The Dominican Republic is famous for having the richest selection of fresh tropical fruits. They ripen on trees under the hot tropical sun and arrive at local markets at their best.
If you happen to have a rest in this country, then take a walk through the local markets and be sure to try the exotic fruits of the Dominican Republic. For example, the very sweet guava is one of the most fragrant fruits in the world.
Many beach kiosks sell not only cocktails, but also fruits that will be peeled, cut and presented on a plate before your eyes. If you have never been to the tropics before, then you will be surprised by the huge selection of citrus fruits, bananas, mangoes, etc. and, of course, the variety of tastes and aromas: from delicate longan to specific noni. Well, in order to make it a little easier for you to navigate, we invite you to learn more about what fruits grow in the Dominican Republic.
Papaya
Papaya is a tropical tree up to 10 m high. Its marvelous large fruits of rich color (from bright yellow toamber) with scattered dark spots, reaching a diameter of 10-30 cm. The pulp is tender and sweet, usually consumed fresh. One of the best ways to make a smoothie is to blend papaya with milk, cloves and crushed ice in a blender.
Small black fruit seeds can be eaten, they have a slightly spicy taste. They are dried and ground, and then used as a pepper substitute. In the Dominican Republic, the fruit is also known as "lechosa".
Avocado
Surprisingly, the avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable. The fruits grown in the Dominican Republic are quite large and have a completely different taste compared to those that can be found in our stores. A ripe avocado has a creamy flesh with a subtle nutty flavor. During the season (June - September), fruits can be found in abundance in any market, on the streets and in most restaurants.
In the Dominican Republic, fruits are used in salads, stewed or eaten simply sprinkled with s alt and lemon juice. Avocado is used in many cosmetic preparations. It contains more potassium than bananas, as well as vitamin E, vegetable fat and the powerful antioxidant glutathione.
Bananas
Bananas are fruits of the Dominican Republic, the name and appearance of which are familiar to everyone. They are one of the most recognizable fruits in the world. In the Dominican Republic, bananas are without exaggeration the best, as they ripen in natural conditions, and are not harvested green, like those that are imported to other countries. Selecta red, yellow, or green banana that can be eaten raw. Or try them fried, boiled. The fruits are very popular in national cuisine.
Pineapple
Pineapple can be bought everywhere in the Dominican Republic. Resourceful sellers are always ready to wrap them up for you so you can bring the fruit safe and sound, or peel and cut so you can enjoy their divine taste right on the spot.
Pineapple pulp is 86% water with simple sugars dissolved in it. Aromatic fruits contain vitamins PP, B1, B2 and B12, numerous trace elements and a complex of proteolytic enzymes (bromelain), which improve the absorption of protein compounds.
Mango
Mango is another fruit from the Dominican Republic, the name of which is familiar, if not to everyone, then to many. There are many different varieties of mangoes grown in the Republic. The fruits have a characteristic fibrous structure, a very sweet taste and a strong aroma. The peel can be colored in shades of yellow, green or red. The flesh is yellow or orange. Mango season starts in March and lasts until November.
In Asian countries, mangoes are used to strengthen the heart muscle, stop bleeding and improve brain function.
This is a wonderful and refreshing fruit, don't pass it by. Mangoes make excellent cocktails with pulp and crushed ice and ice cream.
Spanish lime
Spanishlime came to the Republic in pre-Columbian times and spread throughout the Caribbean. Spanish lime fruits are round, small and covered with a thin green skin. Inside, a juicy jelly-like pulp of a yellowish or pink-orange color is hidden, as well as seeds (1-2 pcs.). These unusual fruits are used in the Dominican Republic to make jams, jellies, marmalade, pie fillings, etc.
Tamarind
This fruit comes from Africa. Tamarind is a slow growing evergreen plant. The sweet fruit is not very attractive.
In fact, the fruits of the plant are large brown beans, reaching a length of 20 cm, they contain many seeds, and they are eaten. The taste of the fruit is sweet-sour with a slight sharpness. They contain a shock dose of B vitamins and calcium. They can be consumed fresh or cooked, such as in sauces, jelly and sweets.
In Mexican slang, because of the characteristic color of the uniform, traffic controllers are called "tamarinds".
Noni
What fruit should you try first in the Dominican Republic? Of course, the most unusual and specific fruits, if only for the sake of interest. Noni is one of them and can be found in markets throughout the Dominican Republic.
Fruits have a very specific pungent smell, reminiscent of that which exudes an old, moldy cheese. They are edible, but their taste is also very original.
They say that noni juice is very useful, it is a valuable source of energy and, for example, on such islands,like Fiji, they drink it almost from the cradle. In addition, it is believed that noni is an excellent antioxidant, the compounds contained in it stimulate the natural process of wound healing, rejuvenation.
Pitaya (pitahaya)
Fruits with such an interesting name and appearance are quite common and common in the sunny Dominican Republic. The fruit is also known as dragon fruit in English speaking countries. They are the fruits of several types of cacti, covered with leaf-like growths and smooth skin. Depending on the species, the skin may be red, red-pink or yellow, and the flesh may be red or white. Sweet pulp is used for food, which may remind someone of kiwi, but it is not so fragrant and more insipid. In addition, juice or wine is made from pitahaya.
