A fruit called ponpon?

[LovesToEat]

My parents came back from the Asian grocery store last night with a bunch of fruit that they said was called ponpon. I Googled for more info but couldn't find anything.

The fruit are small, round with a light brown peel. Same idea as a lychee but looks like a larger logan fruit. They come bunched up like grapes. Once you take off the peel, the fruit is segemented into wedges with a small seed inside each wedge. Taste reminds me of pomelos.

Any ideas where I can get more info on this fruit...or if it's even called ponpon.

Thanks!

[Paulustrious]

I'd like to know as well. Things that spring to mind are:

* Longans - only have one seed
* Tamarinds - doesn't really look like a bunch of grapes
* Snake fruit - seeds are too big

But this last one may have the best chance as it is also known as pondo.

[jumpingmonk]

no snakefruit has scales on the outside
my guess would be Luuk Kaw or erasan longan
http://www.simply-thai.com/Thai-Market_Fruit_Luuk-Kaw-Esarn-longan.htm
other possibilities
Santol
http://www.simply-thai.com/Thai-Market_Fruit_Santol.htm
langsat
http://www.simply-thai.com/Thai-Marke...

[LovesToEat]

jumpingmonk - you got it! It is the long-kong/langsat! I don't know why the sign said ponpon, unless that's another name for it!

Thanks for your help.

[jumpingmonk]

No prob

[vttp926]

i believe you may be thinking of mangosteen. take a look at the link to see if it is similar to what you are thinking of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_M...

[babette feasts]

Mangosteens are purple with a very thick skin (unlike the thin skin of lychee), and only one or two of the interior segments will have a seed, not each one.

[vttp926]

i am actually very unfamiliar with the mangosteens. i was just thinking of the description. i guess i should have read it more clearly before i answered. my apologies.

[babette feasts]

No problem. Mangosteens are delicious, if you ever come across them (Thailand is a good place) you should try them. The rind is thick and kind of leathery outside but it shouldn't be super hard - you should be able to dig into it and pry it open with your fingers.

[moh]

Second the recommendation to try mangosteens - one of my very favorite foods!

I would comment that when we get them in North America, the rind is a bit harder than when they are fresh off a tree. I don't know that I would be able to pry it open with my fingers. I usually have to use a knife to get the rind open. But when we got super-fresh mangosteens in Hawaii, they were indeed quite soft and easy to get into.

[jumpingmonk]

Interesting fact, all natural mangosteen seeds are genetically identical to thier parent plant (the pollen does create an embryo but in nature this is ALAWAYS out competed in the developing seeds by somatic (natural clone) embryos which are generated in the developing seeds. this means that, barring random genentic mutations, every mangosteen tree on Earth is genetically identical to every other one. (this also means that, if nature ever comes up with a really nasty mangosteen tree disease, they're basically doomed to extinction as every tree will be suceptible.)

[moh]

Gulp....Although this is really quite an interesting fact, I am going to pretend I didn't hear this. I can't imagine my beloved mangosteen going extinct... going into denial mode.

Lalalala I can't hear you.....