Strange Fruit from the Philippines

@bingbabe has been buying these strange looking fruit parcels from the local Filipino store. As a native English person I would not generally be exposed to this kind of fruit but in one of the cases, I’m glad I was.

The purple looking things with green stalks are called Purple Mangosteen and are a seasonal fruit. They are expensive as hell at £4 for a single pack (7 in a pack), and are in big demand from the local community.

It seems that everyone wants to buy these and you can only have your quota when a delivery is made! This tells me something very important. They must taste really good.

Opening one of these up reveals segmented sections of white fruit that resemble a ‘fat white arse’ if I had to describe it. They do taste really good, very sweet and fresh.

The other pack of fruit looks like oversized nuts but are squashy and more yielding. I have always called these ‘sweaty balls’ as the insides resemble what I would imagine them to be.

I am one for giving things names, so you will have to excuse me on that front. The official name for this fruit is actually Lanzones. These are even more expensive than the 'fat white arse' fruits. You get more for your money I suppose.

The taste of Lanzones is also sweet but not really to my taste. I have had some that are a little sour and so I always pass when offered these.

The last picture looks like a bowl of monkey nuts, and you would be absolutely right as that is just what it is. The difference is that these have been boiled and so are now ‘cooked nuts’. The local name for these is ‘Mani’ but I can’t find a reference for them.

@bingbabe informs me that she can remember eating these while very young in the Philippines, and consuming them reminds her of home.

What is my take on the cooked nuts? They taste a little watery, which is not surprising as they have been boiled. She’s vigorously munching on these but I think I may prefer my nuts raw. Don’t take that the wrong way now!