Passionfruit
Passion fruit have an oblong-ovoid or oval shape, they are covered with a thin skin of rich purple or yellow. Inside is a tender pulp with many seeds. It has a sweet and sour taste and a characteristic pleasant aroma. The fruit season in the Dominican Republic falls in spring and early summer, at which time they can be bought on the market for mere pennies.
Passion fruit juice has tonic properties, it is often used in a mixture with orange juice, added to yoghurts. Just 236g of pure product contains 36% of the Daily Value of Vitamin C.
Sometimes passion fruit is mistakenly called the fruit of passion and aphrodisiac properties are attributed to it. This is probably due to an erroneous interpretation of the official name of the plant -passionflower edible. It does not come from the word passion, but from the word suffering (in a religious sense).
Guava
The plant is native to America, and it has been introduced to Southeast Asia and Oceania. In the Dominican Republic, you can find guava in any grocery market. These are large fruits of a round or oval shape with a pronounced aroma reminiscent of the smell of lemon peel. The peel of different varieties is different, it can be either dense and bitter, or sweet and thin. The flesh is quite tough with very hard seeds and has a sweet and sour taste.
Guava is eaten fresh and used to make juices, jellies, marmalades, jams, ice cream, and unripe fruits are used by indigenous islanders as a side dish for meat.
Longan
Longan cannot be confused with something else. Juicy and fragrant fruits are covered with a strong shell and collected in large clusters. The skin color varies from brownish-yellow to reddish. Inside is a translucent sweet pulp of a peculiar taste and a hard black or dark red seed.
Longan is rich in ascorbic acid, iron, phosphorus and calcium, as well as organic acids that improve skin condition. Chinese traditional medicine recommends dried longan fruit as a sedative.
Rambutan
If you see small oval red fruits gathered in large clusters in fruit markets, the peel of which is covereda lot of hard hairs with curved ends, do not pass by. This exotic fruit is called rambutan. Under the unattractive skin lies a white or slightly pink gelatinous flesh. It has a pleasant sweet and sour taste and a delicate aroma.
Rambutan is mainly consumed fresh or canned in sugar syrup. A seed is hidden inside the fruit. It cannot be consumed raw. The seed oil is used as a raw material for making candles and soaps.
Carambola
Carambola fruits are called tropical stars, looking at the fruit once, you will understand why. The fruits are pentagonal, glossy, bright yellow, and sometimes with a hint of green. When cross-cutting, a five-pointed star is formed. Carambola pulp is crispy and juicy, with a specific sweet and sour taste. Not everyone likes it, but for the sake of variety, it's definitely worth a try. The fruit is a valuable source of vitamin C.
As a rule, carambola is used to decorate desserts, cocktails, and much less often just cut with other Dominican fruits.
Water apple
On sale, the fruit can also be found under the name "semarang", "jambu". It is not as common as pineapples or bananas because it only ripens twice a year: in August and November. The fruits are pear-shaped, covered with a thin pink or red skin with a waxy coating. The flesh of the water apple is sweet, fragrant and juicy.
Fruitusually consumed fresh, sometimes added to fruit salads.
Coconuts
When talking about fruits from the Dominican Republic, one cannot fail to mention the coconut. It is, of course, botanically a nut, but what tropical paradise would do without it?!
Coconut water is the clear liquid inside the coconut that, as it matures, mixes with droplets of oil from the copra to turn into coconut milk and then harden. It is called the "elixir of life". We will not talk about the benefits of the drink, we will only say that this is the best option to freshen up in a hot tropical paradise. It is unlikely that somewhere in the US, Canada or Europe you will be able to try something like this. It is quite difficult to keep this product, although in stores you can find coconut water in Tetra Pak bags, but this is another matter.
What fruits can I bring from the Dominican Republic?
Having been in paradise, each of us, no doubt, wants to bring at least a small piece of it with us. And on the eve of departure, crowds of vacationers storm local markets and shops in search of souvenirs and memorable gifts. Fruit is one of the best gifts. Quite legitimate questions arise. What fruits can be exported from the Dominican Republic? How to do it?
Note that the customs service of Russia and the Dominican Republic does not restrict the transport of fruits, the ban only applies to the excess volume of alcohol, cigarettes, orchids, the core of a palm tree, national currency and items that have a special historical and / orcultural value. So you can bring home any kind of fruit.
The difficulty lies elsewhere. The flight from the Dominican Republic is quite long, and not all fruits will be able to withstand it “worthily”. The strongest ones (pineapple, coconut, mango, guava, avocado, papaya) are best packed well and put in a suitcase that you check in your luggage. More juicy and soft fruits (bananas, passion fruit, tamarind, longan) take in hand luggage. At the airport, in the markets, you can often find special plastic baskets for transporting fruits for sale.
Even at the height of the European winter - in December - fruits are in abundance in the Dominican Republic. The article names only the most common and well-known species. Do not forget about citrus fruits, nuts, the choice of which is also diverse in the country's markets.
