Rambutan is a rather exotic fruit. What is the name alone worth? If you don’t yet know what it is, be sure to read the information below. After all, getting to know this exotic can be very useful.

The fruit has a very specific appearance. It is somewhat similar to a walnut, but not smooth, but covered with hairs that extend in different directions. But inside it has tender and juicy pulp and a bone no more than two centimeters in size.

The hairs are usually stiff and the skin is red or white. The fruit is most common in Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. It grows on a tree that can reach 25 meters in height.

What taste and smell does it have?

Do you want to know what rambutan tastes like before you buy the delicacy in the store? It can be very sweet or with some sourness.

The taste of ripe fruit will differ depending on the variety.

Until it is cut, the rambutan fruit does not emit any odor, but once you open it, you will notice an aroma somewhat reminiscent of blue grapes.

Chemical composition and calorie content of rambutan

In addition to its unusual and bright appearance, the fruit can boast of another advantage - a large amount of useful substances.

• It contains B vitamins.
• The pulp of the fruit also contains vitamin A, which has a positive effect on vision and skin condition.
• A large amount of vitamin C contained in exotic fruits protects against colds. Just 100 grams of pulp already contains seven percent of the daily requirement of ascorbic acid.

It also contains a lot of minerals: sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and manganese are present in abundance in the rambutan pulp.

This fruit is not as high in calories as a banana, but it cannot compare with an apple. In 100 grams of the edible part there are already 82 calories. Moreover, the fruit contains the most water and carbohydrates – 18 grams. Proteins and fats are practically absent - less than 0.5 grams for every hundred grams.

Rambutan: beneficial properties and contraindications

It is believed that the beneficial properties of rambutan are better preserved if you buy it directly from the branches.

Residents of Thailand are confident that they should consume at least five fruits per day, which will almost completely eliminate the risk of cancer.

There are no contraindications to consuming the fruit. Unless the digestive tract, which is not accustomed to it, which has never received such food before, may react unexpectedly, for example, with diarrhea or pain.

Allergies are also possible. To exclude it, you need to try a small piece of an exotic fruit and wait a while.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, the peel of the fruit is mainly used. But first they process it in a special way.

• The skin is crushed into small pieces.
• Place in a container of boiling water.
• Once half the liquid has evaporated, remove the peel pieces and squeeze them into another clean bowl.

What comes out is used as a healing drink.

You can also drink the decoction. To make it, not only the peel is used, but also roots, shoots and leaves. It is useful for nursing women as it stimulates lactation. In addition, it relieves headaches and helps wounds heal faster. Rinsing your mouth with this product will relieve abscesses, stomatitis and inflammation of the gums. It is recommended to take it twice a day.

Criteria for choosing ripe rambutan

It is very difficult to choose fresh and ripe fruit on our shelves. But if you set a goal, everything will work out. The main thing is to pay attention to some nuances.

• To tell if a fruit is fresh, be sure to look at its color. It should be bright red, rich with slightly greenish, but very elastic hairs.
• If the fruit in front of you is soft, its skin is dull, even slightly wrinkled, and the hairs are completely withered or fallen, and even yellow in color, then feel free to refuse the purchase. All these signs indicate that the rambutan is not fresh.

It is best to enjoy this fruit in the country where it is sold.

Because after a couple of days it begins to deteriorate and it is very difficult to bring it to our countries in its original form. You can store rambutan in the refrigerator, where it will “last” for about a week.

How to properly peel and eat fruit

You finally purchased such a curiosity, and now you look at it and wonder how to eat rambutan and how to free it from the skin? First of all, carefully examine the fruit. It has a natural seam that divides it in half. In this area, pull the skin in different directions so that the halves separate but remain in your hands. This way you can easily open it and enjoy the juicy pulp.

You can also use a knife. To do this, make a cut in the skin along the entire circumference, but do not cut through it completely. Pull and remove it - you will be left with pulp that you can bite off or eat all at once.

Please note that it is not recommended to consume the pit; it is quite bitter and not edible at all.

