If you ever walk by these in your local market, and don’t stop to pick up a few, you are crazy.  I discovered these in Hilo, Hawaii at their Farmer’s market.  I didn’t understand what they were, I mean just look at them.  They look ridiculous.  I feel bad that I judged them by their shell.  The lovely market lady saw me staring  and judging.  She probably could tell what I was thinking, since I don’t cover up when I’m ridiculing something.  She popped one open for me, and I haven’t been the same since.

I believe the problem is that they need to ripen on the plant, and unlike a banana, won’t ripen on your kitchen counter.  So that would explain why I have never seen them in Minnesota.  If I could invent some sort of crazy way to let them ripen on my counter, I everyone would be excited.  Kind of like when people felt the need to hang their bananas on those little hooks on a stand in the 90’s.  Remember that?  My mom totally had one of those.  I wonder where it went.

Rambutans are sort of hairy on the outside and have a little thin peeling that you can run a dull kitchen knife around to open them up.  Slide the peeling off and you have a sweet, juicy fruit that has the consistency similar to a grape, but it can get stuck between your teeth, if that makes sense.  They have a pit in the middle, and I am under the impression you don’t eat it.  It seems to big to eat anyway.

Apparently they are in season here in Hong Kong, and I almost pooped my pants when I saw them at the market.    I was so excited that I snapped some up, and forced fed them to my fella.  I put them in the fridge (like I do with everything) so the color got a bit darker, but they were still so lovely and refreshing.  Mmm.  I have fat kid disorder and couldn’t be bothered with a napkin, I just let the juices run down my arm.  I think the fella was a tad horrified but unsurprised by my un-lady-like eating skills.

If you’ve just been passing by these suckers at the market, stock up on napkins and floss, grab a bunch of these and enjoy.  Happy Aloha Friday!

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