Found only in Borneo, this fruit which is also known as marang, has a strong scent, is delicious, sweet and soft flavoured. From the outside, it looks like a durian except that its spikes are not hard but are more like soft bristles.
When opened up, it resembles a nangka (jackfruit) or a cempedak fruit. But according to Sabahans, the tarap fruit taste much better and more superior compared to both jackfruit and cempedak!
This is how it looks like!
Photo from strawberry gal's blog
Before I went to KK, my friend from Sandakan who currently stays in KL kept reminding me to try the tarap fruit. She said that since coming to KL, she had been missing that fruit very much!
Which makes me wonder, why is it not found in Peninsular Malaysia? What makes Sabah and in fact the whole of Borneo so special that the tarap trees only grow there?
Anyway, during my holidays in KK, I had tried to search for this fruit. The problem with this fruit is that it is a seasonal fruit. Like the durians. It is not available all year round. And what is worse is that different parts of Sabah have different seasons for this fruit!
My search for the tarap fruit brought me to many places - to the fruit markets, the night markets and even to the Sabah Tourism Board!
Yes, I even went to the extent of visiting the Sabah Tourisn Board to enquire where I could get the tarap fruit! Now you know how desperate I was! Haha!
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The Sabah Tourism Board is located on Jalan Gaya, one of the most busy and famous streets in KK Town. When I went in, I saw rows and rows of brochures and leaflets on Sabah tourist attractions. I took a whole bundle of those brochures! Well, they are free! Haha!
I then went to the counter and enquired about the tarap fruit. The friendly lady at the counter said that unfortunately, the tarap fruits were not in season in KK at the moment. That's funny because other people I asked told me they were in season. But if they were, how come I could not find them at fruit markets in KK?
According to the lady, the tarap fruit would most likely be found during the month of September. But ...and here's the good news... I could try the Central Market. She could not give any guarantees but said I could try to find it there. She even pointed out to me the exact location where the fruit is sold in the Central Market, which is at the west side corner of the Central Market building.
Thanking her, I went to Central Market which was located opposite KK Plaza on Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.
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Walking through the rows and rows of fruit stalls, I was hoping to finally find that elusive tarap fruit! If the seller would somehow attempt to sell the tarap fruit to me at double the price, I think I would buy it without a word!
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Oops! This photo below looked blurred. I think I was too excited about the prospect of finding the tarap fruit that my hand shook when taking the photo!
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I asked a few sellers there where I could get the tarap fruit and they said it was not in season. But one lady told me she actually saw a few tarap fruits being sold in one of the stalls a few days ago. I was excited and begged her to bring me to that stall. She was kind enough to bring me there but the stall owner said he had already sold off all the fruits!
That was such a big disappointment! No one could tell me where else to get the fruit.
However, I think there is one place where I am quite sure I could get the tarap fruit. But unfortunately, I did not go there! According to the people at Lavender Lodge where I stayed, the tarap fruit could be found at the Nabalu fruit market along the way to Kinabalu Park.
The chartered van which took me to Kinabalu Park did not stop at the Nabalu fruit market. I am quite sure if I had followed tours to Kinabalu Park, they would have stopped us at the market before proceeding to Kinabalu Park. Oh well....no use crying over it now.
Perhaps, next year, if I were to go climb Mount Kinabalu, I will get another chance of finding that elusive tarap fruit.
Coming up next - A Walk Along Gaya Street
FIRST COMMENTER
Good morning! It's me again...:)
Oh..so this is the tarap fruit. It looked like cempedak!
Morning Foong & Mei Teng! :)
Never mind, can always go there in September kan?
After your Guilin trip... is in Jul/Aug?
I have only seen the photos of tarap fruit. Yeah, It looks like durian, Hope I have chance to taste!
Hi Foong!
