7 Fruits that are Unique to Sri Lanka – Fruits that will tickle your taste buds

The locals probably don't know the fruit by this name as it is called veralu in Sinhalese and veralikkai in Tamil. It's doubtful that you'd get to enjoy this in any other country. When it's not too ripe, it has quite a bittersweet taste to it, and when they are ripe, it's not that astringent. You can buy these from any roadside vendor, and you usually get the pickled ones. So, if you are down in Sri Lanka on your vacation, don't forget to give this a try, you will most definitely like it.

Who doesn't like mangoes right? In Ceylon, there's an abundance of it, and they are pretty cheap. The trees usually grow all over the country – the leaves are oval-shaped, and the tree trunk has a rough surface.

Ceylon breadfruits are the best way to have a taste of the local life. A grown tree has a height of 25 meters, and the leaves are bright green, and they are quite large. Both the fruit and the seeds are eaten. Locals like to boil the fruit and roast the seeds. You might not be familiar with this fruit – so if you are ever in Kandy, choose one of the hotels in Kandy – to give you an example; Earl's Regent Kandy – that will offer you breadfruit as a dish with rice.

Unfortunately, this fruit is in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – a sad fact, but you still can enjoy this in Sri Lanka. The tree has a girth of 4 meters and a height of 40 meters. Hal is mainly found in the regions of Colombo, Matara and Kandy. The nut of the tree is what's used, and it's an oval-shaped nut which is grounded and used as a condiment. The fruit has a very bitter taste which must be removed before consuming. Locals usually keep these in a gunny bag for a day or so to dial down the taste.

Weera is the Sinhalese name for it, and the scientific name of the fruit is Drypetes sepiaria. The bark of the tree is grey and leaves have a glossy green to it. A fun fact: Weera is really popular among bears! – And locals love it too. The fresh ones are the best if you can find as they have a sweet taste. Locals don't really grow these trees, they grow in the wilderness of the forests.

It's not a very large tree, and it can grow up to about 6 meters. The fruit is so yummy and usually pickled in jams and jellies. Ceylon Gooseberry is also called tropical apricot. The fruit turns into a purple when ripe, and it is orange when it's unripe. The skin of the fruit has a soft velvety feel to it, and it's a little bitter at first taste – but don't let that put you off as it has tons of antioxidants.

This plant has a height of roughly 5 meters and is usually found in the low country – mainly near the southern coast. Due to how the long leaves are arranged, it has sort of a wicker pattern. The fruit is purple and ovate and has a sweet taste to it.