We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Search. The rambutan, lychee, and longan are known for the white colour of their flesh, with each fruit having an inedible dark coloured seed that lies in the middle. The skin is the most brittle, and once removed, the sight of the flesh and seed give the impression of an “eye”. Although the rambutan, lychee, and longan fruits have their similarities, there are quite a few distinct, and subtle, differences between them. — Written by Annette McDermott — … Lychee martinis have been hitting the scene for a few years now and remain a pretty popular beverage, but there is definitely more to the lychee than meets the eye. Possessing a stronger flavour, the longan is more tart than the other fruits. The rambutan, which is the largest of the three fruits, is thought to be native to Malaysia, with the name – rambutan – being from the Malay language. When I first started visiting Southeast Asia back in the 1990’s – yes, a long time ago now, trying to navigate the endless stalls of fresh and exotic fruits, many I’d never seen before, was a tricky, fun, and usually a very messy experience. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 30 points. As a result, the competition is fierce which means the quality of dishes is outstanding. The lychee’s seed is significantly darker than the seed of the rambutan. The lychee is native to the southern regions of China, and is believed to have been grown for over 2,000 years. en. Canned lychees are readily available. The white flesh of the lychee, although similar in looks to the rambutan, is not as sweet or creamy to the tongue, with a crisper bite to the fruit’s flesh. Food Experiences in Kuala Lumpur Jalan Alor: Top Food Experiences in Kuala […], Malacca (Melaka) is a city with a fascinating history and the Malacca food is fascinating in itself. I will do more research in this area. The longan fruit is the smallest in the bunch and has a distinct light brown coloration. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. There was one set of fruits that were harder to distinguish between than others, because they all looked similar to each other. This has led to the longan fruit also being known as Dragon Eye Fruit. The history of the longan is less clear cut with some thoughts that it originated in the mountains that lie between Myanmar and China, although it is recognised that the fruit originated somewhere within the wider region. The key distinguishing feature of the rambutan is the hair-like prongs that stick out from the shell. These days, the Chinese province of Guangdong is known as the “Kingdom of the Lychee”, due to the quality and sheer volume of lychee production. The rambutan is the largest of the 3 fruits, usually being the size of a golf ball. The trees on which they are grown do not reach nearly as tall as the ones lychee stem from, growing to only about 10-20 feet in height. Find out which is better and their overall performance in the fruit ranking. The Roaming Fork is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au. Lychees are smaller in size than the rambutan, but have the similar red tinge to the shell, which is rougher to the touch than the other two fruits. The Rambutan vs lychee vs longan conundrum? These night markets not only offer you a chance to try some of Penang’s famous food, there are always plenty of goods to buy, the variety only limited to the […]. While both have white flesh inside, rambutan tastes sweet and creamy, and lychee has a sweet and tart taste similar to a red grape. Overview Nutrition facts + Add to comparison. And what made the rambutan vs lychee vs longan conundrum more difficult, was that each fruit had its own harvesting timeframe, meaning it was hard to line them all up against each  other at once. When I first started visiting Southeast Asia back in the 1990’s – yes, a long time ago now, trying to navigate the endless stalls of fresh and exotic fruits, many I’d never seen before, was a tricky, fun, and usually a very messy experience. HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. Longan fruit are usually sold still attached to the branch. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. And I’ve read that although, by themselves, each fruit has its own unique taste, this disparity in flavour is removed when mixed in an alcoholic drink – lychee martini anyone? Whether a bustling “wet” market, a Penang flea market, a Penang souvenir market, experiencing Malaysia’s hawker food at one of the Penang night […], The Best Penang Night Markets Penang night markets are great places to socialize in the relative cool of the evening. Longan… The sun dried lychee is well known as lychee-nut and this was the only form in which lychees were available prior to about 1950. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The longan does not require the addition of sugar and retains flavour better than lychee or rambutan. Vietnamese fruit is grown all over the country due to its diverse climate, with a majority coming from the food bowl of […], Food experiences in Kuala Lumpur. Now that I’m based in Vietnam, the task is somewhat easier these days, but for first time visitors to this country, or to the wider Southeast Asian region, the similarities and differences between rambutan, lychee, and longan may not be as obvious. smartphones laptops tablets News. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development.