Longan is a small fruit much like lychee. Peel the brown skin and translucent, juicy white flesh appears; the black seed inside looks like a dragon's eye, which gives the fruit its name. In Vietnam it is a seasonal fruit that comes into season in midsummer, following the early-summer lychee.
This article digs into longan from the perspectives of producing area and season. It brings together the difference from lychee, the main producing areas, how to eat it, and how to get it in Japan. For the closely related lychee, see the article on Vietnamese lychee, and for other fruits, see Complete Guide to Vietnamese Fruit as well.
What is longan?
Longan is a fruit in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), the same group as lychee and rambutan. It is a small sphere about 2 to 3 centimeters across, wrapped in a thin, easily cracked brown shell.
Peel the shell and translucent, smooth white flesh appears. It has a gentle sweetness and a distinctive aroma, and the more easily the flesh separates from the seed, the easier it is to eat and the more it is favored. The shiny black seed at the center, showing through the white flesh, looks like a dragon's eye, which is how longan got its name. In Vietnam it is eaten fresh and also dried for preserved food and as a herbal-medicine ingredient.
The difference from lychee
Longan is often confused with lychee, but they are different fruits. They differ in both appearance and season.
| Item | Longan | Lychee |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Small (2 to 3 cm) | Somewhat larger |
| Skin | Brown and smooth | Red and bumpy |
| Season | Around July to September | Around May to July |
| Taste tendency | Refined, gentle sweetness | Showy, rich sweetness |
While lychee appears in early summer, longan comes into season in the midsummer that follows. It is smaller than lychee, with brown skin, and its sweetness is more restrained and refined. Remembering "lychee in early summer, longan in midsummer" makes them easy to tell apart at the store. Since both are in the same family, the taste is similar, but eaten side by side the difference is clear.
Producing areas and season
Longan is grown in both northern and southern Vietnam, with harvest times varying by region. Overall, midsummer is the center of its season.
In the north, Hung Yen Province is known as a famous longan producing area and has long yielded high-quality longan. It is also widely grown in the Mekong Delta in the south, and through a relay of producing areas it is available from around July to September. Because it emerges to replace lychee just as the lychee season ends, soapberry-family fruit can be enjoyed without a break from early to midsummer. Northern agriculture is the North category explore in depth.
How to eat and enjoy it
Longan is basically eaten fresh, but drying it makes it keep and broadens its uses. Fresh and dried offer different ways to enjoy it.
For fresh longan, crack the skin with your fingers, take out the white flesh and eat it as is. Juicy with a gentle sweetness, it is perfect as a hot-weather snack. When dried, longan develops a concentrated sweetness and a flavor like raisins. In Vietnam, dried longan is added to soups and che (a Vietnamese sweet soup) and used as a herbal-medicine ingredient, firmly rooted in daily life. Chilled, its sweetness and aroma stand out even more.
How to choose tasty longan
There are a few guidelines for choosing fresh longan. Use them as a reference when looking at the store.
- Choose ones with taut skin and few cracks or blemishes
- Those sold on the branch tend to keep their freshness relatively well
- Ones that feel heavy in the hand have flesh packed inside
- Skin that has dried out and turned brown and hard means the freshness has declined
Though not as much as lychee, longan is a fruit whose freshness drops easily after harvest. Once you get it, it is best to eat it as soon as possible. Dried longan keeps at room temperature, so you can store it and enjoy it little by little.
Finding it in Japan
How to get longan in Japan depends on the form. Processed products are more familiar than fresh.
Fresh longan is rarely lined up in Japanese stores, but dried longan is available at Chinese and Asian grocery stores and online. It can be used as an ingredient for soups and desserts and keeps well. Canned longan in syrup is also sold, easy to enjoy. When looking for Vietnamese ingredients, see our sister site, dedicated Vietnam souvenir site as well.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between longan and lychee?
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Both are close relatives in the soapberry family, but they are different fruits. Longan is smaller than lychee with brown skin, and its season, July to September, is later than lychee's. Longan's sweetness is more restrained and refined. Longan's milder aroma and refined sweetness are also clues for telling them apart.
- When is longan in season?
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The center of its season is midsummer, around July to September. It comes out to replace lychee just as the lychee season ends. Because harvest times vary by region, a relay between northern and southern producing areas lets you enjoy it from early to midsummer.
- How do you use dried longan?
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Dried longan, with its concentrated sweetness, is added to soups and che (a Vietnamese sweet soup) or eaten as a snack as is. It is also used as a herbal-medicine ingredient. Because it keeps at room temperature, you can store it and enjoy it little by little, which is an advantage.
- Can I buy longan in Japan?
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Fresh longan has limited distribution, but dried longan and canned longan in syrup are available at Chinese and Asian grocery stores and online. They are easy to use as ingredients for soups and desserts and keep well. If you want to taste the fresh fruit, visiting the region in season is recommended.
- What is the origin of the name longan?
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It comes from the way the shiny black seed shows through the translucent white flesh, looking like a dragon's eye. Written as "dragon eye" in Chinese characters, it is a fruit enjoyed in the same way across Vietnam and other parts of Asia.
Summary: the midsummer taste that follows lychee
Longan is a fruit in the same soapberry family as lychee, coming into season in midsummer after the early-summer lychee. Beyond the gently sweet fresh fruit, dried longan can be used widely in soups, desserts and herbal medicine. Knowing the difference from lychee lets you enjoy Vietnam's summer fruits more deeply.
The closely related Lychee and the best times for other fruits are Vietnam Fruit Seasonal Calendar as well.
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