Jentik

What it is

The fruit is Baccaurea polyneura, also called jentik-jentik in Malaysia. Each fruit measures about 1–2.6 cm (0.4–1 in) long. Inside are one to three seeds, each with its own fleshy covering. That covering is the part to eat.

The fruits gather along a shared stalk. Open one and the flesh inside is a bright orange-red; even a shell that has dried can still hold good fruit.

Where it comes from

Jentik is native to Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo. In Aceh, at the northern end of Sumatra, it grows around Gunung Leuser National Park. Among the related Baccaurea fruits eaten by nearby communities, jentik is a local favourite for its taste.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Malaysia, jentik is a fresh snack: the shell opens to release the separate pieces of flesh. A shell that has dried may open with a gentle squeeze.

In southern Thailand, the fruit is known as champuling. One modern preparation is chef Book Boonsmith's champuling salad, made with fruit from Narathiwat.

How it's grown

The tree can reach 30 m (98 ft), with an uneven crown. It grows in tropical forest on hillsides and ridges, and on land built up by river deposits. Sandy and clay soils both support it.

In Aceh, nearly four in ten people asked plant jentik beside other crops for food and income. The flowers gather along the branches. Female flower clusters can be 35 cm (14 in) long, with as many as 50 flowers along a cluster.

When and where you'll find it

In Malaysia it's sold fresh by the kilo in places such as Gurun in Kedah. In southern Thailand it reaches local markets in Narathiwat under the name champuling. Local names change across the region: the same fruit is cham ri in Pattani and cham rai in Nakhon Si Thammarat.