Rambutan

Origin: Malaysia and Indonesia

The word rambutan is derived from the Malay word rambut meaning "hair", a reference to the numerous hairy protuberances of the fruit.

Appearance and Taste: Fruits are round to ovoid, 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) long, with a red, orange or yellow peel covered with hairlike spinterns. The pulp is white, translucent, aromatic and sweet, and surrounds a seed which resembles an almond.

The Rambutan is a relative of the lychee and is often referred to as a hairy lychee. Growing in clusters of 10 or 12, this fruit ranges in size from 3 to 4 inches long, ripening into a crimson red colored skin covered with soft hairy spines. Inside is a juicy and translucent flesh with a slightly acidic flavor, similar to a grape.

History: The earliest record of rambutan trees show that they were cultivated by the Malayan jungle tribes around their temporary settlements, a practice followed to date. Rambutan trees are today found growing naturally in Southern China, the Indochina region and Southeast Asia. With increasing popularity amongst non-Asians and growing demand for rambutans worldwide, the fruit is presently considered an important agricultural produce.

It is grown commercially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hawaii, Vietnam and Central America. Even in 1981, rambutans were grown commercially on up to 700 ha of land in Singapore. Rapid urbanisation meant rambutan plantations are no longer found in Singapore. To meet the demands of its people, Singapore has remained the largest importer of rambutans in the world, accounting for more than 60% of world imports.

Nutritional Facts: Rambutan fruit contains the following nutritional composition per 100 g of fruit:

• 14-14.5 g carbohydrate
• 0.1 g fat
• 0.7-0.9 g protein
• 22 mg calcium
• 30 mg phosphorous
• 140 mg potassium
• 2.5 mg iron
• 0.01-0.1 mg niacin
• 31-38.6 mg vitamin C

Food uses: The rambutan fruit is eaten raw made into jams or is cooked. The fruit, canned in syrup is directly eaten off the can too. In 1886, wine made of the fruit was put up in an exhibition in London. However, its recipe is unknown and its production is believed to have stopped soon after. The seeds are sometimes roasted and eaten.

Medicine uses: The pericarp or the fruit walls, high in tannin and saponin are used in Java for various medicinal purposes. A concoction of it is sold by traditional Malay medicine sellers. The Malays use a decoction of the roots to treat fever. The bark and the fruits are supposed to have astringent properties. The bark, made into a decoction, is used to treat tongue diseases. It is also given after childbirth to new mothers. Rambutan fruit is supposed to have anthelmintic properties, helping one eradicate intestinal worms. It is also used in relieving diarrhoea. The leaves are used as poultices to relieve headaches.

Other uses: Young shoots are used to dye yellow silk to green. A dye called ayer banyar, made from rambutan leaves and fruits and combined with other ingredients, is used for dyeing red silk black. The wood of the tree though hard tends to split as it dries. It is nevertheless used as timber.