Sunday, April 8, 2012

FRUIT FROM THAILAND: CAMANCHILE

WHAT IS THIS FRUIT?

Well, I was a bit away from the plate and i just blurted, "What is that? Sampaloc?"
Well everyone laughed at me, and infact, pitied me!!! 
It is a CAMANCHILE!




Of course, it had a different color even if it had similar shape.

I told them, the only camanchile I know is Camanchile Street in Zamboanga City!!!
They all laughed.
I guess this may be more common in Luzon, but I never encountered this in Cebu or Zamboanga City!

And to think, I first saw and ate it in Bangkok!!!

So I just got some data from the net to share about it.

http://www.wordnik.com/words/kamachiles

Definition of Kamachiles

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. In Guam and the Philippines, Pithecolobium dulce, a Mexican tree introduced into those islands for the sake of its edible pods and of its bark, which yields 25 per cent. of tannin. Also camanchile. See guamuchil.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090117213326AAK1Eu7
Camanchile, Pithecolobium dulce Benth. (Leguminosæ), a native
of tropical America; introduced into the 
Philippines by the Spaniards
probably in the first century of 
Spanish occupation; now thoroughly
naturalized and widely distributed in the 
Archipelago

In Mexico is is known as Guamuchil. Yes you can eat the fruits just fresh or roasted. If you are from Philippines the fruit looks a bit like tamarind but has a curved or twisted shape, white pink color. Pod contains several seeds. There is a sub variety which is bitter but still edible.

Well, I wasn't wrong that it is shaped like a tamarind!
Funny, that this is not primarily Asian but rather Central and Southern American in origin.

I like it and it tastes healthy!!!
Thanks to the friendly folks in Fai Sor Kam at the fourth floor in Paragon, Bangkok who offered it to us!

8 comments:

  1. I'm from Zamboanga too and we used to have a camanchile tree near our home. We never ate its fruits though because someone told us that it can be poisonous so we avoided it. Did you enjoy its taste?

    - Mich of Mich Eats and Shops

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  2. yes... a little mapakla (correct ba ito?) but the one I tasted was really good and I ate a lot!!!

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    1. Yes, that's correct! Was it sweet? I think they spray sugared water on their fruit trees in Thailand to make everything sweet :D

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  3. OMG! You're from Zamboanga? We can exchange link :) I agree with you! The only Camanchile i know is the street. :D looks you had fun with the fruit :)

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  4. Yes, Patricia. I am from Zamboanga. We can exchange link. You staying in Zamboanga City?

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  5. I miss this! I was eating this fruit my entire childhood. I lived in Cotabato as a kid and there were so many camachili in our area.

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  6. Lol . . .
    De Zamboanga Soy también pero conoce yo con el Camanchile como el un calle alla na Zamboanga cerca na AdZU y como un Fruta también porque ta come kame con este antes cuando de amon prójimo tiene pa pono de Camanchile y lose demas pono como el Lomboy, Dátiles, Guiabano, Atís y Serguela alla na Arcillas, Barrio de Upper Calarian, Ciudad de Latina Zamboanga. ^_^

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  7. El Camanchile jendeh sabor páclâ sino el Lombo que es sabor páclâ. ^_^

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