If you have visited an Asian country where rambutan grows and do not want to bother with cleaning it, you can look for already peeled fruits on sale. But do not forget that this way the fruit spoils faster and is inferior to the unpeeled fruit in terms of usefulness and, perhaps, even in taste.

Rambutan is very interesting. You can prepare various dishes from it, for example, make jam, syrup, sauce and even make ice cream. And the fruit seed is used to make oils, soaps and scented candles.

Rambutan is an example of true exoticism: the unusual taste and external “hairy” appearance of the fruit will alert anyone who is accustomed to plump and ruddy apples. But in Southeast Asia, rambutan is loved and revered, romantic legends are created about it, national dishes are prepared, and medicines made from it are sold in pharmacies. It is no coincidence that many tourists bring home from Thailand not only magnets and beach outfits, but also spectacular bouquets of rambutan.

A little history

For those who have never seen rambutan in person, the photo will show a strange, furry fruit that looks like a small hairy egg. But behind the intimidating outer shell lies a creamy flesh with a delicate taste, reminiscent of green ladyfingers.

The birthplace of the hairy fruit is Asia, but now rambutan plantations can be found in almost every country with a tropical climate. The leaders in the production and export of this oriental miracle are Thailand, India and Indonesia. Rambutan was actively discussed in the 18th century, when the Thai king Rama II praised the fruit in his treatise, noting that the fruit is ugly on the outside, but wonderful on the inside. It was this rambutan unusualness that found a response in Asian legends and myths.

One of the most romantic Thai legends - the eastern version of "Beauty and the Beast" - tells about Prince Sang Thong, who, for unknown reasons, hid his face under a rambutan mask and himself looked scary, dark and hairy. But the king’s beautiful youngest daughter - just like the shrewd Belle - saw all the prince’s charm and kind heart behind the mask and wanted to marry him. After the wedding, the young queen was rewarded handsomely - the prince really turned out to be smart, gentle, and also a rare handsome man.

How to grow rambutan at home?

The shaggy fruit grows on tall, spreading trees from 4 to 25 meters, and when ripe it actively changes color - from bright green to orange and bright red with green hairs. Rambutan grows very unusually - Wikipedia says that on trees the fruit is collected in large hairy clusters of up to 30 pieces. Considering that the fruits sometimes reach 4-6 cm in diameter, you can imagine what this tropical crop looks like on the branches...

The good news for extreme gardeners is that you can plant a fluffy tree at home, it won’t break through the roof, and will easily adjust to the height of your ceiling. It is easy to grow rambutan at home from an ordinary seed, but first check it for fertility. To do this, the bone needs to be wrapped in a wet cloth, closed in a container and hidden in a dark place. If after 10-14 days sprouts appear on it, everything is in order, you can plant homemade rambutan.

An exotic tree loves warmth and humidity, so the best place for it is an insulated balcony, a home greenhouse, or simply the sunniest room. To begin with, the seed is dug into a small container; after 2-3 months, when the oriental plant reaches 3-4 cm, you can move it to a larger pot. The main thing is not to forget to spray and water the rambutan well; even better, install a humidifier in the room. With proper care, in 3-5 years the Asian guest will give her first hairy harvest.

What are the benefits of hairy fruit?

Unlike many other tropical fruits that are ready to save you from literally all diseases (vitamin, etc.), rambutan is a fruit of a narrower focus. But this does not make it any less useful; on the contrary, in its “sphere” the furry oriental miracle works wonders.

Asians have long appreciated the ability of rambutan to treat the stomach and intestines - the fruit relieves stomach inflammation, stops mild indigestion and diarrhea. But if you decide to use this folk remedy on vacation, be careful - first, eat half the fruit and make sure that the body reacts normally to the exotic, otherwise you may get the opposite effect.

Rambutan is also an excellent product for the skin! Thai beauties love to use the elastic pulp for cosmetic masks, and many tourists agree with them. Rambutan masks restore freshness and elasticity to the face, but there is a little secret - the same effect can be achieved if you simply eat 3-4 hairy rambutan balls a day for a couple of weeks.

