Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, mangosteen has a sweet, slightly acidic flavor that has been likened to a ripe plum. There is always a scar on one end of the mangosteen that is a remnant of the flower. The number of remnant flower parts will tell you how many segments of fruit are inside. Mangosteen are nornally available in Asian markets in early summer. In 2007, the United States lifted a long-term ban on mangosteen (due to concerns over possible contamination by the fruit fly) to allow imports of irradiated mangosteen from Thailand.
Like rambutan, mangosteen is normally eaten raw.
