Fresh Longan

Longan has a thin brittle olive-brown outer shell that is to peel open.

In the Bieow Keow variety commonly found in fruit stalls, markets and supermarkets, the smooth translucent flesh that surrounds the round black seed is juicier and exceptionally sweet. In the See Chompoo variety, the light champagne pink flesh is noticeably crisp.

Longan is usually eaten fresh but is also popular when served as a dessert called Khao Nieow Lam Yai – a fragrant rice pudding cooked in coconut milk. Dried longan is double-boiled and served as a refreshing Chinese-style tea, hot or with crushed ice. Canned longan is simply served with crushed ice.

Grown in the Northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Lamphun, Thailand, Longan is exported fresh, canned and dried to Europe, the United States and Asia.