Next time, taste fruits and not just snap pictures of it. =P It must be really good having said it's better than Langka (Phils) or jackfruit.
i just asked my colleagues, this fruit is only available around august...
and she says that if unripe fruits an be cooked
and it tastes da best when it's half-ripen wo...
but by that time, i no longer here any more :(
oh next time u go market, try to ask for buah hutan (other name for buah tarap), might can find them in semenanjung...
Ooooh looks tempting! wonder if it is as soft as Durian. Well, there's always next time! Now that you know it will be in season in Aug/Sept. Hee~ Maybe then, there will be more tourist around the area then :P.
Really that nice? Never try before. Look so like cempedak. Need to try if got chance.
Aiyo so fast got comments here edi, missed the chop again and again! :(
I don't think I've ever tried this fruit before, Foong! Looks interesting. :)
hello, foong, we also call it marang here in the philippines
wow. the central market looks very clean!
love tarap a lot! though it still comes second compare to durian. ;) so this is how it is spelled.
tarap fruit looks like a cempedak. I'm curious as to how it tastes too.
Mei Teng is a professional chopper now! haha.....
i can see that u were really desperate :P now this is interesting, i never seen the fruit before too. if u ever find one, must share share ok :P
Wow! You really go to the distance for that fruit. Salute you
I too missed something when I was in Sibu. Olives. Only realised it when we got back. We were so close. We were having breakfast in the market. Aisehman!
Oops!
That fruit sure looks interesting - moist and inviting. Would love to try that too. That's a whole bunch of colorful brochures, Foong. The fruits section looks huge. Is it?
So that means... if I'm going to KK next week I can't find this fruit either? :(
I was just wondering if it's possible to get this fruit over here? I would like to try to see the difference.
tarak tarap. poor you.
hmmm, i don't eat durians, so tarap fruit to me is just optional.. hey, don't waste those guides, only get the ones you need leh~~
I've never seen this fruit before but have heard the name Marang. Or maybe there's a place called Marang right? haha
If you plan to climb Mount KK next year, make sure you book early. As early as this year.
Yes...out of the three in the family - nangka, cempedak and terap...I like buah terap the best. But ours in Sarawak are smaller - like a bowling ball or smaller...but once I saw in Sabah, on my way back from Ranau to KK, somebody with one as big as a nangka (jackfruit). Really big!
Ooooo i simply love cempedak ..... can't wait to taste tarap fruit then. ^_^
+Ant+
Foong, the local are right that the tarap is seasonal fruit and in addition the shelf life is pretty short (just 2 - 3 days) after it is ripe. I like it pretty much as the meat is very tender, juicy and sweet with small seeds :P One thing notorious about tarap is the smell. If you think durian smell is strong, tarap is far powerful when it is ripe ... there is one time I sealed them in plastic container and cello tape the cap few rounds hoping to smuggle to peninsular Malaysia... yet the KK airport police still smell it and I've to remove from my luggage and give it to airport cleaner makcik... :D
Did you looking for the red meat durian as well? Yes not yellow or orange but RED... it is unique to Sabah too.
Wow, I see this tarap must be really special and unique to Sabah. Benedict also gave quite a lot of interesting hints about tarap and the red meat durian. Thanks to you guys, I learned something about Sabah this time. :D
oh if it looks like durian does it smell like durian as well???
we have durian here in Phil. and i love the taste of it (but not the stnky smell) hehe
but then that makes durian unique fromthe others right??
Wow... quite happening here, Ben is here too...
Stumbled open this blog and found tarap to be interesting. I love nangka and cempetak, can't imagine if tarap tastes nicer than both of them... wow...
mei teng, congrats! You are FC again! : )
I have yet to see the actual tarap fruit! But yes, it does look like cempedak, except that the flesh is white and not yellowish like cempedak.
lina, not likely I'll be going KK again in September. But then again, who knows? : )
iwalk, I have yet to see and taste the actual tarap fruit, so I am just like you. Hoping I can taste it one day! : )
ayie, I didn't even snap that picture of the tarap fruit, don't talk about tasting it! How sad! : (
annant, unripe tarap fruit can be cooked? Didn't know that! So best if eaten half ripe? Thanks for the info! : )
Are you sure I can find it in Peninsular Malaysia? I don't think so cos I have never heard or seen anyone selling it. Even my Sabah friends staying here could not find the fruit here.
