Featured...
Wild Kemang Mangoes
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Kemang fruits are small to medium in size with an oblong, pear-shape. When young, the skin is glossy and pale, and as it matures, it transforms into a matte, yellow-brown with a rough texture and many brown spots and speckling. Underneath the skin, the white flesh is juicy, fibrous, and dense with a large, central, and hard cream-colored to white seed. Kemang has a powerful and pungent odor with a crunchy, acidic, sweet and sour flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Kemang is available year-round in tropical climates of Southeast Asia.
Current Facts
Kemang, botanically classified as Mangifera kemanga, are fruits that grow on a large deciduous tree that can reach up to forty-five meters in height, belonging to the Anacardiaceae family. The leafy trees grow in tropical, humid rainforests and are somewhat rare today due to loss of habitat and lack of cultivation because of other cash crops. Kemang is primarily localized to Southeast Asia and is favored for its sweet and sour flavor, commonly juiced or eaten fresh.
Nutritional Value
Kemang fruits contain some vitamins A, C, and B6, potassium, and folate.
Applications
Kemang is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as sautéing or boiling. When raw, the skin can be removed with a knife and the flesh can be carefully cut away and consumed as a snack or mixed into fruit salads. In Southeast Asia, unripe slices of Kemang are used in rujak, which is a mixture of fruit coated in a spicy sauce of peanuts, chile peppers, and palm sugar. Kemang can also be pickled for extended use, squeezed into homemade juice, or cooked into curries for added tang. In addition to the flesh, the large seed can be grated and combined with spices and fermented soybeans, and the young leaves of the Kemang tree are consumed in lalapan, which is an Indonesian salad. Kemang pairs well with spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, green beans, rice, and meats such as chicken, fish, and tofu. The fruits will keep up to five days when stored at room temperature.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Kemang is a popular fruit in Jakarta, Indonesia and is traditionally found at local markets to make homemade juices, mixing in sugar, coffee powder, and ice. The leaves are also consumed raw in salads and vegetable dishes. In Jakarta, some neighborhoods were also named after fruit trees as a reminder of the many varieties that were found growing wild before urban development. Kemang, a high-end, southern community in Jakarta, was named after the Kemang fruit tree.
Geography/History
Kemang is native to Southeast Asia and has been growing wild since ancient times. Today the fruit is still found growing wild and is cultivated on a small scale, being sold at fresh local markets in West Java, Sumatra, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, and Borneo.
