Food of the Day: pulasan

I'd seen these luxurious-looking fruits around in Malaysia and Singapore, and thought they were a posh variety of rambutan. In fact they're frighteningly similar, but apparently not the same fruit (though a related family).

The name pulasan comes from the Malay word pulas which means twisting - the act which opens the fruit. These guys vary in size from hen's egg to small cricket ball. The deep purple/red skin is thicker than that of a rambutan, with blunt 'spikes' that have an almost velvety appearance. Inside the fruit looks almost exactly the same as a rambutan, with identical shape, colour and stone inside. But the flesh is juicer and a the flavour a little more watery. (For those who haven't tried rambutans, they're not dissimilar from lychees, but with a more tangy, slightly less sugary taste.) 

 

Price-wise, in Singapore at least, these guys cost me a lot more than rambutans do (possibly partly because they are bigger / heavier, so you get less fruits for your cash?) Definitely good to try, though!