Rambutan

A fruit related to the lychee, originally from Malaysia and prevalent throughout southeast Asia. Quite unusual-looking, rambutans are covered with a thick, leathery red shell that is, in turn, covered by spiked strands that resemble hair. The name rambutan comes from the Malaysian word rambut, which means “hair.” Like the lychee fruit, the edible pulp of the rambutan is a translucent white and surrounds a large stone or pit. The flavor is similar as well, although rambutans are not quite as sweet.