ladyviral, there's already a lot of tourists when I visited KK. Only I didn't snap photos of them : )
Actually, I prefer less tourists. Don't like crowded places! : )
superman, yeah should try it. I can't say for aure if it's that nice, but according to my Sabah friends, it is the best fruit they have ever tasted! : )
mariuca, I think not many people in Klang Valley have tasted this fruit before. I hope to taste it one day! : )
el@i, oh, you have tarap in Philippines too? I thought it's only found in Borneo. I guess Philippines is not too far away from Sabah. How come Peninsular Malaysia don't have this fruit?
renaye, yes you are right. It's quite clean! : )
levian, I wish I can taste it right now! Then I will be able to tell you whether I prefer durian or tarap! : )
eastcoastlife, yeah I want to taste it so badly! Mei Teng is a professional chopper indeed! : )
xin, if I ever find the fruit, I will definitely share with those who have not tasted it before. But if it's really nice, maybe that's not possible because I'm afraid my gluttonness will overpower me! LOL!
borneo falcon, thanks! I like to go the distance for something that I want. Haha!
too bad the fruit was not in season. :( otherwise, i bet you could smell the ripe tarap when you walk around town.
dropping my EC here and happy weekend.
happysurfer, I haven't been to Sibu before. Must go there one day and try the olives!
The tarap fruit looks moist and inviting? Wow! You are good at describing it. Makes me want to eat it! : )
Haha, there were a lot of brochures and I just took them so that I could read them in my free time. The fruit section in the Central market is quite huge : )
Haven't tried that before... looks like this is something we must try when in Sabah... anyway any idea if this is also available in Sarawak?
daydreamer, most probably not! But never say never! Try the Nabalu fruit market on the way to Kinabalu Park if you happen to go there : )
mei teng, I don't think so. My Sandakan friends have searched for it everywhere in PJ/KL with no success. If you somehow manage to find it, please let me know! Thanks! : )
merryn, haha! I like that phrase - tarak tarap : )
SK, what?! You don't eat durians? It's my favourite fruit and food! I just wonder whether tarap will beat durian in my list of favourite fruits. Haha!
But do you like to eat cempedak? If yes, then it's very likely you will like tarap. (This is according to my Sabah friend)
None of the brochures are wasted, don't worry. I keep them all for my own reference : )
che-cheh, yes I think there's a place called Marang, though I have no idea where that is! LOL!
Yes, I know about booking for Mount Kinabalu climb early. So I will book it by November this year.
But the people at Lavender Lodge said I could book it through them a few weeks before I go KK cos they would be able to get a place for me at Laban Rata from those people who canceled last minute.
suituapui, so have tarap fruits in Sibu too? Maybe I should visit Sibu sooner than I plan to. haha! So Sarawak's tarap is smaller in size compared to Sabah's. Thanks for the info! : )
anton, I love cempedak too. That's why I think I will like the tarap fruit! : )
benedict, it has a stronger smell than durian? I love the smell of durians and cannot understand why some people hate the smell so much! So is the smell of tarap nice or not? If nice, that'll be great!
Oh, you tried to smuggle the fruit back to West Malaysia? You mean, they don't allow you to carry the fruit in the plane? I thought they only don't allow durians! Then how do I bring back the tarap fruit from KK?
With the shelf life of the tarap so short (only 2-3 days like you said), then it's quite difficult to bring the fruit back to West Malaysia. That means must buy it on the day I leave KK and not earlier.
Those tarap seeds you mentioned, maybe I can take some back next time and grow it here in KL! Then perhaps we'll have the first tarap tree in Peninsular Malaysia! How come no one thought of this before? Maybe someone did but was not successfulin growing it here : )
Yes, I heard about the red-flesh durian. I was more interested in the tarap fruit though : )
JL, we learn something new everyday, don't we? : )
bluedreamer27, I don't think it smells like durian. It's more in the cempedak family than the durian family.
