Rambutan is oval shaped with bright red or yellow skin covered with short, soft, hair-like spikes. Fruit is generally 1-2 inches long. The flesh is white or semitransparent, crisp and sweet. Serve the tropical fruit raw (after removing its hairy exterior) with other tropical favorites in a fruit salad, or cook into a simple syrup. Because it is a relative of the lychee, the fruit can be substituted for lychee in most applications. Rambutan is available in summer and mid-winter from Hawaii and from Pacific Rim and Central American countries.
