Nowadays, there are many exotic fruits that Vietnamese families love because of their unique and delicious flavor, including black sapote. So what is black sapote fruit? What is its color and taste like that it costs up to half a million VND per kg? Let’s find out about this fruit right now!
1 What is black sapote?
What is black sapote?
Black sapote is a type of woody tree with a color and fruit that has a flavor quite similar to chocolate. This type of fruit is often called Black Sapote in English and its scientific name is Diospyros nigra. The fruit of the black sapote tree is round, when unripe it is green with small spots on the surface, but when ripe it will turn into a light yellow or solid green color. The flesh of the black sapote is black or brown in color, when tasted it has a fragrant, mild and chocolate-like flavor.
2 Origin of black sapote
Origin of black sapote
Black sapote originated from the beautiful country of Mexico. However, because of its delicious and unique flavor, this fruit is being cultivated and grown in many countries around the world such as Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, etc.
3 Characteristics of black sapote tree
Characteristics of black sapote tree
The black sapote tree has the following basic characteristics:
- The trunk of the tree is a type of woody trunk, with an average height of about 5 meters when mature. The bark of the tree is dark brown with many veins, the leaves are long, wide and have high coverage.
- The leaves of the tree are green, similar in shape to a mangosteen tree and do not shed much in winter, making the tree look green and cool all year round.
- The flowers of the black sapote tree bloom from April to September according to the Gregorian calendar, they are green and bloom in clusters. Usually, the flowers need to be pruned to ensure that the tree produces fewer but larger and higher quality fruits.
- The black sapote fruit has a round or square shape, when small, it has green skin with small black spots. The flesh of the fruit is white, but when ripe, the skin can turn into green or yellow depending on the variety, while the flesh will turn brown or shiny black, creating the special attraction of black sapote tree.
4 How many types of black sapote are there?
In Vietnam, there are currently 2 main types of black sapote: Indonesian black sapote and Japanese black sapote.
Indonesian black sapote
Indonesian black sapote
Indonesian black sapote, also known as Black Sapote Jumbo Indo, is a popular tropical black sapote in Indonesia. This type of fruit has a slightly flat shape, shiny skin and does not change color from green to black when ripe. However, the special thing about this fruit is the color of the flesh inside, when ripe, it changes from green to brown or shiny black creating attractiveness and uniqueness.
Japanese black sapote
Japanese black sapote
Japanese black sapote, also known as the Saijo Japan, stands out with its large round fruit and green skin when young. When ripe, the skin of the fruit turns into bright orange color. Inside, the flesh of the fruit is dark gray and has many sesame-like spots.
5 How much does black sapote cost per kg?
How much does black sapote cost per kg?
Black Sapote is known as a relatively high-value fruit in the current market. Because this type of tree is not common in Vietnam and the number of growers is quite limited. One of the factors contributing to its value is its uniqueness and rarity. Currently, on the market, the price of black sapote ranges around 500,000 VND/1 kg.
6 How to eat and store black sapote
How to eat black sapote fruit
Black sapote fruit, fragrant and sweet like chocolate, so there are many different ways to process it. In Mexico – the country that is considered the homeland of this black sapote, people often grind the black sapote fruit to mix with milk or juice, and then add sugar to create delicious desserts. In America, people often eat black sapote with milk or juice for daily consumption. In Central America, black sapote is used to ferment and process into delicious fruit wine. In each country with different eating cultures, black sapote is not only a delicious fruit but also a source of inspiration to create many unique dishes and drinks.
How to store black sapote fruit
It is recommended to store black sapote fruit in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0-4 degrees Celsius. You can use a soft cloth to wipe off the dust on the skin, then use paper or plastic wrap to pack it and put it in the refrigerator. If the black sapote fruit is ripe, you should store it in a cool, dry place. Do not leave it in the refrigerator for too long as it will make the fruit dry, lose its flavor and reduce its nutritional content.
How to eat and store black sapote
