Tropical Fruits in Vietnam

Papaya - Đu Đủ The papaya originated in Central America, and came to the Philippines during the Spanish occupation of this country. The fruit eventually spread throughout South-East Asia. The papaya tree bears only either male or female flowers with the female tree producing the fruits. Consequently, the male tree must be close by to pollinate the female flowers. The fruits are large, weighing up to 9 kg and often look like a large squash. The skin is thin like those of the watermelon and turns from green to yellow and orange as the fruit ripens. The flesh of the papaya may be yellow, orange, or reddish orange and has a consistency of a very ripe (soft) cantaloupe. Papayas are sweet and are used as dessert. In Vietnam, a popular dish using green papaya is "gỏi đu đủ bò khô", a salad like dish with shredded green papaya and shredded beef jerky eaten with a special hot sauce.
	Guava - Ổi The guava originated in the tropical region of the Americas and reached South-East Asia in the 17th century. Guava fruits are either round or pear-shaped, with thin dark green skin which becomes yellowish green as the fruits ripen. The fruits range from small tomato size to as large as 13 cm in length. Some Vietnamese like to eat the guava when it is not completely ripe. The flesh is crunchy much like eating a slice of apple. Sometime, the guava slice is dipped in a mixture of salt and grounded red chili pepper. The Mekong Delta's Xá Lị variety is probably the most famous in all of Vietnam.
Waterapple - Roi or Mận The waterapple is native to the South-East Asia. The coloring of the fruit varies from pale green to ruby red. The waterapple is bell-shaped and is about 5 cm in diameter. The center of the fruit is hollow and is filled with woolly fibers and brown seeds. The waterapple has a slightly acid flavor and can be very sour. Vietnamese often use the waterapplase as offerings at the altar because of their vibrant colors.