Wondering what a mangosteen taste like ? You’re not alone. This is not a very common fruit outside of Southeast Asia, so many people have no idea what it taste like.
Luckily we found out what mangosteens taste like, so you can know too. This way you’ll know if it’s worth those 8-15 dollars next time you see it in the market.
What does mangosteen taste like ?
Mangosteens have a very fruity, tropical flavor that seems to be a cross between several fruits. Notes of citrus, banana, peach, and lychee are the most common descriptors.
Mangosteens are very sweet and flavorful, and not that easy to get a hold of outside of Southeast Asia.
Most would describe this small, yet beautiful fruit as extremely tasty. In fact, the mangosteen is oftentimes called “The Queen of Fruits” because of its popularity by its supposed biggest fan, Queen Victoria of England.
Don’t worry, the mangosteen tastes nothing like the king of fruits, the Durian.
Rather surprisingly, mangosteens are not often said to resemble mangos in their flavor profile. Still, they are usually described as being very sweet, almost artificially so, which explains why it is sometimes used to make a sweet, sugary syrup.
But their unique yet familiar flavor profile does not stop there.
Mangosteens are also known to be quite tart and sour, similar to a lime, lemon, or orange. When you twist one open, you may even notice the mangosteen’s resembles citrus fruits.
It has a soft, sectioned pulp that is built just like an orange, with ‘slices’ made up of juicy fruit. There are also seeds inside each wedge, and while they’re edible they can be very bitter.
Additionally, you’ll notice in this soft, luscious fruit hints of creamy banana and notes of floral peach and lychee.
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Does mangosteen taste different if unripe?
Like all fruits, unripe mangosteen will have a slightly different flavor. Now, it’s quite an expensive fruit, so you’re probably going to want to wait for its unripe, yellow shell to turn a beautiful shade of polka-dotted maroon before you spend the money on one.
If you’re still curious about the taste of unripe mangosteen, it’s probably a very ‘green’ flavor. In that it may taste very vegetal and the sugars probably haven’t developed enough.
Does mangosteen taste different if frozen?
That is a big, resounding yes. Whatever you do, DO NOT try to freeze your mangosteen. You may think that, like most foods, you can freeze it and enjoy it at a later date.
But we beg you, do not even think about putting that little pouch of greatness into your freezer. For that matter, don’t even put it in your fridge.
Your precious mangosteen will suffer a great deal of damage if frozen. Not only will it be easily bruised and its inside-texture completely ruined when thawed; the mangosteen’s flavor will change entirely.
No more beautiful sweet, sour, floral notes. Instead, it’s flavor will either be made bland or horribly bitter.
So, if possible, make sure you enjoy mangosteen while it’s still nice and fresh!
How else can you enjoy the flavors of mangosteen?
If you’ve somehow managed to come across too much mangosteen to enjoy in one sitting, or perhaps you’d like to use its unique flavor to create some inimitable dish, why not use it in a couple of tea party components?
The mangosteen rind or its strong, shiny leaves can both be used to make a nice, warming cup of tea. All you have to do is place the hard outer shell or the floral leaves into boiling water and let it steep for a bit.
Once it’s cooled, take a sip and let the citrusy, flowery flavors excite and calm your tongue.
And why not have some mangosteen jam to go along with it? Just boil the soft, slimy fruit down with some water, pectin, and sugar and stir until thickened! Once it’s cooled down, voila! You have your very own sweet mangosteen jam to spread atop a cracker or slice of bread!
So, however you decide to enjoy mangosteen, you are certain to love its fantastic, unmatched flavor. Now let’s take a closer look at this fruit, to make sure we really understand it.
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What is Mangosteen?
If you thought mangosteen was some kind of chemical or element on the periodic table, you’re not alone. In fact, most Americans haven’t even heard of this little bundle of mystery.
Okay, okay, we’ll tell you what it is now. A mangosteen, known as Garcinia mangostana in Latin, is actually a fruit native to Southeast Asia, most notably to Thailand.
Hence, the mangosteen is a tropical fruit, requiring a great deal of humidity and rain to grow and flourish. This heavy little fruit forms throughout the branches of tropical evergreen trees with shiny, fragrant leaves!
The purpley, rose-colored mangosteen is a part of the genus of mangifera, along with many other tropical trees and bushes including the cashew and, you guessed it, the mango!
Although they’re very distant cousins, the mango and the mangosteen are different in terms of flavor and texture.
Conclusion
Mangosteen has a very interesting taste that is not comparable to other fruits so it’s hard to know what to expect from it. For sure is a fruit that is more suited in the summer than the winter but having in mind that it is a tropical fruit this is quite normal.
I hope this article made you curious to at least try this wonderful fruit once.