You don't like the smell of durian? Well, at least you like the taste! I like both the smell and the taste! : )
shelyn, thanks for dropping by! Yes, I love cempedak too and if tarap is nicer than cempedak as most of the Sabahans claimed, then I think tarap must be an awesome fruit! : )
life ramblings, you are probably right! If the tarap fruit was in season, I would have smelt them! Happy weekend to you too! : )
neo, yes I think this is something we definitely must try in Sabah! According to suituapui, the fruit also available in Sarawak, but smaller in size!
You'll get that fruit on it's season, don't worry then share us about it.
You love durian? I can't eat it even in candy or pastille form. The smell is something I can't take. I know it tastes good but somehow the smell overpowers it.
Foong, I think I tried that fruit already but it's called by other name in the Philippines. Looking at the picture closely, I kind of remembered mom gave me something like that (long time ago). It was good but I guess Langka or Nangka is just my fave.
The tarap fruit looks very tasty. Unfortunately not in season. You can leave a self addressed DHL courier box with the fruit stall owner, and he can send to you when it is available....ha ha ha! But then, the smell might make the parcel very suspicious!
looks like yr tarap fruit is becoming tarak ( tiada ) fruit hahahah. wish u better luck next time.
i must admit that i never seen or heard this tarap fruit before....wow, look like cempedak leh. it is expensive?
hello foongpc heheh yeah i quite dont like the smell but i surely love the taste
I wonder if that tarap fruit exists here in the Philippines. Or could it have another name here. I wish I could find out!
That fruit looks very good!~ Maybe you can travel there again and find it I hope!
ayie, you don't like durian? You know, I can never understand why some people dislike durians! I guess everyone has his/her own personal likes and dislikes! : )
The tarap fruit is called marang in Phillipines (according to blogger el@i above). You still prefer nangka? I like nangka too! : )
pete, haha! That is a good idea, but you are right, the smell will make the parcel very suspicious indeed! : )
bengbeng haha, yeah. Tarak tarap for me! : )
vialentino, I don't think it's that expensive, but what the heck, expensive or not, I'm willing to part with my money to have a taste at it! : )
bluedreamer27, here's another thing I don't understand. How can you hate the smell but like the taste? I have not personally experienced any kind of food which I like the taste but not the smell! : )
tita beng, yes it exists in your country. It's called marang (refer to blogger el@i's reply above)
heidi, yeah, I hope so too! : )
tarap fruit? never heard of it.. althou i like to ear fruits.. haha.. im carving for watermelons now! =D
It looks like cempedak, only that the fruit is white in color. I also never tried that before.
oh Foong you couldn't get the fruit! yeah how come Peninsular Malaysia don't have tarap!? I missed tarap...yum! yum!
War...mei ting is the FC again! She's really been anticipating your posts huh Foong. Hmm..makes me wonder... :P
Anyway you went to the pasar to search for the Elusive Tarap Fruit? Sounds very "geng" wor! Too bad you can't find it. Perhaps the big nose monkey already makan it.
Hey.. so happen to view your blog..
I've been to this pasar in KK as well, during my business trip 2 years ago..
My intention to this pasar is to get some food.. but suprisingly I can't find any similar hawker food there as KL..
kenwooi, watermelons are nice on a hot day like today! : )
jam, I thought tarap fruit can be found in Sarawak?
monica, I'm sure you miss the fruit cos all my Sabah friends miss it badly! I heard that even in Sabah, the tarap fruits are getting less and less because they are growing more oil palm trees instead. What a pity! Maybe you should try to grow the tarap tree here in KL!
tekkaus, no need to wonder lah. Mei Teng not only FC on my blog but a lot of other blogs! She's now a professional FC chopper! Haha!
