Chinese "nut" that's really a fruit

LITCHI

This tropical treat has a rough red shell and sweet, translucent flesh, often enjoyed fresh or in desserts across Southeast Asia.

This clue plays on the common misconception that litchi (or lychee) is a nut when it’s actually a tropical fruit. The quotation marks around "nut" signal that the word isn’t meant literally—it’s hinting at the fruit’s hard, nut-like outer shell. In Chinese cuisine, litchi is often called a "nut" colloquially, even though botanically it’s a fruit with a sweet, juicy interior. The answer fits because it’s a well-known Chinese fruit that matches this playful description.