Mangosteen gardens in the West are preparing for harvest. This year, mangosteen chicken salad has unexpectedly become a culinary trend, attracting tourists to visit mangosteen gardens, experience fruit picking and enjoy the unique salad.
In the past 10 days, the mangosteen garden of Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh (Bay Binh) and Mrs. Vo Thi Mai Lan (Ba Lang, Cai Rang, Can Tho) has welcomed a large number of visitors. This is one of the rare gardens in the region that still has many hundred-year-old mangosteen trees. Coming here, visitors can listen to Mr. Bay Binh tell stories about the history of the hundred-year-old mangosteen garden, pick the fruit themselves, experience fishing, enjoy mangosteen chicken salad, banh xeo, banh cuon cuon, ... with the authentic taste of the Western people.
The mangosteen garden is a family heirloom of Mr. Bay Binh. The 71-year-old farmer is the fifth generation heir. "This mangosteen garden is at least 150 years old, many trees may be 200 years old. Currently, the mangosteen growing area is about 3,000 square meters with 60 old mangosteen trees, interspersed with young mangosteen trees that are 15-20 years old. Many old mangosteen trees still have traces of bombs from the war," Mr. Bay Binh shared.
For many years, Mr. Binh has considered the mangosteen trees in his garden as "treasures". Every time there is a big storm, he is worried about them breaking. "I am old now, but I still go to the garden regularly. If I don't go, I miss them. There was a time when I had a stroke and couldn't take care of the garden, and my heart was heavy," he confided.
The interesting thing about this garden is that it is grown completely naturally, without fertilizer or pesticides. Mr. Bay Binh and his wife only weed regularly. The old mangosteen trees are 10-15m tall, with wide canopies, large bases, and roots that spread across the ground. The older the tree is, the more knots grow from the base to the trunk. The larger and rougher the knots, the sweeter and more fragrant the fruit.
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Each year, the garden harvests about 2-3 tons of mangosteen. The mature mangosteens are not too big but have thin skin, pure white segments, small seeds, very little latex, and a sweet taste. "The price of mangosteens in my garden is quite high because the fruit has little latex, so they can be preserved and transported far away without worrying about rotting or spoiling. This year, the price at the garden at the beginning of the season was 50,000 VND/kg, and everything was picked and sold out," said Ms. Lan - Mr. Bay Binh's wife.
Since early 2023, after being encouraged by their children and grandchildren, Mr. and Mrs. Bay Binh have built more huts and fish ponds to welcome visitors to the garden. As soon as visitors park their cars at the gate, they just need to ask about the mangosteen garden, and Mr. Binh immediately stands up to show them around. He becomes a "knowledgeable tour guide", enthusiastically introducing the age, traces, characteristics... of each "old tree" in the garden. The simplicity and honesty of the 71-year-old farmer makes visitors from afar love him. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lan - his wife is the main chef, personally making traditional dishes. At the age of over 60, she still nimbly climbs on hundred-year-old bamboo shoots to pick ripe, sweet fruits for visitors to enjoy.
Watch Westerners make delicious mangosteen chicken salad
Mr. Bay Binh and his wife do not sell green mangosteens to traders, despite the high price. They only pick mangosteens to make salad to serve their family and guests. Ms. Lan often chooses large, moderately ripe fruits from bamboo trees that are about 20 years old. "I used to make this dish for my family and relatives. There is only one month a year when green mangosteens are available, so it tastes quite unique, sour and sweet, and everyone likes it. Over the past week, the number of tourists ordering chicken mangosteen salad has increased. There were days when I had to mobilize my family and hire employees to peel dozens of kilograms of green fruit," Ms. Lan said.
Ms. Lan uses free-range chickens from neighboring families. Each plate of mangosteen for 4 people costs 350,000 VND, including a chicken of about 1.2 kg, 2 kg of green mangosteen (unprocessed) and carrots, onions, and Vietnamese coriander. This price is much cheaper than chicken and mangosteen salad in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. "My family mainly makes a profit from the labor," Ms. Lan said while skillfully peeling the mangosteen.
After peeling, the mangosteen is soaked in lemon juice to keep its white color, reduce astringency and increase crispness. The hill chicken is boiled in water over low heat until just cooked, keeping the sweetness of the meat and the crispness of the skin, and shredded into large pieces. The carrots and onions are shredded and soaked in ice water. The important secret of the dish is the sweet and sour sauce made from basic ingredients such as fish sauce, sugar, lemon, garlic and chili in the right proportions. Before serving, Ms. Lan sprinkles fried shallots, Vietnamese coriander and chopped chili peppers.
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