The big nose monkey ate the tarap fruit? Haha! That's very funny! Could not stop laughing! : )
anne saw, yeah they don't have hawker food like those in KL in this market. Did you get to try the tarap fruits?
I saw el@i's comment after posting, she's right it's marang. That's the same fruit mom gave but nangka still won my heart!
I have sensitivity with smell, since durian has strong smell it doesn't go well with my system. The rest of my fam loves it though. =D
Oh that's too bad Foong but I think I have heard of this fruit as well. I haven't tried it though...I will try to find this too in the Philippines on our next trip ;)
Let's see if I get lucky!
ayie, you don't like tarap because it has a strong smell? I see. Well, for me, I like strong smells as long as they are nice smells to me. haha!
jade, I hope you can find the tarap fruit in the Philippines and then blog about it! : )
what? I should try to grow the tarap tree here in KL, Foong? LOL!!!!
Hi Foong! I've been gone from blog hopping for a long time. :o( I just felt that I needed a break/breather from EC dropping and blog hopping. It started to be a chore, if you know what I mean.
Btw, I LOVE Marang. It is one of my favorite tropical fruits. I always ask my mom or aunts to get some for me every time I visit their province in northern Mindanao. It's very good but the smell is so strong. I remember putting it in a small luggage by itself and it took quite a while for the smell to dissipate. I am salivating right now just thinking about it. LOL I haven't tried it for a long time. I think the last time I ate one was in 2001. I cannot wait to have it when we go back for a visit in July. I'll eat some for you. ha ha
monica, why not? You have a garden? Then when the tree bears fruit, invite me to go over to your house for makan! Haha!
Besides, if the tarap can really grow over here, then we've proven that it can be grown here. No need to go all the way to Sabah to enjoy the fruit!
Maybe even make some money selling the fruit! Sure sell one! Can charge premium price since no one else has it! : )
Enough to pay for your monthly house rental and/or everything else! Haha!!
babette, I can understand. Sometimes we need a break. Btw, I don't do much EC drops nowadays. Sometimes I don't think the effort is worth my time cos I've limited time. But I still blog hop whenever I have time cos I still enjoy reading blogs!
So strong smell? I don't mind if the smell is nice! But I think will have difficulty if I need to bring it onboard the plane - sure get confiscated! Haha!
Enjoy your Philippine trip in July and of course, enjoy your marang fruit on my behalf! *envy*
Hey Foong could try one of the tamus actually like in Penampang. And oh if you like Durians, man you should try the red and orange ones from Kuala Penyu. You only get it once a year...I'm not too sure when but I think around June-ish and wow, the taste! Yum!
rozella, where is Penampang? Is it far from KK? And where is Kuala Penyu? Btw, is the red durian better than the D24 and the more expensive Musang King?
Penampang is like a 20-minute car ride from KK. Kuala Penyu is like 2 1/2 hours away.
Yeah, I would think so. It's durian kampung lah. And it has this slightly bitter taste which I love...but I guess it depends on the individual also lah.
rozella, thanks for the information! : )
foong, u really like TARAP? u gotta wait for the season. if not mistaken it follow durian season as well. Next time I post it to u la, pack in container. make sure u dare to eat. hahahah
goolooloo, really or not? But I scared it will turn bad by the time reach here. You know, the hot weather and such : )
i read your blog and it was great just like Tropics Food Products Cooperative they gave also a lots of information you want.
mampir nich...
menarik sekali blog anda dan saya menyukainya..
salam....
some people call this fruit, heaven fruit...because of it smell..pergggh..the smell is more powerful than durian .^ _ ^..
I was searching where to get Buah Cempedak here in Kota Kinabalu and this, funny enough, led me to your blog. Eleven years later from this day. I tell you what, sir, if you are still looking for that Buah Tarap, save yourself the headache and go to the local tamu. I just bought two Buah Tarap few days selling at RM5 each at Tamu Donggongon in Penampang. It's not a seasonal fruit, mind you. It's available throughtout the year. Depends on which farm picks up the fruit and when and sell them to their supplier.