Fruits of Viet Nam: Longan (Long Nhãn)

Vietnam Fruits - Long Nhãn (means Dragon Eye in Vietnamese language) is abundant in many provinces in the Viet Nam. Known as a close relative to the lychee, this fruit is also tiny (about 2 cm in diameter) with a brownish brittle covering. The peel can be easily removed by hand, usually by pressing its tip with the thumb and index finger. Once a part of the shell slightly breaks, the rest can be removed with ease. Inside it is a whitish translucent pulp enclosing a glistening black hard inedible seed. With its size, you can easily pop these pulps into the mouth since some of them do not contain seeds. Apart from not edible, the seeds also has a strong bitter taste to it, therefore, should never be eaten along with the flesh. Many believe that its pulp taste similar to the lychee but somewhat sweeter and less juicy.