Rambutan has another amazing advantage - its beneficial properties and contraindications have been known for a long time, and the latter are practically non-existent. If you have never tried this unusual fruit, start with small doses, and if your stomach is satisfied, then you can enjoy rambutan in any quantity - there will be no harm.

It’s a pity that in our Russian market rambutan is not so popular in baskets

How to choose and eat rambutan?

Unlike protected by law, rambutan can easily be taken out of the country after a vacation and brought as a gift to friends. Especially for curious tourists in Thailand, rambutan branches are tied into small bouquets - romantic and convenient.

Choosing a hairy fruit at any eastern market is very simple - ripe fruits do not sit on the shelves. In Russian supermarkets the situation is more complicated - you can run into overripe or spoiled fruit. The correct rambutan is bright red in color, without cracks or stains, with fresh greenish hairs.

Many people are confused by the unusual appearance of the fruit, and the question arises: rambutan - how to eat this furry miracle correctly? On a ripe fruit, it is easy to find a thin seam along the skin: run a knife along it, and the fruit will easily separate into 2 halves.

Important advice - there is a bitter, inedible seed inside the rambutan, and you need to eat the fruit carefully so as not to inadvertently bite off the nasty seed.

Rambutan is stored in the refrigerator for only about a week, so it is best to eat the fruit immediately after purchase. Overstayed rambutan looks a little scary - a dark, hairy skin with a circle of translucent flesh peeking out.

Recipes with rambutan

Rambutan is quite popular in oriental cooking: fresh creamy pulp is added to cocktails and salads, and roasted meats are prepared. In Asian stores you can find canned rambutans, confitures and jams.

Our housewives have gotten used to using rambutan in familiar Russian recipes. This is what many people’s favorite crab salad with an exotic twist looks like:

You will need: a package of crab sticks 200 g, boiled rice 100 g, 500 g of fresh or canned rambutans, some herbs and mayonnaise.

Finely chop all the ingredients, mix and season with mayonnaise (sour cream). Decorate with basil on top.

Children's parties and romantic dinners will be decorated with rambutan ice cream.

You will need: 100 grams of any ice cream, 4 slices of pineapple, 4 rambutans, .

Place ice cream in a bowl, slices of rambutan around the edges, and pineapple on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

Tropical fruits are becoming popular not only in the countries where they grow, but also in Russian latitudes. One of the most beloved fruits by tourists visiting Southeast Asian countries is rambutan, a nut-like fruit with long soft spines. Due to the beneficial properties of the fruit and its unusual sweet taste, it can be consumed both raw and as an addition to various dishes.

What is rambutan

It is a tropical, jelly-like, fleshy fruit, the fruit of an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and countries with similar climates. The largest plantations are in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. The fruit is very popular in Africa, Australia and Central America. The fruits have a hairy shell, similar to the skin of a chestnut, and are red, orange or yellow. The peel of the fruit is inedible and must be removed before consumption.

Rambutan has an edible seed inside that tastes like an acorn. The exotic fruit resembles a nut in size and grows on branches in clusters of 30 fruits. Under the shaggy shell lies white, almost transparent flesh with a very pleasant smell and sweet taste. Because of its appearance, the fruit is often called “hairy”. When buying a shaggy fruit, you need to pay close attention to its color: the peel should be bright red with green tips of the spines.

History of appearance

The history of the fruit is shrouded in all sorts of legends. They actively started talking about it in the middle of the 18th century, during the time of the Thai King Rama II. A wonderful Thai legend tells about Prince Sang Thong, who hid his face behind a mask made of a shaggy fruit, which made him appear very ugly and hairy. And only the young royal daughter saw the pure soul under the terrible mask, fell in love with him and received a faithful, kind and intelligent husband.

How does rambutan grow?

The fruit grows on tall trees and when ripe changes color from bright green to bright red with green hairs. It is possible to grow rambutan at home from a fruit seed. Wrap it in a wet cloth, lock it in a dark place and wait about two weeks. If, after the expiration of the period, sprouts appear on the seed, then you can safely plant the seed and expect a harvest.

