Maprang

What it is

The oval fruit is about 4–8 cm (1.5–3 in) long, with smooth yellow-to-orange skin and flesh around a flattened seed. Its juicy flesh ranges from sour to sweet, with a faint resinous smell. In Thailand, sweet eating types are called maprang wan, while premium dessert fruit is often marketed as mayong chid.

Where it comes from

Maprang comes from tropical Southeast Asia. Thailand is its main commercial producer and exporter, with smaller commercial crops in Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos. It grows in home gardens as well as orchards.

In Hawaiʻi, it has become a small specialty crop, reaching eaters through farmers’ markets and sales directly from growers.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Thailand, mayong chid loi kaeo puts peeled, seedless fruit into pandan-scented sugar syrup, served with ice.

Yam mayong chid takes a savoury direction: fruit joins cooked shrimp, minced pork, shallots, lemongrass, chilli and mint, with fish sauce, lime juice and coconut sugar in the dressing. Sour maprang also flavours soups and curries, and goes into sambal, a chilli-based condiment.

How it's grown

The evergreen tree likes humid tropical warmth, sun and fertile soil. In orchards it is pruned every year to about 4–8 m (13–26 ft). Seedling trees commonly take seven to ten years to bear; trees started by grafting or rooting branches can fruit in five to six.

Harvesters clip the stems and handle the fruit gently to protect the skin from scratches and bruises.

When and where you'll find it

In Thailand, the fruit usually ripens in April and May. South Florida’s harvest usually falls from May through July. Hawaiian farmers’ markets and specialist online fruit sellers are places to find it in the US; Miami Fruit lists it under maprang or mango plum.

Fruit picked unripe will not develop its full sweetness and flavour on the kitchen counter. For fresh eating, ripe fruit has yellow-to-orange skin and a soft, edible peel.