Strange fruits you've never heard of from around the world! From the sacred fruit of Buddhist monks to the rotting stink of a tropical favorite


#14 Carambola
Often called a star fruit for it’s distinct pointed ridges, the Carambola is native to Indonesia, the Philippines, and other nearby regions. Used as an ingredient for a variety of juices, preserves, and relishes, the carambola is entirely edible. It’s yellow-tinged, translucent flesh is sour in the small breeds and sweet in the larger ones, but overall they have a tart and subtle taste. The skin of the carambola is thin and waxy, taking on different shades of yellow when ripe. Another particular feature of this produce is its gelatinous layer of goo known as aril that coats and protects about a dozen seeds per fruit.
#13 Peria
Often found in tropical climates, the Peria fruit is also known as the aptly named bitter melon. Recognizable by its bumpy, wart-like exterior and strange elongated shape, the innards of this fruit are spongy and surround big, flattened seeds. Unlike most other fruit, the peria can be eaten fresh or ripened, with the preferred stage of consumption dependant on the species. The Chinese peria, for example, is best when still mostly green and has a crunchy, hydrating texture resemblant of a cucumber except bitter. The flesh in this state remains a plain off-white. Other variations, however, taste best when allowed to ripen fully, when the skin of the fruit turns yellow and peels back, revealing sweet and juicy red pulp beneath. In addition to its culinary uses, this fruit has been used traditionally in herbal remedies and medicinal concoctions across the globe.
#12 Persimmon
Mostly popular in Asia, the Persimmon can be found around the world with varieties also harvested regularly in Mexico, the Philippines, and American Midwest. The fruit comes from tall trees that reach heights of anywhere between 15 and 60 feet. The flesh of the persimmon is dry and pucker-inducing until ripe when it produces its yellow-orange or orange-brown complexion. The fully developed taste is sweet and high in glucose for this fruit which is technically, albeit surprisingly, classified as a berry.

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