Product information

Everything about longkong / duku

Longkong and Duku are closely related Southeast Asian fruits with mildly sweet-tart flesh. Small, seasonal and popular as table fruit in Thai and Malaysian restaurants.

What is longkong / duku?

Longkong (Lansium parasiticum) grows in clusters of 10–30 fruits on long branches. The skin is thin and tan-coloured, the flesh translucent white and divided into 5 segments — similar to lychee but with a more subtle flavour. The small seeds are bitter and are not eaten.

Duku is a closely related variety with a thicker skin and slightly less latex when peeling. In practice, Longkong and Duku are used interchangeably. Both have a mildly sweet-tart profile with a light floral note.

tropical seasonal fruitAugust–NovemberThailand/Malaysiamildly sweettable fruitraw use

Origin & tradition

Longkong/Duku is grown in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The season runs roughly from August to November. Outside the season it is not or barely available.

Ripeness can be identified by: a yellow to tan-coloured skin without green tints, and fruits that give slightly under gentle pressure. Green fruits are unripe.

Longkong/Duku does not ripen significantly after harvest and is extremely perishable — plan receipt close to processing.

Flavour & texture

The flavour is milder and more subtle than lychee or rambutan — sweet-tart with a light floral note. It is eaten almost exclusively raw. Avoid the seeds — they are bitter.

Pairs well with other tropical fruits on fruit platters. Can also be incorporated into a tropical coconut dessert or smoothie, but the subtle flavour is quickly lost when mixed with stronger flavours.

Kitchen applications

Table fruit in Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian restaurants — served in the cluster.
Fruit platters as an exotic seasonal element.
Dessert fruit alongside rice dishes or coconut-based desserts.
Tropical fruit amuse-bouche or welcome snack in Asian hotels.
Combined with lychee and rambutan for a tropical fruit bowl.
Smoothie ingredient for a mild background flavour.

Storage & freshness

Longkong/Duku is extremely perishable: maximum 3–5 days refrigerated (7–10°C). Do not freeze — the texture is completely lost.

Store in the cluster, do not pick off individually. Individually picked fruits dry out faster.

Do not store below 7°C — cold damage leads to brown spots in the flesh.

Professional kitchen tip

Longkong has a slightly latex-like substance in the skin that irritates some people when peeling. Briefly dip the fruits in cold water before peeling, or wear thin gloves for large-scale processing. Once peeled, the flesh is straightforward to handle.

Fresh Longkong / Duku delivered daily to your kitchen

Choina delivers fresh Asian produce every morning to restaurants and wholesalers across the Netherlands and Belgium — Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Antwerp and Brussels. No minimum order.

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