Snake fruit – ‘Salak Pondoh’

Description

Salak is the fruit of a species of palm tree, native to Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. Snake fruit, as it’s also called, thanks to its brown scaly skin, has a good keep quality. Peeling the thin skin will reveal 3 lobes, cream to yellow in colour containing 2 or 3 inedibe seeds. They are about the size and shape of a mature fig. The taste can be compared to that of an apple and pineapple.

The texture varies between cultivars, salak pondoh having a crisp and crunchy feel in the mouth.

Salak pondoh is grown in abundance in the Yogyakarta province on the island of Java, Indonesia. It’s popularity in Indonesia, compared to other cultivars, is mainly due to the intensity of its aroma the well balanced sweet flavour and low cost.

There are three commonly found cultivars of salak which are pondoh, bali and gula pasir. Typically, pondoh are the largest in size.