Mangosteen
Known as the "Queen of Tropical Fruits" Mangosteens are one of the most delicious of fruits with a floral, sweet, tart flavour. They grow on a Mangosteen tree  a tropical that most likely originated in Indonesia.  Mangosteens our now found throughout South East Asia. As a result of Australia having so many different growing enviroments we are lucky enough to be able to grow mangosteens in tropical Australia.  Before ripening the purple/dark brown shell of the mangosteen  is fibrous and firm, but become soft and easy to pry open when the fruit ripens. The inside of the mangosteen contains white segments with an inedible seed inside. To open a mangosteen make a bowl with both hand with the stalk side of the mangosteen facing down into the fingers while the bottom of the mangosteen sits into the palm near the thumb. Squeeze until the bottom of the front pops open. Or use a nice to make a small incision and then pry open.
Selection, Storage and Availability
Choose Australian grown fruit when available as they fresher and tastier. Its hard to tell what a mangosteen will taste like from its outside shell so ask your greengrocer for advice about what mangosteens are good to buy. Store in the refrigerator for longer life.
Uses
Mangosteens are delicious by themselves, in a fruit salad in a cocktail or made into juice.
Nutrition Information
Mangosteens contain antioxidants, fibre, calcium, phosphorus, iron and pectin. Traditionally all part of the mangosteen were used for medicinal purposes in South East Asia including for; digestive disease, eczema, gonorrhoea and yeast and bladder infections.
