<p>Did you know that there are more than 2,000 types of fruit in the world? And yet, most of us have probably tasted less than 50. While apples, bananas, mangoes, grapes and watermelons are some of the favourites worldwide, there are some unusual fruits that stand out for their flavour, shape, size and cost. Here are five such unique fruits: </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Durian</strong></p>.<p>Due to its powerful and unpleasant odour, durian is considered the world’s smelliest fruit. It is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. The flesh is bright yellow and is enclosed in a spiky outer shell. The fruit’s aroma has been likened to raw sewage, sweaty socks and vomit. Despite its powerful odour, many people value it for its distinct flavour. It has a rich, custard-like texture with sweet and savoury notes. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Watermeal </strong>(Wolffia Globosa)</p>.<p>Watermeal is known as the world’s tiniest fruit, with sizes ranging from 0.6 to 1.5 millimetres. It is an aquatic plant that floats freely in habitats such as lakes and ponds. The fruit looks like a tiny oval-shaped green grain. As it multiplies swiftly, it has drawn the interest of scientists.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Yubari king melon</strong></p>.<p>The Yubari king melon is native to Japan and is said to be the most expensive fruit in the world. It is basically a cross between two varieties of cantaloupes. It has bright orange flesh and is sold in wooden boxes with attractive packaging. On an average, a melon costs between $50 and $100. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Buddha’s hand</strong><br />(fingered citron)</p>.<p>It is an unusual-looking fruit as it resembles an octopus’ tentacles or the fingers of a hand. More specifically, it looks like the popular Buddhist mudra — vitarka mudra. It is seedless, sweet and has a fresh lemony flavour. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Black sapote</strong><br />(chocolate pudding fruit)</p>.<p>Black sapote has origins in Mexico and Central America. It is also called the ‘chocolate pudding fruit’ because, when completely ripe, it tastes like chocolate with overtones of caramel or vanilla. It has dark brown flesh with a creamy, custard-like texture resembling chocolate pudding. <br /> </p>
<p>Did you know that there are more than 2,000 types of fruit in the world? And yet, most of us have probably tasted less than 50. While apples, bananas, mangoes, grapes and watermelons are some of the favourites worldwide, there are some unusual fruits that stand out for their flavour, shape, size and cost. Here are five such unique fruits: </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Durian</strong></p>.<p>Due to its powerful and unpleasant odour, durian is considered the world’s smelliest fruit. It is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. The flesh is bright yellow and is enclosed in a spiky outer shell. The fruit’s aroma has been likened to raw sewage, sweaty socks and vomit. Despite its powerful odour, many people value it for its distinct flavour. It has a rich, custard-like texture with sweet and savoury notes. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Watermeal </strong>(Wolffia Globosa)</p>.<p>Watermeal is known as the world’s tiniest fruit, with sizes ranging from 0.6 to 1.5 millimetres. It is an aquatic plant that floats freely in habitats such as lakes and ponds. The fruit looks like a tiny oval-shaped green grain. As it multiplies swiftly, it has drawn the interest of scientists.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Yubari king melon</strong></p>.<p>The Yubari king melon is native to Japan and is said to be the most expensive fruit in the world. It is basically a cross between two varieties of cantaloupes. It has bright orange flesh and is sold in wooden boxes with attractive packaging. On an average, a melon costs between $50 and $100. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Buddha’s hand</strong><br />(fingered citron)</p>.<p>It is an unusual-looking fruit as it resembles an octopus’ tentacles or the fingers of a hand. More specifically, it looks like the popular Buddhist mudra — vitarka mudra. It is seedless, sweet and has a fresh lemony flavour. </p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Black sapote</strong><br />(chocolate pudding fruit)</p>.<p>Black sapote has origins in Mexico and Central America. It is also called the ‘chocolate pudding fruit’ because, when completely ripe, it tastes like chocolate with overtones of caramel or vanilla. It has dark brown flesh with a creamy, custard-like texture resembling chocolate pudding. <br /> </p>