The source in the internet says that the rose apples originate from the East Indies and Malaya (a.k.a. Indonesia and Malaysia), and was introduced to Jamaica in 1762. They were first planted in Florida before 1876 and then later on in California.

The fruit can be greenish of pinkish depending on the type. It has a very smooth and thin skin and firm flesh that is sweet (sometimes sour) and rose scented. The texture is crips and almost crunchy. Because it is watery and juicy, rose apples are very refreshing to eat in the heat.

You can hardly find any rose apples in supermarkets, only in traditional markets or street vendors selling fruits.

Rose Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 liters of coconut milk taken from 4 grated coconuts. You can also use ready made coconut milk sold in the supermarkets, such as Kara. In this case, since the ready made version is concentrated, I would say 200 ml would be enough (then add water to make up for the required 2 liters of liquid), but if you like it thick, you can use more to your own taste;
• 1 kg topside beef, cut into cubes;
• 100 gr lengkuas (galangal or wild ginger), crushed; substitute with 1-2 teaspoons of the powder version;
• 5 lemongrass sticks (white parts only), crushed;
• 3 turmeric leaves, slice thinly;
• 15 kaffir lime leaves or substitute with app. 1 tbsp of lemon thyme;
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder;
• 250 gr red chilli, if you don’t like it hot, remove the seeds;
• 300 gr shallots (small red onions);
• 150 gr garlic;
• 50 gr ginger;
• 50 gr turmeric;
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds, ‘dry-fry’ or toast (fry in pan without oil) to induce fragrance;
• 2 tsp palm sugar
• 200 gr candle nut, ‘dry-fry’ to induce flavor;
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

How to make it:

Using a mortar and pestle (or simply a food processor), grind and mix the chillies, shallot, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander seeds, palm sugar, candle nuts, salt and sugar, to form a paste. Cook the paste together with the coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients (except the beef) on medium heat, stirring often to avoid the coconut milk from breaking, until it boils. Add the beef, cook, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced significantly. Normally, the Padang style rendang has not much sauce/liquid, but you can adjust the liquid thickness and amount to your own taste. It is usually served with rice since it is quite spicy and tasty, and the rice will help tone down the spice a bit.

Happy cooking!

Durian

Durian is a fruit native to Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. It is widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the ‘king of fruits’ but to many westerners it is almost like a curse.

The durian fruit is large, has a unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The unique odour is strong and penetrating even with the husk still intact. Because of this odour, to those who find this fruit fragrant, it is the ‘king of fruit’ but to those who find the aroma offensive and stinking, would call it as a curse. The smell evokes interesting reactions among westerners and also Asians, from deep appreciation to intense disgust. It is no wonder that the aroma has caused the banishment of the fruit from certain hotels and public transportation in Asia.

Very diverse reviews about the fuit has been made. The one below was written by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1856:

“A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes… It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. … as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed.”

But other interesting reviews about durian are not quite as appreciating as the one above. Read a review by a much later reviewers:

“Eating durian is like eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory.” – Anthony Burgess.

Some more comparisons have been made with stale vomit, skunk spray, pig-shit garnished with a gym sock and sewage. To durian fans, however, the fruit smells like heavenly aroma with a strong fragrant of alcohol and a deep flavour of sweet caramel.

It is very interesting to see that you can divide the whole world into 2 groups. The group of people who deeply appreciates durian and the other group who is just intensely disgusted by it. There is nobody in the middle.

If you would like to try durian, make sure that you get rid of the aroma from your breath and your hands by pouring water into the empty shell of the fruit and drink from it and clean your fingers in it. It will neutralize the strong odour of the fruit.