Chemical composition

The composition of the fruit is very diverse and healthy. The fruits contain minerals such as magnesium, sodium, manganese, zinc, and potassium in small quantities. Manganese has an excellent effect on bones, reduces cholesterol and blood pressure, and regulates metabolism. Fruit fiber is very beneficial for digestion; the fruit seed contains more than 30% oils and fats with oleic and arachidonic acid. When heated, the oil smells very pleasant, so it is often used to make cosmetic products. Among the chemical elements in the pulp are:

• Carbohydrates;
• Proteins;
• Vitamins C, B1, B2;
• Protein;
• Calcium;
• Phosphorus;
• A nicotinic acid;
• Iron.

Benefits of fruit

Eating it has a beneficial effect on the skin, improves digestion, and helps with diseases of the stomach and intestines. The fruit is useful for arterial hypertension and recovery after childbirth. The fruit works great in preventing cancer, stimulates the immune system, and has a positive effect on enhancing lactation.

A ripe, fresh fruit is bright red or orange in color, without spots, with long greenish hairs. The fruit does not last very long, a maximum of a week in the refrigerator, so it is important not to buy already spoiled fruit in supermarkets or markets. On a ripe fruit, it is easy to see a thin seam along the peel. Overstayed fruit darkens, the seam splits, and the flesh peeks out from the skin.

How to eat rambutan

Cut the skin with a knife or press firmly until it cracks along the seam on one side. Remove the fruit and eat, but do not swallow the seed. Europeans do not eat it, but in Asia they roast it and use it for cooking. The fruit is most beneficial in its raw form, but sometimes jams, preserves, compotes, and sauces are prepared from it. If the pulp does not separate well from the seed, then the fruit is overripe. Be careful: overripe fruit contains alkaloids and tannins near the seeds.

Recipes with rambutan

If you like to experiment in the kitchen, try not just eating an exotic fruit, but cooking something interesting based on it - Asian chefs add it not only to desserts, but also to salads and hot dishes. .

Tropical fruit pie with rambutan sauce

• Time: 2-3 hours.
• Number of servings: 8 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 220 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: dessert.
• Cuisine: Asian.
• Difficulty: medium.

This hearty and tasty pie is perfect for every day and for the holidays. This sweet summer dessert is good to prepare in the countryside or in a country house. Serve the dish cooled, covered with a delicate sauce. You can make your own pie dough or buy ready-made frozen dough at the store. It is better to choose yeast.

Ingredients

• Shelled pecans or walnuts - 300 g;
• Dried figs – 250-300 g;
• Zest of one lemon;
• Cinnamon – 2 teaspoons;
• Dried mango slices – 300 g;
• Pitted dates – 3 pieces;
• Orange juice – 1 glass;
• Peeled rambutan fruits – 1 cup;
• Salt – 1 teaspoon;
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon;
• Coconut oil or butter - 1 tablespoon;
• Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon;
• Mango – 1 fruit;
• Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon.

Cooking method

1. Grind nuts, figs, previously soaked in water, lemon zest.
2. Add cinnamon and salt, mix everything thoroughly.
3. Roll out the dough into a circle with a diameter of twenty centimeters.
4. Bake until done, cool.
5. Grind mango slices, previously soaked in water, dates, butter and lemon juice.
6. Spread the filling in an even layer on the crust and place the mango on top.
7. Leave for a couple of hours until completely cooled.
8. Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender and strain the resulting mixture.
9. Pour the sauce over the finished pie.

Salad with rambutan

• Time: 15 minutes.
• Number of servings: 4-5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 110 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Asian.
• Difficulty: easy.

This very tender and easy-to-prepare salad will diversify your daily menu. An interesting combination of familiar products with the sweet, almost cloying taste of the fruit gives the salad a piquant touch. The salad takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare, so it will look great not only on the holiday table, but also during a regular family lunch and dinner.

Ingredients

• Crab sticks – 240 g.
• Rice – 100 g.
• Rambutan – 500 g.
• Grated cheese – 200 g.
• Mayonnaise - to taste
• Greens - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Ground black pepper - to taste.

