Special Feature: Fruits of Malaysia! What fruits grow in the rainforests near the equator? Let's visit Mizu no Kado FRUIT.CO in Ara Damansara [Malaysia Property]

Golden Langkawi Melon: Are you familiar with Langkawi melons? Malaysia’s unique fruits aren’t limited to durians like Musang King (Cat Mountain King)!

Hello!

I’m Aya, a Japanese wife in Malaysia. First off, the haze has cleared up significantly! But don’t let your guard down—I’m regularly checking this website: http://apims.doe.gov.my/public_v2/api_table.html to stay informed. You can check the haze conditions in different areas across Malaysia at various times of the day. Clean air is truly wonderful, isn’t it?

Malaysia, being close to the equator, boasts an incredibly rich variety of fruits. Today, I’d like to introduce you to a fruit shop located near Petaling Jaya, an area that anyone living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is sure to know. The shop is situated in the shoplot area of Ara Damansara (think of it like a shopping arcade in Japan). There’s a nice mix of various stores here. Please note that this is not the recently developed Oasis Ara Damansara, so be sure not to get confused!

Let’s take a peek at Mizu no Kado FRUIT.CO. In addition to fresh fruit, they offer cut fruit, ice cream, soft serve, fruit juices, and a few local snacks.

Mango: RM7.5/kg (193.56/kg as of October 2019). In Malaysia, there are many varieties of mangoes, and while I haven’t tried them all yet, there’s a legendary mango called Harum Manis (Haruminis, 香芒). Have you heard of it? Although this shop doesn’t sell it, according to local friends, it’s grown in Perlis, the northernmost state of Malaysia. Ah, I really want to try it! It’s considered a premium brand, on par with Musang King. Perlis, Malaysia’s smallest state near the Thai border, offers not only vast rice paddies but also tours of Harum Manis orchards! It’s said to have a peach-like aroma, a pudding-like texture, and is incredibly sweet. Come on, let’s go to Perlis!

Halmahera’s cultivation areas:

Address: Jabatan Pertanian Negeri Perlis, KM11, Jalan Kaki Bukit, 02400 Kangar, Perlis

Phone: 04-938 1376

So, what’s this? It’s a fruit that’s not very familiar to people in Japan.

It’s the Pomelo. It’s like a giant grapefruit, and its main producing areas are in Southeast Asia, especially the Malay Peninsula. The town of Tambun in Ipoh is a famous source. If you visit Ipoh, please do check out the Pomelo stalls near the Chinese temples Nam Thean Tong and Sam Poh Tong. There are many pomelo shops lined up there, and they are said to be open year-round. If you’re buying pomelos, this is the place to go! A pomelo is about 20cm in diameter and weighs around 1.5kg. Most Japanese people are amazed by its size! In Japan, the only fruits that big are probably watermelons… The taste is milder and less sour than the grapefruits you eat in Japan. It’s one of my favorite fruits! (^_-)-☆

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Malaysia is also home to plenty of pineapples!

Watermelon is priced at RM3.9/kg (100.11/kg as of October 2019). Half a melon costs RM11.55 (296.35 as of October 2019)—you simply can’t buy watermelon at this price in Japan! In Tokyo supermarkets during the summer, you’d pay around ¥398 or ¥498 for a 1/6 or 1/8 slice, making this roughly a quarter of the price?! It’s a steal! As expected from the Fruit Kingdom, Malaysia!

And now, the star of today’s show is this!!! Wait, what’s that? This is the Langkawi Melon (Golden Langkawi Melon)! That gorgeous golden hue exudes pure elegance. It’s reportedly a newly developed variety. I feel like I’ve just struck gold—literally!

RM9.9/kg (RM254.08/kg in October 2019). Each melon weighs about 1.2kg, costing RM11.88 (RM304.98 in October 2019). So cheap! The size is shown in the photo above. The texture is probably similar to a Prince melon. It’s truly delicious!! I wonder if it could be sold in Japan?

Dragon fruit, which you won’t find in Japan. The inside comes in two varieties: red and white. It has a refreshing taste—neither too sweet nor too sour—and eating it gives you a cool, soothing sensation. You really should see the dragon fruit tree! A few days ago…

I visited Tanjong Sepat, a place dotted with numerous small-scale dragon fruit farms. Honestly, dragon fruit plants have this rather unsettling, hard-to-describe vibe.

Longan (竜眼).

Star fruit.

There’s also a fruit called Rambutan (Water Apple, 蓮霧, 水蓊) that you won’t find in Japan. It’s juicy and delicious, with a texture somewhere between an apple and a pear. Besides Malaysia, Taiwan, India, and the Philippines are also known for producing it.

Plum (Black Plum).

For some reason, there were sweet potatoes! Japanese Sweet Potato さつま芋, RM11.4/kg 291.98/kg (October 2019). The taste is just as delicious as in Japan!

Regular melons. Melons are also affordable.

There’s also matcha soft serve and freshly cut fruit. Since it gets hot during the day in Malaysia, ice cream and cut fruit are essential! I learned a lot about fruits this time. How was it? It’s not easy to find opportunities to eat them back in Japan, so when you visit Malaysia, a country rich in natural resources, be sure to try all sorts of fruits. Although I didn’t cover it this time, Malaysian durian is said to be the most delicious in the world, so I highly recommend it! There are many varieties of durian, but among them, Musang King (Cat Mountain King) is particularly rich, creamy, and delicious. I’m also planning to start fruit delivery services, so I’ll share updates again soon.

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Durian BB Farm (Durian Orchard Tour) in Raub, Pahang: All-You-Can-Eat Fresh Durian, Musang King (Cat Mountain King) Blog

Fruit.Co Address:

J-G-10, Blk J, Jalan PJU 1A/20B, Dataran Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

T: +6012-650 0702