Sarawakian Local Delights Buah Kedundong

Spondias dulcis (syn. Spondias cytherea), is an equatorial or tropical tree, with edible fruit containing a fibrous pit. It is known as kedondong in Indonesia, pomme cythere in Trinidad and Tobago,^[1] Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique,^[2] June plum in Bermuda and Jamaica,^[1] juplon in Costa Rica,golden apple in Barbados and Guyana, jobo indio in Venezuela, cajá-manga and cajarana in Brazil and São Tomé and Príncipe, quả cóc in Vietnam, manzana de oro in Dominican Republic. (Wikipedia)

Buah Kedundong is a very sourish kind of fruit. There are now two kinds of buah kedundong. One is the Asli or indigenous wild fruit and the other is grafted or KAHWIN variety. The grafted variety can fruit after six months of its planting and the fruit is softer and to some people tastier and less fibrous.





The leaves are edible and they are included in rojak with good Har Goh or prawn paste. It can be included in any green salads with a local dressing.

The fruit itself is usually eaten on its own, with salt and a squeese of lime.

Grated, the fruit is excellent when mixed with just belacan and chillies to make a very refreshing tropical salad. That is how we usually eat kedundong.

Pickled kedundong is sold in bottles, plastic bags. Women also believe that if they eat a lot of pickled kedundong, they can keep their shape well. It is a much sought after food amongst pregnant women in Malaysia.

A glass of kedundong juice is very cooling and calming.

Our old wives' tale says that if we smash the fruit on the floor it will open up and the sourness will be gone. Peeled with a knife or scrapper, the fruit will be sour. Believe it or not, it is up to you. Give it a try.