Custard Apple

The custard apple or shoripha as it is known in Bangladesh is a new fruit that I tried earlier this week. Unfortunately, my picture of the fruit didn't turn out very well, so I'm borrowing several from the internet.

The shoripha available in Bangladesh are a light green in color and seem to be bumpy on the outside. (similar to a jackfruit) The wikipedia entry for custard apples mentions that this fruit is less tasty than the cherimoya or sugar apple. (I'll have to try one of those - they are available from Harry & David - and sometimes at ethnic supermarkets in the US.)

This image is pulled from a gentleman's blog from Guam

The inside was similar to the jackfruit or even pomegranate - there are numerous small black seeds, surrounded by the fruit. You eat the pods of flesh around the seed and spit them out. The pods are connected to the rind and the rest of the fruit by a network of capillaries that are similar to the white spongy insides of an orange.

It's a very tasty fruit - it's similar to a chinese pear in flavor, but the texture is softer (like a custard) with a slightly grainy texture. I would definitely eat this again! It has a refreshing, sweet flavor that isn't overly sweet or cloying.

Want a more horticultural description of the fruit?