Sri Lanka, Sept. 13 -- Rambuttan

The rambuttan is a very delicious fruit in many South East Asian countries where it grows abundantly. It is an evergreen tree which belongs to the soapberry family. Rambuttan is a seasonal fruit meaning there are particular times in the year when there are rambuttan fruits. Generally, each rambuttan tree bears 5,000-6,000 fruits when in season. It is related to the lychee family.

The rambuttan is said to have originated in Malaysia and Indonesia and the name rambuttan comes from the Malaysian and Indonesian words for 'hairy'.

The outer covering of the rambuttan fruit is indeed hairy. It has soft, black spikes. The soft spikes on the skin are black. The rambuttan skin is green when unripe and turns brigh...