RAMBUTAN

In the months of July and August, fruit stalls and door-to-door vendors in many Southeast Asian cities present an extra colorful picture. The reason for this is the bunches of a strange-looking oval fruit with bright crimson or yellow skin covered with short fleshy hairs rambutan is in season, and plentiful. Inside the rambutan is a narrow seed covered with semi-transparent flesh, which is crisp and mainly sweet. Be careful not to bite too deeply or the flesh will come away complete with the tough, papery skin of the seed attached, and that is not rambutan at its best.

Nibble daintily and detach only the succulent flesh. Then you are enjoying rambutan as seasoned veterans do. Rambutans make a lovely addition to a selection of dessert fruit. Leave some whole for guests to admire. Slit the skins and lift off half the shells of the rest; or make 4 equally spaced slits three-quarters of the length of the fruit to the stem end. Spread the sections like petals, making the flesh accessible and giving those who have not encountered the fruit before a hint of what lies within. Rambutan can be enjoyed to the fullest by eating it raw.