The flavor of star fruit in the flood season in the West

The flood season in the West is not only associated with freshwater fish products but also with typical fruits. Among them, it is impossible not to mention the star fruit, with its sour and astringent taste that has become a specialty today.

During the flood season, people row boats to pick star fruit and collect the fallen ripe fruits to make wine - Photo: TONG DOANH

The Canarium plant often grows along the banks of rice fields in the West. There are perennial trees with large, sturdy trunks and wide canopies that shade the fields.

During the flood season, people row boats to the fields or park their boats under the shade of trees to rest and pick star fruit to "have fun" and relieve boredom.

Simple and easy to make salt and pepper mixed star fruit dish - Photo: TONG DOANH

The star fruit is both sour and astringent. Each person can only eat two at most and then "give up". The star fruit grows in clusters and is pointed like green candles. Each time you pick about half a conical hat, you eat it all and then have to go back to the field to pick more.

Smashed carambola mixed with fish sauce and sugar, smashed carambola mixed with salt and chili, candied carambola... are popular rustic ways to eat it.

Candied carambola is quite elaborate and time-consuming to prepare, but is easy to eat and is popular with customers looking to buy it in rural markets.

Canarium fruit is sold at markets for 15,000 VND/kg - Photo: TONG DOANH

Currently, in addition to being eaten fresh, star fruit is also used to make wine, becoming an OCOP specialty of An Giang province. Dong Thap farmers are growing and producing wine, registering it as a local specialty product.

Mr. Phan Van Nam - residing in Long Thang commune, Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province - said that his Ca Na garden is 7 years old, growing and bearing fruit seasonally, not just following the rising water like trees growing naturally in the fields, the trees still grow after the dry season.

"This tree is safe for clean fruit. Home growers will spray it with cotton and fruit-setting chemicals every 2-3 months. On average, each large canopy tree yields about 150kg, and small trees 50-70kg per crop.

Star fruit grows in clusters close together and is easy to pick - Photo: TONG DOANH

Currently, the price of raw star fruit purchased at the garden is about 10,000 VND/kg. However, picking it is very hard work and the profit is not high, so I will let the star fruit ripen by itself and fall on the water surface, then I will scoop it up and process it into wine," said Mr. Nam.

After harvesting, the ripe star fruit is washed, dried in the sun, and then fermented for about 3 months to make wine. Currently, Mr. Nam's family's star fruit wine is distributed to stores in and outside the province such as: Sa Dec, Can Tho, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau.

Ripe star fruit fermented for about 3 months to make wine is sold for a higher price than fresh star fruit - Photo: TONG DOANH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/huong-vi-trai-ca-na-mua-nuoc-noi-mien-tay-20241028091414032.htm