African palmyra fruit

What it is

A ripe fruit measures about 15 cm (6 in) across. Inside, fibrous flesh surrounds three woody seed cases. It smells strongly of turpentine.

The soft young seed food and the ripe pulp are different ingredients. As the seeds mature, their soft contents harden. The palm is Borassus aethiopum, also called the African fan palm.

Where it comes from

African palmyra grows across tropical Africa, from Senegal through Ghana and Nigeria to Ethiopia and Kenya, and south to South Africa. It belongs to savannah, river edges and coastal woodland. Sandy, well-drained ground suits it, especially the soil deposited beside rivers.

How it's eaten where it grows

In the drier part of Benin, Gourmantché cooks toast ripe fruit before eating it. In the humid region it is boiled; in the semi-arid region it is also boiled with maize, millet or sorghum. These preparations use the mature fruit rather than the jelly inside young seeds.

In Kano, northern Nigeria, ripe fruit from Rimi market has been made into a juice drink spiced with ginger and cloves.

How it's grown

This palm grows a single trunk up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. Its first six to eight years go mostly into leaves, with little upward growth. Trunks older than about 25 years develop a swelling high up.

Male and female flowers grow on separate palms, and insects carry most of the pollen. Flowering and fruiting can continue through the year.

When and where you'll find it

In Benin, whole fruits and edible seedlings are sold in both rural and town markets, mostly by women and children. Ripe fruit is also sold at Rimi market in Kano, Nigeria. The palm flowers and fruits year-round, so fruit isn't tied to one short harvest.