Cooking method

1. Boil rice, drain water.
2. Cut all the ingredients into small cubes and grate the cheese.
3. Season with mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Decorate with greens.

With fried pork

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Number of servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 150 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Asian.
• Difficulty: easy.

A tender dish of fried pork combined with delicate tropical fruits is a real find for a festive or everyday table. The ease and speed of preparation allows you to prepare the dish even for a large family. If desired, the fruits can be replaced with pineapple or tangerine, but in the original version the meat will be more piquant and unusual.

Ingredients

• Fruit pulp – 500 g.
• Minced pork – 125 g.
• Ground peanuts - 2/3 cup.
• Chili pepper - one piece.
• Chopped cilantro or parsley - ¼ cup.
• Palm or brown sugar - ½ cup.
• Black pepper - to taste.
• Garlic – 2 cloves.
• Vegetable oil - to taste.
• Grated coriander seeds – 1 tablespoon.
• Soy sauce - to taste.

Cooking method

1. Crush the garlic and fry it together with coriander until golden brown in vegetable oil.
2. Add minced meat, peanuts, chili pepper, cilantro, sugar, add soy sauce and pepper.
3. Stirring, fry until dark and the mixture dries out.
4. Add rambutan, fry for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve as a separate dish or in combination with rice or potatoes.

Ice cream with rambutan

• Time: 5 minutes.
• Number of servings: 1 person.
• Calorie content of the dish: 200 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: dessert.
• Cuisine: Asian.
• Difficulty: easy.

Any children's party or family holiday will provide a great variety of ice cream with interesting flavors. This dessert is easy to prepare, but unique due to the combination of several fruits. You can choose virtually any ice cream - with vanilla the dessert will turn out to be more restrained, and with chocolate or pistachio it will be brighter.

Ingredients

• Ice cream – 100 g.
• Pineapple – 4 slices
• 4 rambutan fruits.
• Cinnamon - to taste.

Cooking method

1. Place ice cream in a bowl.
2. Place rambutan around the edges.
3. Place pineapple on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Video

Rambutan- a plant of the Sapindaceae family. The fruits were first discovered in Southeast Asia. Today you can find this fruit in tropical countries.

What does rambutan fruit look like? The shape and size of the fruit is similar to a walnut. They grow in clusters of about 25 pieces. The thick peel can be yellow or red on top and is covered with stiff hairs that curl slightly towards the end (see photo). They can reach a length of up to 5 cm. Inside the fruit there is gelatinous white pulp, which has a sweet taste. It contains a hard seed, which is poisonous when fresh.

Beneficial features

Due to the rich composition of nutrients, rambutan fruit has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The fruits have an anthelmintic effect. In addition, when consumed regularly, the fruit lowers blood pressure and helps get rid of diarrhea and dysentery.

The fiber contained in the fruits helps reduce the risk of constipation, which is confirmed by numerous reviews. Rambutan contains quite a lot of ascorbic acid, which has a positive effect on the protective functions of the whole body. Fruit useful for heart and vascular diseases. People with neurological disorders should include rambutan in their diet.

Nutritionists recommend including rambutan fruit in the diet for obese people, since the fruit activates metabolic processes and has a positive effect on enzyme and lipid metabolism, and they are also low in calories.

How to eat this exotic fruit?

Exotic rambutan is most often eaten fresh, as an independent dessert or as a component for another dish, for example, a salad. The fruits can also be heat treated and various preparations are prepared from them: preserves, jams. In addition, rambutan is used to make jelly. The peeled pulp can also be preserved. By the way, canned rambutan is no less tasty than fresh.

Quite often at home, crushed fruits are used as a filling for a variety of baked goods. Rambutan is also used in various sauces, ice cream and drinks.

Benefits of rambutan and treatment

The benefits of rambutan fruit have long been appreciated and used in folk medicine, especially in countries where the fruit is grown. Almost all parts of the plant are used to produce various medicinal products. Leaves from the tree are used as a poultice to relieve headaches. A decoction is prepared from the roots, which is used for fever. In some countries, women after childbirth are recommended to use a decoction prepared from the fruit and bark.

