Known in Thai as Ra-Gahm the Salak fruit or Snake fruit, as it is sometimes called due to it’s scale like skin, can be found growing at the base of the Salak palm tree. Originally from Indonesia it is now grown in Thailand and Malaysia as well.

As I have said before one of the coolest things in Thailand is the wide varieties of fruit available. I love going through the fruit stalls at the markets sampling all the different fruits the merchants have out . At one market last year the merchant made sure I wasn’t going anywhere until I tried all the fruit she had for sale and eventually we got around  to the Ra-Gahm.

The Indonesian and Malaysian varieties seem to be rounder and smoother where the Thai variety is more oblong and has prickly hairs on it. Holding the fruit for the first time seemed odd and I wasn’t quite sure how to open it. With a little help from the merchant I was told to pinch the top, tear the skin, and peel it down. Surprisingly the skin was thin and very easy to tear.

Inside is a small cream colored fruit with two to three lobes, the largest of which  usually contains a big seed. If eaten before it is ripe it will be very sour tasting. When fresh they have a sweet acidic taste kind of like a pineaple. This isn’t a juicy fruit it’s more firm in texture like a carrot. A very pleasing but hard to describe taste.

It makes for a great walking around snack because your hands don’t get all sticky. If you ever run across the Salak fruit in your travels give them a try and I’ll guarantee you’ll love em.

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