We had rambutan today for snack. It’s a fun, spooky looking fruit!

Rambutan is a fruit native to Southeast Asia.

It grows in a tree that can reach up to 80 feet (27 meters) in height and thrives best in tropical climates, such as in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Rambutan got its name from the Malay word for hair because the golf-ball-sized fruit has a hairy red and green shell. Its unmistakable appearance is often compared to that of a sea urchin (1).

The fruit is related to the lychee and longan fruits and has a similar appearance when peeled. Its translucent white flesh has a sweet yet creamy taste and contains a seed in its middle.