Asian doctors are confident that if you eat 4 fruits every day, you can significantly reduce the risk of cancer and also increase your life expectancy. A decoction prepared from the roots is recommended for use to treat various diseases of the tongue, for example, stomatitis, abscesses and inflammation.

A large number of useful substances have given rambutan a reputation as a fruit that has a rejuvenating effect.

Harm of rambutan and contraindications

Rambutan fruit can cause harm to people with individual intolerance to the product. If you are trying the fruits for the first time, you should not eat them in large quantities right away, so as not to cause stomach upset.

Even if the opportunity to personally travel to tropical countries does not arise often, “official representatives” of these countries regularly visit our area. We are, of course, talking about exotic fruits supplied to supermarkets and food markets around the world. Therefore, even residents of fairly cool countries have the opportunity to try rare and unusual fruits. True, few people have any idea how to handle them. For example, how to eat rambutan correctly in order to understand and feel all the charm of its taste and benefits? What to cook from this funny fruit? Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Is rambutan beneficial or is it better to limit its use? And if so, why and to whom? In general, a lot of questions... Fortunately, we have answers to them, and we will be happy to tell you what rambutan is and what and how it is eaten.

What is rambutan? What does rambutan look like?
First of all, we answer: rambutan is a fruit, and the tree on which these fruits ripen is also called. And the name itself, for those who understand the Indonesian language, informs about the appearance of rambutan. It is translated as “hairy” because ripe fruits actually have “increased shaggyness.” They need long hairs, or villi, of course, to protect them not from the cold, but from external pests. Imagine an ordinary horse chestnut in a peel, only soft. The flexible spines of rambutan can easily be cut off with a knife along with the peel, so it can be considered a completely harmless fruit. And it is even better and more correct to consider it a healthy fruit; it is no coincidence that in Asia the properties of rambutan are highly valued.

Ripe rambutan reaches 4-6 cm in diameter and has a round, sometimes slightly oblong shape. Several fruits are united in a dense cluster and change color as they ripen: first green, then yellow and finally bright crimson. So, when choosing rambutan, take only brightly colored fruits. The “hairy” peel from the ripe fruit separates very easily, revealing whitish or slightly pinkish flesh with a delicate aroma. Hidden in the middle of this pulp is a hard, dark seed. When buying rambutan for the first time, keep in mind that you should not store it for future use: even in the refrigerator, these fruits will not last longer than 4-5 days.

Composition and benefits of rambutan
Like any sweet fruit (and rambutan pulp has a pleasant sweet and sour taste, reminiscent of ripe and juicy green grapes), rambutan is rich in water and carbohydrates. These are mainly fruit sugars, but there is also protein with a complex amino acid composition, dietary fiber and organic acids. In addition, rambutan pulp contains vitamins B1, B2, C, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, nitrogen, magnesium and zinc, as well as iron. All these substances promote digestion, absorption of nutrients and activation of metabolism. And from the seeds of rambutan, an extremely aromatic oil is extracted, which is indispensable in the manufacture of cosmetics, soap and decorative candles.

How to eat rambutan correctly
To get acquainted with a new taste and taste it properly, it is best to taste rambutan fresh. Moreover, this is exactly how connoisseurs of Asian cuisine recommend eating it. In addition to the ripe fruit, you will need a sharp knife and a plate. Wash your hands and the rambutan itself with running water and start cleaning:

1. With your left hand, grab the tail of the rambutan (or the place where it was attached), and take the knife in your right hand. Carefully, without pressing too hard with the blade, cut the peel across the fruit approximately in the middle, along the entire circumference.
   
2. Put the knife aside and remove the cut part of the peel, like a cap. Leave the bottom part of the skin intact so that you can hold onto it to hold the fruit.
   
3. To serve, rambutans prepared in this way can be placed on a plate from which everyone present at the table will take their treat. You can use a knife yourself to score the flesh and remove the pit.
   
4. You can do without a knife, just bite off part of the pulp. But in this case, try not to touch the bone. It tastes so bitter that all the pleasure from the delicacy will be completely ruined.
   
