ABOUT
The longan is related to the lychee and also looks a little like this fruit. The round fruits grow in hanging bunches and measure around 2.5-4 cm in diameter. The skin is thin, not as rough at the lychee and a ripe yellow brown to light reddish brown in colour. The flesh is soft, glassy, translucent and greyish. It has a sweet flavour and tastes a little like mango, but less sweet than the lychee. Inside you will find a pit which is not edible. The fruits can be eaten out of the hand. They can also be canned. In China people use the fresh or dried seed coat to brew in tea. The seeds, rich in sapopin, are used to make shampoo.
