We all love fruits, and it is especially interesting to try exotic fruits that surprise with their taste, properties and appearance. One such plant is the "snake fruit."
Where can I meet and try herring
The habitat of this fruit is mainly the countries of Southeast Asia. In Malaysia and Thailand, the fruit ripens during the summer, and in Indonesia it can be found all year round.
It is believed that in Bali and on the island of Java near Yogyakarta grows the most delicious "snake fruit." Growing it in other countries is not particularly practiced, except at home from seed, and this is a rather lengthy and time-consuming process.
Why exactly "snake" fruit?
Also interesting is the name of the "snake fruit" and why. This interesting and tasty fruit has several names in different countries. In Thailand, this fruit is called sala or rakum, while in Malaysia and Indonesia it is called salak. In English-speaking countries, herring is known as “snake fruit”, which means “snake fruit”.
The name of the fruit does not at all mean that snakes love it, as one might think. Such an idea would well have a place to be, because exotic countries, where there are a lot of snakes, it could very well happen that this fruit somehow attracts cold-blooded reptiles.
But in fact, the fruit got its name because of the appearance of the shell, which in color and texture resembles the scaly skin of a snake.
What does the tree and the fruits of herring look like?
Salakka (salak) is a tree-like representative of the flora, which belongs to the Palm family. In other words, it is a palm tree that grows up to 2 meters high with a knobby short trunk. Cirrus leaves of the tree can reach a length of 3-7 meters. The leaves are characterized by thorns on the petioles and hollows from above; the upper part is glossy green and the bottom is matte.
The plant itself looks a little repulsive due to the large number of thorns. But this is a kind of natural protection for fruits that do not grow high above the ground. Thanks to this, few animals decide to "try" the snake fruit. Photos of this plant and fruit are not uncommon, the tree can be easily recognized.
The fruits of herring are pear-shaped and taper to their base. The diameter of such a fruit is only 3-4 centimeters, and the weight is from 50 to 100 grams.
Outside, the snake fruit, as already mentioned, is covered with a scaly brown skin. Inside, the flesh is milky-beige, rather dense in consistency. The pulp is divided, as a rule, into 2-3 cloves, in shape resembling cloves of garlic. Inside each segment there are 1-2 bones that are easily removed.
The taste of "snake fruit"
The taste of this fruit may be different, it depends on its variety. According to the reviews of people who have already tried it, it's hard to say what kind of person it is, we can only conclude that it is very tasty.
Some say that the taste is like a banana and pineapple at the same time, to other people it looks more like berries of a cherry, strawberry or gooseberry with a smack of walnut. There are even opinions that this fruit resembles cotton wool, Corvalol and Valerian.
In any case, if the fruit is ripe, it is very pleasant and refreshing. Such a bouquet of tastes already makes you want to try the snake fruit and find out how it will manifest itself for you.
How to choose ripe fruits
Of course, unripe fruit will not please its taste. As a rule, it is bitter or acidic, has an astringent effect due to the tannins contained in it.
Ripe fruit is easy to choose. To do this, just smell the fruit. The aroma of a ripe fruit will be more saturated, and the color will be darker among others.
It is important to know that the “snake fruit” (herring) must be firm. If it is soft, it means that it is overripe, spoiled, improperly stored or transported.
The taste of the fruit will be sweeter the larger it is. Small fruits will be sour. It is also worth noting that the pinkish hue of the peel indicates that the fruit will be sour.
How to eat "snake fruit"
They eat "snake fruit", usually in raw form just like that or adding to a salad. From it you can prepare drinks, jam or jam. A dish of pickled unripe herring, which is served with meat or fish as a snack, is also popular.
Despite the fact that the fruits are prickly, getting to the pulp is easy. There are a couple of ways to peel the fruit, you can use both.
In the first method, you need to carefully break off the dried tail and then peel the fruit like a boiled egg.
The second way is even simpler. You just need to press on the middle of the fetus and it will open into segments.
When eating "snake fruit" in food, it is worth remembering that it is stored for a short time, so it is better to eat the peeled fruit immediately. So you will taste its true taste.
Useful properties of "snake fruit"
“Snake fruit” is truly a storehouse of nutrients and vitamins, given the fact that it is also very tasty. The pulp of this fruit contains vitamin C, pectin, calcium, beta-carotene, potassium, phosphorus and iron.
Due to the content of these substances, herring is considered very beneficial for vision, has the properties of improving memory, and is also a good source of fiber. It is also eaten in order to increase immunity and overall well-being.
Residents of Southeast Asia are very fond of "snake fruit." Its useful properties do not end there. It is also believed that thanks to the astringent tannin, the fruit has a hemostatic property, removes harmful substances from the body, and is also good in the fight against diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
As for the negative impact on human health, herring does not. Of course, we must remember that everything should be a measure, since overeating in any case will not give a positive effect. In some very sensitive people, “meyn fruit” can cause an allergic reaction.
How to grow herring yourself
Mostly the plant can be found in the wild and rarely when you meet it outside the range of its growth. The fruit is also not much exported, as the fruits are prone to rapid spoilage.
For these reasons, he will want to grow a "snake fruit" himself. Growing such a tree at home is possible, you only need patience and proper care for it. In the wild, the plant can bear fruit for 50 years or more.
But before you start growing, you should know that the palm will begin to bear fruit only in four years, if all the necessary conditions are provided, and the fruits themselves ripen within six months. The tree grows very well, but for a long time.
It is propagated with the help of seeds, which are inside the pulp. So you need a few pieces.
Before planting a bone, it must first be soaked for several days in warm water (about 27 degrees). After this time, the bone will need to be planted in a special environment - heteroauxin and germinated, constantly providing a temperature of 20-30 degrees. After 3-4 weeks, the seeds will eject the tail, after which they will need to be replanted.
For planting, select the soil for palm trees, it has all the properties necessary for herring. This is properly drained soil, the acidity level of which is 5-7 pH. The plant does not like direct sunlight and it needs a lot of moisture. If you do not provide high humidity and air temperature, the palm tree stops growing and may die. Herring will rise some 3 months after planting in the ground.
When the palm becomes older, you need to monitor its appearance. Excess lateral shoots and leaves must be removed on time, since with the appearance of thorns on them it will be more difficult to do.
If within four years the palm tree develops well, receives all the necessary substances, fertilizing, watering and temperature conditions, it will delight the first fruits. Of course, home-made fruits will not be as tasty as wild ones, nevertheless they will still bring joy.