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Fruits and Nuts, 2

May 10, 2008

Yes, the descriptions of luscious fruits, sensual shapes, stirring scents, got me all excited.  But some of the fruits were missing…here is my own list of fave fruits in the Mekong.

First on my list is the lumpy greenish fruit, about the size of a fist, with what looks like greenish-black armor plates.  Smaller cousin of the Philippine guyabano or grapefruit, but a tad more fleshy and, when fully ripe, not a trace of sourness. Presenting —’Ah-tiss’.   (Custard apple in english).  If A is for Apple in the English alphabet, A should be for Atis in the Asian one.  Unlike some other South-east asian varieties though, the Ah-tiss of the Mekong delta has evolved gracefully (and , it is whispered, with the aid of  a few gene-splicing techniques here and there) into a fleshy, mouthwatering delight.  In the Philippines you simply open the fruit in half with your hands, spoon out a mouthful and separate the seeds from the pulp in your mouth, and spit these out.  In the Vietnam/Thailand version of the Ah tiss, the skin is so thin that you merely rub it off, but the pulp is so fleshy the seeds look half the size of those in the Philippines.  You then either just bite off a chunk, or  plop half the fruit into your mouth, and enjoy it.  But don’t forget to spit out the seeds of course. Legend has it that if you swallow the seeds you don’t pass them out, and soon an atis tree will be sprouting from your body cavities.  These were the stories that gave me nightmares when I was a kid.  Sineguelas and atis stems and roots growing out of your mouth, nostrils and ears….

 

Number two on the list is the exotic  Mangcup (Mangosteen), as it is called in Vietnam. The velvety Mangosteen, queen of the fruits (ha, ha, some of my friends will no doubt love to be called mangosteens).  Taste wise it is number one to me.  Beneath the husk-like exterior lurks the most delectable tasting fruit in the world.  As befitting a queen, it is regal and simple – one runs  out of words to describe it. ‘Nuff said. reyna na, e wala ka na dapat masabi.

 

Then there’s the pomelo, kroh-tong in Khmer.  The size of a baby’s head, its almost leathery surface has a thick inner coat that surrounds the pinkish-white pulp.  The biggest version of the citrus family of fruits.  The pulp can be both sweet and with a slightly tart and biting aftertaste.  Each individual bit looks like a teardrop, and biting into it releases a refreshing mix of flavours—also used in salads, with steamed shrimp, lotus roots, peanuts and mint leaves. 

 

Lah-mut, or the sapodilla, known as chico in the Philippines, with its earthy brown color, and slightly  grainy texture, is another one of the exotics. When just beginning to ripen has a bit of a crunch to it, which later becomes a bit mushy as the fruit ripens.   

 

The Mango season–soon almost over, but with several varieties still available in the market.  The green, crunchy and slightly sweetish one, best eaten with salt and a dash of chili—good for appetizers and yes, loads of fiber too.  This one is also tops for the green mango shakes…and of course, the ripe yellow ones, of legendary sweetness, the smoothest of textures.  Also heavenly when teamed up with sticky rice cooked in coconut milk….

You can’t have a posting about fruits without mentioning the ‘king’ - Durian.  Tastes like heaven but stinks like hell.  The only fruit to have been banned from hotel lobbies, aircon buses and elevators. I have ambivalent feelings towards the durian–that hard spiky shell and the creamy, ivory-colored flesh, and the nauseating smell that gallons of tiger balm can’t hide.   Can’t understand why people love it, when it is the equivalent of old-sweaty-socks cheese to a discerning nose.  Must be eaten only when one has a cold….    

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