Cheap but Good Fruits of Thailand

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

When I first arrived in Thailand, I thought fruit was expensive and not too plentiful in variety. The reason I had this impression is that I had at first been looking only in the supermarkets, or the chain stores.

Recently, I have found the best place to buy fruits is on the street.

For example, one package of any type of fruits is usually 10 Baht for the "small" plastic bag, and 20 Baht for the large. I am not sure what the weight is, but either one is a fairly good portion size.

Today, I had 10 Baht of Papaya, 10 each of Pineapple, honeydew, and another melon I could not identify.

These are sliced and very clean, and are prepared by the street seller, with white gloved hands. In some countries we must be wary of buying fruits on the street, due to tainted water or poor hygiene. This is not the case here, and I have never gotten sick in the past two months.

Where else can you get such good and delicious food so cheaply? If one were in NYC, for example, what would this cost on the streets of Manhattan? I shudder.

What kind of fruits are in season during the different seasons of the year here, does anyone know? I have not been here long enough to find out.

OK, here is my favorite: This is sort of like a grapefruit in size and texture, but it is far bettr in flavor, according to my taste buds, and I can detect a slight licorice subtlety to it. I have seen these in Thailand already prepared in styrene bottoms and clear plastic film on top, but the fruit looks greenish yellow when on the tree,and has a very, very thick and tough skin. This fruit is almost too difficult for me to bother with if I must prepare it myself, but if someone else does it for me then I can eat about 6 of them, which must be about 3 quarts of fruit I would guess.

There is very little more pleasing than the fruit in Thailand, but you just need to get out there and buy some.

I can't speak Thai, but I just need to point because all the fruits are sitting on ice in the cart.

What are your favorites and what are the various fruits of the different seasons here?

Thank you.

Edited February 22, 2014 by CzarThustraThusSpake

[RandomSand]

- Mangosteen, when in season, is cheap and and plentiful. Very sweet and fragrant. B20 per kilo off the back of a truck.

- Longan is a very popular fruit also. (this one is like a dry lychee) (Lam Yai). In this family is also two others; Rambutan and Lichee.

- Mangoes are too expensive imho (compared to Malaysia) but who can resist them

Widespread availability of good fruit is one of Thailand's blessings.

The large grapefruit you mention is called Pomelo. Pomelo is considered to be 'king of the citrus fruit kingdom'.

[BakHamLe]

Mangosteen is the best fruit in the world. It's called mang-kut in Thai. Push your thumb into the side to crAck it open and enjoy!

Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WitawatWatawit]

I love those fruit carts that are dotted around the place. I give the sellers my happiest smile because they've put themselves out there to make a buck and provide a service that is greatly appreciated. And at a bloody good price (in relative terms). Long may they reign. All hail to the fruit sellers. Blessed they who sell fruit.

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

Right. Pomelo.

Also, in Thailand, this fruit seems to be better than in other places where I have tried it.

Does anyone else have the thought that there is a very slight licorice flavor to the fruit?

Truly, I do love it. (Just as long as someone else does the peeling and separating work.)

[oiboy]

If you do get a whole pomelo save the skin and throw it in a room that reeks. My mother-in-law does this when people smoke in a room and 20 minutes later no odour. Natural Febreeze:)

Lately I've been big on sapodilla fruit and mangosteens.

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

If you do get a whole pomelo save the skin and throw it in a room that reeks. My mother-in-law does this when people smoke in a room and 20 minutes later no odour. Natural Febreeze:)

Lately I've been big on sapodilla fruit and mangosteens.

Also, have you noticed that people who are big smokers do not eat much fruit, nor drinkers either. Maybe the enjoyment of the fruit is lost on the smokers due to their diminished tasting capabilities. Drinkers do enjoy grapes we know. (I am making, obviously, a generalization. But it is also made from personal experience with the tobacco plant, and smoking it. I just had no interest nor enjoyment in eating fruit, and I have heard the same from smokers and drinkers.)

Edited February 22, 2014 by CzarThustraThusSpake

[Kitsune]

The answer to this magical trick is chemicals

Thailand is now importing more than 160,000 tonnes of farm chemicals a year, costing the country about 22 billion baht. -

http://puraorganic.org/about-70-of-chemical-pesticides-used-in-thailand-are-highly-hazardous-and-banned-in-the-west/#sthash.WfFAvsqe.dpuf

Edited February 22, 2014 by Kitsune

[David48]

The answer to this magical trick is chemicals

Thailand is now importing more than 160,000 tonnes of farm chemicals a year, costing the country about 22 billion baht. -

http://puraorganic.org/about-70-of-chemical-pesticides-used-in-thailand-are-highly-hazardous-and-banned-in-the-west/#sthash.WfFAvsqe.dpuf

We have a variety of fruit trees around the Farm ... guaranteed no chemicals are used there!

Occasional dog marking his spot ... but that's about it.

The Mango Tree is flushed with flowers earlier last month ... I hope that translates in fruit ...