5. Another option for serving fresh rambutan on a common table is not to remove part of the peel, but to make longitudinal cuts. They need to be made in such a way that the rambutan pulp appears to be inside the “petals” formed by the cut skin.
   

In addition to the methods described, fresh rambutan can be completely separated from the skin, the pit removed, and the pulp cut into slices or cubes. In this form, rambutan is added to complex dishes, sweet and savory, canned and baked in cottage cheese, puff pastries and butter pastries.

Recipes with rambutan
Once you are convinced of the ease of handling rambutan, you can try using it as a culinary ingredient. Here are a few simple, but proven and successful recipes in which rambutan will show its best taste, and you don’t have to worry about spoiling this exotic wonder:

1. Salad with rambutan and crab sticks (snack). To diversify the New Year's or any other holiday table, you can replace a rather boring salad with crab sticks with a salad from 1 can of canned rambutan (the average volume from different manufacturers is about 500-600 ml), a large package of crab sticks (at least 200 grams, but not more than 250 grams), 80 grams of white long-grain rice, a small amount of natural yogurt without additives for dressing, as well as a bunch of fresh herbs, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground pepper. First, cook the rice until tender and cool. While it cools, chop the crab sticks into small pieces and chop the rambutan in the same way. Chop the greens. Mix yogurt with half the greens, salt and pepper. In a salad bowl, mix rice, crab sticks and fruit. Top with yoghurt sauce. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve. Syrup from a can of canned rambutan can be used as a drink or for other culinary purposes.
   
2. Salad with rambutan and pineapples (dessert). Again, you can use either fresh or canned rambutan (10-15 fruits per specified amount of other ingredients). In addition to rambutan, you will need 1 ripe mango, 1 large pear, several pieces of pineapple (you can take canned rings), 2 tablespoons of natural liquid honey, a full handful of peeled nuts (almonds or walnuts), and a little liqueur (orange, Amaretto or other to your taste) and pastry cream for decoration. If the rambutan is fresh, peel and cut it as described in the instructions above. If canned, then simply remove from the syrup and cut into equal small cubes or slices along with the rest of the fruit. Place the fruits in one common salad bowl or small portioned vases. Pour honey, liqueur and sprinkle with nuts. Before serving, top the dessert with a dollop of whipped cream. Gourmets recommend drinking this salad with cappuccino without sugar, which will highlight the fruity sweetness.
   
3. Rambutan eggs. Despite the original name, this appetizer is so simple that even an inexperienced cook or a child can trust its preparation. You will need as many boiled eggs as the number of servings you plan, the same number of rambutan fruits (fresh or canned), and the rest of the ingredients can be changed and supplemented to your taste. But we recommend using soft cheese (for example, ricotta) or dry cottage cheese, hard cheese, walnuts, whipped cream and any non-sweet fruit juice. First, hard boil the eggs and cool them. Carefully remove the shell and cut each egg in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks. Peel each rambutan (if necessary) and remove the seeds. Cut the fruit into halves. Place the egg halves on a plate, cut side up. Place the rambutan halves in place of the yolks, also with the cuts facing up. Grate the hard cheese on a fine grater. Mix soft cheese (cottage cheese), cream, juice and grated hard cheese to a smooth paste and place on top of the rambutan. Chop the nuts and sprinkle them on the snack.

When you get the hang of it and love eating rambutan in any form, feel free to add the peeled pulp to a glass of dry wine or champagne, and decorate ice cream and cakes with it. And if fate sends you a large amount of these exotic fruits, try making jam and/or compote from rambutan.

Harm of rambutan and contraindications
Finally, let's say just a couple of words of caution. Because, despite all the advantages of rambutan, people with food allergies and/or sensitive stomachs should not indulge in it. And for everyone else, it’s better to start your first tasting of rambutan with a small amount of pulp and listen to the body’s reaction. If he accepts the tropical delicacy well, then you can treat yourself to rambutan without fear of getting poisoned or gaining weight. Unless it is still better not to put the bone in your mouth due to the high content of toxic substances in it. Otherwise, eat rambutan to your health! Bon appetit!