5 Indian Fruits You Need to Try (2024)

Mangosteen is beautifully sweet fruit with a fleshy interior encased with a leathery purple shell. Only the size of a clementine, this fruit has a similar taste to mango and can be found in locations such as Kerala.

Ambarella is also known as June Plum and can be found in South Asia. They fall to the ground when still green and harden and then start to turn a golden colour as they ripen. Grown in South India, such as Tamil Nadu and Goa, a ripe ambarella has slight sour notes with a gentle sweetness, similar to a pineapple. It’s an incredibly diverse fruit and can be enjoyed as a pickle, juice, or sliced up with salt and chilli powder.

Star Fruit is named after its distinctive shape – a star is only noticeable when cut. The fruit has a waxy skin with a green/yellow colour. The ripe fruit has a distinctive yellow colour which makes a delicious preserve or pickle. You can also eat unripe star fruits with a sprinkling of salt and chilli powder.

Jungli Jalebi is spiral green and pink pods. Aptly named owing to the resemblance to the sticky Indian sweet, Jalebi. Each fruit has 6-10 black seeds in a thick and sweet fruit pulp. This pulp is sweet and juicy and is often made into a drink that tastes quite like lemonade. The seeds, however, can be used in curries.

This fruit looks quite like a deformed lemon. The stunning structure of the elongated yellow tentacles makes quite the striking fruit. Buddha’s hand has a mild yet zesty flavour and is incredibly aromatic. It can be found in the North-Eastern regions of India.