Pataua

What it is

Patauá is the fruit of Oenocarpus bataua. The oval fruit measures 2.5–4 cm (1–1½ in) long and 2–2.5 cm (¾–1 in) across. Beneath the skin, the edible layer is thin: just 2–4 mm around a seed wrapped in fibres.

The flesh is hard before soaking. Water softens it for eating or for separating the pulp from the seed. The flesh is oily, and its oil is also taken out on its own as a cooking fat.

Where it comes from

The palm grows across northern South America and reaches Panama. Its range includes Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. In Brazil it grows in Acre, Amazonas, Pará and Rondônia. It lives in both forest above the floodplain and forests that flood, with a preference for moist ground.

How it's eaten where it grows

In the Brazilian Amazon, vinho de patauá starts with fruit softened in hot water. The fruit is pounded with water, then strained to remove the seeds. Mixed with farinha d’água, a cassava flour, the drink can be a meal in itself. The extracted oil is used to fry fish.

Patauá also goes into ice cream and ice pops. In bolo da Fabiana, a home cake recipe, the drink takes the place of both milk and butter.

How it's grown

A patauá palm grows from a single trunk, up to 25 m (82 ft) tall. Young palms spend years in forest shade; mature ones need plenty of light. The fruit takes 10–14 months to develop and ripen, so a palm can carry flowers and fruit at the same time.

When and where you'll find it

In Acre, the main crop usually comes with the rains, from December through March. A smaller crop usually follows from July through September. Patauá drink is a regional market food, sold alongside açaí and buriti in Rio Branco, including at the Mercado dos Colonos and supermarkets, and at Belém’s Ver-o-Peso.