[CaptHaddock]

My current favorite fruit is lamut. Hard to find, but cheap if you do. Not too sweet. Maprangs are very good too, and will be available in the hot season. Those are not cheap however.

[zeichen]

"Mangoes are too expensive imho (compared to Malaysia) but who can resist them "

Not when they are in season. Mangoes are usually 25-30 baht a kilo when in season.

I usually buy my fruit whole and slice myself but I buy for a whole family. If I were single, then the 10 baht packages would be alright, but they are not cheap. A melon costs about 20 baht but the slices you buy are 1/8 of the fruit.

Pomelo is really wonderful.

One of the most interesting fruits I have eaten is Lamut, It is a dark musty smelling fruit. There is truly nothing it is like. It kind of reminds me if sandalwood had fruit it might taste like it.

The only fruit, I miss here is Cherry. I just cannot get myself to spend 250 baht a kilo for them but I do love them.

[krisb]

Tropical fruits are delicious. Another although not a fruit is Thai corn on cob, very white compared to Australian corn.

My wife loves durian. I think only available around christmas time? Weird thing was she ate it 2 months after giving birth and had a strange reaction to it. Don't know why but never had that before.

[CharlieH]

One of the reasons I like Thailand, I can walk around the garden and get Bananas, Mango, Papaya, Lime, Chilli's, Lemongrass, and something called Jackfruit and "Som Or" its like a white orange but tastes like a mix of orange and grapefruit. All delicious and all FREE

Bananas and Papaya seem to grow like weeds at the side of the roads and paths around my village / area, one of the benefits of living in the countryside.

[Bkungbank]

IMported fruits like orange,apple,grape, berries are very expensive as tax are high I think government should abolish these taxes for sake health of the people. I agree liquor and cigarette impose heavy taxes but these fruits should not be tax.

[Bluetongue]

So cheap you cant resist, ie in season ngor (rambutan), mangosteen, linchee (lychee). farang (guava), and I must mention

longan (lamyai) which I can walk around and pick off the tree for 6 months of the year just about coz I grow it, cultivating

170 trees this year, not organically I'm afraid.

Plus man was meant to eat fruit that woman (ok anyone) cut and sliced and put in bag with stick

[Kitsune]

Pesticides Threaten Thailand’s Reputation as Food Exporter

http://www.voanews.com/content/pesticides-threaten-thailands-reputation-as-food-exporter/1519985.html

[namdocmai]

Cherry for 250 baht a kg? In BKK 5-600 a kg. 250 is very cheap.

I grow my own tropical cherry's in BKK, have 4 different ones now from Brasil.

Pomelo can differ in variety/taste. Some are very good, others less good. I grow the ruby red tubtim Siam which costs 300 baht a piece in BKK and is the best.

I grow much more different fruits from South america, Hawaii, Australia, Africa and so on. Thailand has a great climate for them.

Durian is availlable all year in BKK, also longan and also mango but they are expensive out of season.

This is what i grow http://www.tropical-exotic-seeds-and-plants.com/storefront/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&zenid=0d452f56b1d9d17eaca42170e87060e6

You can order seeds if you like and have them tomorrow. Up to you.

[Kitsune]

Cherry for 250 baht a kg? In BKK 5-600 a kg. 250 is very cheap.

I grow my own tropical cherry's in BKK, have 4 different ones now from Brasil.

Pomelo can differ in variety/taste. Some are very good, others less good. I grow the ruby red tubtim Siam which costs 300 baht a piece in BKK and is the best.

I grow much more different fruits from South america, Hawaii, Australia, Africa and so on. Thailand has a great climate for them.

Durian is availlable all year in BKK, also longan and also mango but they are expensive out of season.

This is what i grow http://www.tropical-exotic-seeds-and-plants.com/storefront/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&zenid=0d452f56b1d9d17eaca42170e87060e6

You can order seeds if you like and have them tomorrow. Up to you.

Does not it take years to grow a fully fruiting cherry tree from seeds?

[namasata]

I like passion fruit the best.

[Ulysses G.]

It took quite a few years for me to enjoy durian, but I really like it now. It iis never really cheap,, but around June and July it is cheaper and better than the rest of the year.

[seajae]

mangoes here dont have a hold against aussie bowen mangoes, they are very different but the pineapples are the best in the world. Mangosteens are simply to die for and will be in season soon enough and all the other fruit is great(even durian). I have passionfruit from Australia growing here(the bigger yellow ones, grown from seed) as it is so hard top find good ones, mandarins are a bit different in taste but still ok too. When I was first here years ago our friend took us through the fruit market in Bangkok and we got to taste virtually everything in there, brilliant, since then I have tried different varieties of fruit everywhere I go and love it. Even found a mangoe that tastes nutty, small for a mangoe but really nice taste, I guess its just what you get used to. Pomellos are nice if you get a good one and there is another citrus type fruit that is flatter(orange sort of colour about the same size as an orange too) and also tastes pretty good but again very different. I think ther fruit in Thailand is fantastic and eat it as often as I can when in season.

