The Mountain Apple (Ohi’a ‘ai) is native to Malaysia. It is a canoe fruit, as it was brought to Hawaii by early Polynesians.
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| The Mountain Apple (Ohi’a ‘ai) |
This lovely red fruit, shaped like a pear, grows wild in areas away from the coastline on all the islands. You can purchase Mountain Apple in open-air markets, mostly on the Big Island (Hawaii.)
I’ve never had the opportunity to try one of these, but they are supposed to have a refreshing, watery-sweet flavor. It has been described as similar to an apple, but very juicy.
The color of the fruit can range from pale pink to deep red. The skin is edible, but not the seeds near the center of the fruit.
Ancient Hawaiians used the trees for building, and extracted dyes from the fruit to make designs in their tapa cloth. The bark had medicinal qualities.
The fresh fruit sounds great, but pickled mountain apple is also very popular.
Something new for me to try when I get a chance to travel to the islands again!
Mahalo for visiting!
Cheryl
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I love hearing from my readers! Mahalo for visiting and commenting. Aloha! --Cheryl