This popular Chinese fruit is about the size of a walnut, with a bumpy red shell encasing white translucent pulp that's similar in texture to a grape.

The flavour is sweet, exotic, and very juicy. Don't eat the shell or the seed.

Fresh lychees are available from May to July. If you can't find them, canned lychees are a good substitute.

Don't confuse fresh lychees with lychee nuts, which are sun-dried lychees that have a much different texture.