[zeichen]

I grow acerola cherries. Sour but really good and have a huge amount of vitamin C.

Planting fruit from seeds can sometimes be hit or miss. Often the tree if it does grow will be sterile and won't fruit. Cuttings or grafts usually are the best ways to grow fruit trees.

Usually will take about 5-10 years for a tree to grow from seed to fully fruiting. You can force grow a tree and get fruite in 2-3 years but it can stunt the growth.

I had a wonderful lynchee that fruited at 3 years. It gave about 2 kilos of the sweetest fruit, however it hasn't fruited in the past 5 years after that. I will probably have to create a nutrient/fertilizer cycle. I also will prune it back and thin out the top branches so each branch has more air circulation. It just takes time and more effort than I have right now.

[namdocmai]

Yes that takes many years. 2-3-7 for some fruits. I have loads of fruit-tree's now and most from South America. The Thai fruits i can buy on the markets.

Bowen the best of Oz? I thought Kensington Pride was that but i never tasted them. Then why didn't you bring some seeds to Thailand?

I also have many mango's from abroad, now my ndm tree has about 10 different mango's on it.

How about Amber jackfruit from Oz compared to Thai jacks?? I have it growing since some weeks. Also marang, fijian longan, achacha, pulasan and much more.

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

My current favorite fruit is lamut. Hard to find, but cheap if you do. Not too sweet. Maprangs are very good too, and will be available in the hot season. Those are not cheap however.

I will buy the first lamut I see, and this is one more fruit I have yet to try. I am sure they do not grow these at Princeton or Yale, but I do see that this fruit occurs in literature as well as in Thailand.

Someone here mentioned that it is very costly in ag chemicals to grow this fruit, so I do hope that now that I have discovered the fruit carts that the price will not be rising dramatically. I have heard that exports of fruit from Thailand to China are selling well, and I will enjoy it here while it lasts.

Edited February 23, 2014 by CzarThustraThusSpake

[robertthebruce]

I am a strict Vegetarian, and living in ''Thailand'' is fantastic for me..

There is such a vast range of Fruit and Vegetables that i can eat..

I am more than happy to eat Raw Fruit and Veg, as i find, that the ''Thai Cooking'' they tend to oversalt and oversugar food, so for me its best avoided, unless its a Restaurant that i know is ''Health Conscious''..

But , could live on the fruit, amazing for sure..

Favourite has to be ''Mangosteen'' or ''Pomelo''....

And as for the price, cheap as chips.....

[RajendarMangalagiri]

If you do get a whole pomelo save the skin and throw it in a room that reeks. My mother-in-law does this when people smoke in a room and 20 minutes later no odour. Natural Febreeze:)

Lately I've been big on sapodilla fruit and mangosteens.

Also, have you noticed that people who are big smokers do not eat much fruit, nor drinkers either. Maybe the enjoyment of the fruit is lost on the smokers due to their diminished tasting capabilities. Drinkers do enjoy grapes we know. (I am making, obviously, a generalization. But it is also made from personal experience with the tobacco plant, and smoking it. I just had no interest nor enjoyment in eating fruit, and I have heard the same from smokers and drinkers.)

Very Correct, Czar.

I'm a moderate smoker & drinker.

Don't care much for fruits, but love grapes!

[Aforek]

I like saparot ( 10 bahts one kg , bought from the producer's pickup ) and Malay apple ( chom phu in thai language ), 25 bahts one kilo on market ( I never buy my fruits in super market, and I have noticed they are cheaper early in morning market or on talat nat )

[Robby nz]

Always have to smile when I see the word 'fruits'.

In the English language fruit has no plural.

In NZ fruits are........................well lets say ladyboys would qualify.

But anyway I don't eat enough, mostly bananas with breakfast and the occasional other.

Note to self, must eat more, fruit that is not fruits.

[Aforek]

Always have to smile when I see the word 'fruits'.

In the English language fruit has no plural.

In NZ fruits are........................well lets say ladyboys would qualify.

But anyway I don't eat enough, mostly bananas with breakfast and the occasional other.

Note to self, must eat more, fruit that is not fruits.

Thank you for the English lesson; I ignored that there is no plurial for fruits ( in French, my language, we say fruit and fruits )

by the way, I have checked on the Internet, and I have learnt that "fruits " means "gay"; good to know

[namdocmai]

Very interesting how you call a ladyboy in New Zealand.... (NOT).

Even wikipedia uses the word fruitS so i continue using it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_culinary_fruits

I like to see fruits growing when i look in my garden. At the moment i see mango's, passionfruits, pomelo, sugarapples hanging on the tree's but in a few years i hope to see abiu's, avocado's, pulasans, marangs, jaboticaba's, cambui, achacha's and much more.

Thai pineapples are really great at the moment, i like the small ones the most. Also mangosteen is on the markets again now and the yellow jackfruits are also very sweet at the moment. Many days i eat fruit for lunch and i love it.