enclasing translucent white flesh and a tiny black seed. When peeled, this look—that of an eyeball—allows the fruit its descriptive moniker. Longan, native to southern China but now grown all across Southeast Asia, has a delicate, sweet taste sometimes described as more subdued than its relative, the lychee. Though with a unique flowery scent that distinguishes it, the flesh has a grape-like firmness. Longan is really unique because of its ideal balance of sweetness; it is not too strong so that its subtle flavour nuances may come through. Longan is thought in traditional Chinese medicine to offer several health advantages, including enhancing memory and encouraging relaxation.

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Rich in both potassium and vitamin C, the fruit is a good snack choice. Fresh, dried, or canned longan can be eaten; each preparation technique results in a distinct flavour. While dried longans are used in classic Chinese soups and teas, fresh longans are sometimes consumed out of hand as a cool snack. Longan is thought of as a fertility symbol in many parts of Asia and is frequently presented as a gift to newlyweds. From desserts to salads to even meat dishes in certain Asian cuisines, the fruit's adaptability spans sweet and savoury foods. Its subdued sweetness makes it a great accent to more robust tastes, thereby enabling chefs to produce sophisticated and balanced flavour combinations in their food.