10 weird and quirky fruits you must try now

Did you know that India is the world’s second largest producer of fruits? Fruits are the healthiest foods that you can add to your daily diet. There are many rare, nutrient-rich fruits in the world. From large fruits like melons to small fruits like cherries, they come in different shapes, colours, sizes and are grown in different climate conditions. Sometimes you don’t even know a fruit is edible until you find out! Here is a list of the rarest fruits that should be included in your diet:

Carambola or Star Fruit is a fruit with a waxy-skin which is grown all over India but, especially, in the Southern parts. Grown in the months of September-October and January-February, India is the largest producer of this fruit in the world. When they are unripe, they are lime green in colour and sour to taste whereas ripened ones have a distinctly yellow colour.

This tropical fruit has a thick leathery purple-maroon outer shell that surrounds a moist, snow-white, flesh and sweet fleshy interior. This fruit is mellow and earthy and has a taste similar to mangoes. It is also the National Fruit of Thailand. The edible part of mangosteen has a small triangular shape and has a plethora of medicinal properties.

A small, translucent, orb-shaped fruit, Langsat is grown throughout Southern and Eastern India, especially in the Nilgiri Hills. When unripe, this fruit taste sour but once it is completely ripened, it tastes similar to grapefruit.

Chalta, also known as Elephant Apple thrives in the wet soil and semi-tropical forests. This fruit is mostly grown in Assam, Kolkata, Bihar, Odisha and the sub-Himalayan tract. Mildly sweet and acidic to taste, they are a major food source for elephants, monkeys and deers.

It is a temperate fruit grown in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Nilgiri hills. Japani Phal is an exotic fruit that is deep orange-red colored and luscious and is quite similar in appearnce to a tomato. Over consumption of this fruit may be harmful for teeth health. It came from China in the early 20th century.

This fruit is often confused with Tamarind, Jungli Jalebi is a purplish-green fruit that has a coiled structure just like a Jalebi. It contains about 6-10 shinning black seeds enveloped in a thick edible pulp. They are commonly grown in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. The pulp can be eaten raw or used in making amazing drinks and curries.

Cherimoya is native to South America, specifically Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. It is filled with a soft, custard-like white flesh that gives it the nickname “custard apple" and it tastes like a mixture of pineapple, strawberry, pear, and banana. This green coloured irregular oval shaped fruit weighs up to 500 grams. Loaded with vitamins and antioxidants this fruit is very beneficial to the immunity of the body.

Chakotras came to India from Balavia in Indonesia. This fruit is a member of the citrus family and its taste is like that of a sour Grapefruit. In the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, locals tie this fruit on their waste and perform a dance known as a 'Pomelo Dance'.

An exotic fruit, Buddha’s hand also known as Fingered Citron looks like a lumpy lemon with elongated, yellow tentacles resembling gnarled human fingers. It has a mild yet zesty flavour and is a great aromatic fruit. Believed to have originated in the lower Himalayas, it contains no pulp or juice.

Also called wild mango, ambarella is grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharastra, Kerala and Goa. It has an acidic taste of an unripe mango and sweetness of pineapple. You can create a lot of amazing dishes from it such as juice, pickle and flavouring in cocktails. Sprinkle a dash of salt and red chili powder on the raw slices and you are good-to-go!