Indonesia lies between equator line which then makes this country becoming “tropical country” that has only 2 seasons, raining season and dry season. Typical tropical country tends to have higher ability to grow many types of plants including fruits trees.
Indonesian has bigger chance to taste various range of fruits which feels like heaven-on-earth for fruit lovers. For newbies, here we represent to you, common fruits in Indonesia that you should try for at least once in your life.
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1. Durian
Durian has a very unique feature on its body which is a sharp thorn that lies on all over its skin surface. We must be careful when buying and holding durian because the thorns will torn us apart if we don’t hold it right.
For anyone who hasn’t tried, there’d only be love or hate for this fruit. It has creamy yellowish flesh.
Once you try it, you’ll either immediately love it or hate it. Because for some people, just by smelling durian scent from meters away, can possibly trigger nausea and they will most likely to cover their nose as fast as they can. Keep in mind that above all else, durian is still quite pricey and is such an exclusive fruit you need to try when you visit Indonesia!
2. Nangka – Jackfruit
Nangka is green on outside with yellow-reddish flesh of fruit inside that contains a sweet (nectar) liquid. This fruit is best consumed when it’s cold and fresh.
People usually add some nangka to their beverages to produce more fragrant drink, such as cendol drink, because nangka has a nice smell. They often turn nangka to chips, tempura nangka, juice, and any other snacks. The seed can be consumed as well, as an additional carbo resource for some people.
3. Cempedak
We can easily be found cempedak fruit grows a lot in South Sumatra, North Sumatra, Bangka Island and Belitung Island.
Actually, cempedak is not too far different from jackfruit/nangka but it has a sweeter taste than nangka. The trunk has a more fluid sap than the jackfruit stalk.
And is best to be eaten alone, or by turning it into another form of snacks. Cempedak only bear fruit once in a year, so you better find the right time to visit Indonesia if tasting cempedak is one on your bucket-list.
4. Manggis – Mangosteen
Manggis or Mangosteen also famous as “Queen of Tropical Fruit” according to its appearance around tropical countries only. When you go for to Europe or any other 4 seasons countries, mangosteen can be sold at a pretty high price and you will rarely find it at supermarket.
However, when you visit Indonesia, it’s a must to try this purplish red outside when ripe with white flesh inside, kind of fruit! You’ll surely love it for its sweet and a bit sour taste.
5. Kedondong
Most people use kedondong as an additional type of fruit to be added to “rujak”, Indonesian fruit salad with peanut sauce. It’s better to consume kedondong with a help from peanut sauce that tastes spicy, sweet, with a little sour and fresh sense to help us out compared with eating kedondong alone, because it tastes too sours.
You’re suggested to peel the skin off and chop it out by a knife first because kedondong has that smooth thorns inside its green yellowish flesh of fruit that we need to have a care for.
6. Jambu Air – Water Apple
As mentioned on its name, water apple casually has a watery white flesh of fruit with pink-reddish skin outside. This fruit can trippingly be found around the yard of someone’s houses on mostly all area of Indonesia.
Furthermore, It’s a perfect fruit for “rujak” (Mixing fruit), to accompany kedondong, young sour mango, and pineapple.
7. Jamblang
Jamblang can’t be categorized as common fruit in Indonesia, because we need a little more effort to uncover this fruit and not all of supermarket sell it.
The jamblang tree has a sturdy wooden character, a roughly elliptical leafy texture, a fragrant greenish flower and has an oval-shaped fruit with a length up to 3.5 cm. The ripe fruit has a dark purple color and tastes delicious and tasty when being eaten.
8. Belimbing – Starfruit
Belimbing is such a common fruit in Indonesia that most of fruit lovers who love to eat fruits from their own yard, own belimbing tree.
Belimbing will grow with fertile when it gets enough water and sunlight because it produces such watery yellowish flesh of fruit that tastes sweet and sometimes sour according to what species it is.
9. Pisang – Banana
Banana is one of the most common fruit that can be easily found when we visit any supermarket or traditional market here in Indonesia, at any seasons.
Banana has a creamy flesh of fruit, suitable to substitute carbo and boost up your energy especially in the morning. Can be consumed as snacks when we’re in a diet supervision. Read more about History of Indonesian Coffee, Typical Dishes in Indonesia, and What to Experience in Indonesia
10. Rambutan
Rambutan has quite unique form with a hairy reddish outside skin and a white and sweet endocarp. Trees with ripe fruit are very interesting because rambutan usually produces a lot of fruits when it’s the time.
On the other hand, the seasonal growth of this ripe fruit is in December to March, and also known as “rambutan season”. Read more about Fruit of Indonesia
11. Dukuh
Dukuh forms like an orange which have several separated fruits inside one outside skin.
Therefore, when we peel it, we’ll see those separated fruits form a circle that finally wrapped up with its outside skin.
Meanwhile, Dukuh taste sweet when ripe, and you can come finding at “dukuh season” that happens once a year.
12. Kecapi (Santol)
Kecapi (Santol) fruit is one type of rare fruit that has a flat shape with a diameter of about 5-6 cm. This fruit skin is golden yellow and has fine hair. This fruit has a sweet and sour taste.
The flesh on the outside has a red color, while the fruit flesh inside is relatively soft with white. The thick lute meat is usually processed into sweets. Read more about Main Crops in Indonesia
13. Sawo Kecik
Sawo Kecik originally comes from Java. According to Javanese philosophy, this fruit is identified with “sarwo becik” which means all good. In Yogyakarta, the sapodilla fruit is a sign that the people who planted it is the “abdi dalem” in a palace.
The sapodilla fruit has an oval shape with a length of about 3-4 cm. This fruit has a very thin wrapping skin, making it easy to peel.
14. Nanas – Pineapple
Nanas is on of those favorite tropical fruits for any fruit lovers out there. Nanas grows in fertile in Indonesia, and that’s why here the prices isn’t so expensive and you can find it almost in any nearest market around you.
As we all know, nanas/pineapple has that unique crown-like topper leaves with textured yellowish outside skin when ripe. It tastes so fresh and best to consume when the weather is hot and sunny.
15. Salak
Salak has a cone-like top with sharp and brownish scaly skin. Its flesh of fruit is white with big fruit seed inside. The tastes are according to which species it is. Some species taste sweet, and the others might be a little sour.
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Others:
Besides fruits that already been mentioned above, Indonesia still hides a lot type of unique fruits you rarely seen anywhere else. Here are some of it:
- Carica
- Kesemek
- Lai
- Matoa
- Menteng
Hopefully what we inform you here can be used as reference if you still feel clueless on what to eat in Indonesia. Couples of these common fruits in Indonesia might require a little effort to get, but surely going to worth your attempt on getting it. Happy exploring new taste of fruits!
