As a fruit addict, I can’t get through a day without chomping on some kind of fruit. And since the lychee and persimmon seasons are over (insert sad face here), I’ve been trying something new called Longkong (aka. langsat, from the Lansium domesticum tree), which are mainly grown in Thailand and SE Asia.

These round and speckled fruits come in tight bunches and resemble small potatoes, but when you peel them open, the insides look a bit like a segmented lychee.

These ain’t no potatoes

You can pop the whole thing in your mouth and chew (the texture is a bit firmer than a lychee and slightly less juicy), but watch out as there might be one or two seeds hidden within the segments.

All washed up

If you happen to bite into the seed, it’ll taste quite bitter, but if you avoid it, the longkong is a mix of sweet and sour, with a tinge of lime. It’s actually quite addictive, much like lychees, but the bitter taste now and then can be a little off putting too.

Shiny happy longkong

Also, the skin of the longkong tends to leak out some sap, which makes your fingers super tacky afterwards. Normal soap won’t be able to wash this away, so make sure you use some body/massage oil afterwards to get rid of the stickiness.

Healthwise, longkongs are a good source of phosphorus and vitamin C, but they are also high in natural sugars, so (note to self) don’t eat toooooo many!