CHIKU'S LITTLE SECRET

Who would have even thought that innocent looking fruit like this has its own little secret?

 

You need this to reach them

Meet Chiku, Chiko, Chikoo, Sapodila, Sapota or Sapote; they're all the same!

They look a little like kiwi fruit; brown and slightly sandy on the outside but without all the 5 o’clock shadow.  They bled latex when plucked.  The flesh when ripen is juicy, extremely sweet and fragrant with a slightly granular texture.  Cut the fruit in half and you see shiny black seeds. 

Tree ripen fruits are the best but just in case the birds beat you to them, pluck them when they’re of a reasonable size.  To hasten the ripening process, toss the fruits in between the grains in your rice bin or wrap the fruits up with newspapers and leave them in room temperature. 

Chiku trees are bushy and pretty tall although cultivars are shorter.  Supposedly in the past, chewing gums were made from latex found in the bark of the trees. That’s how chiclets (brand) gum got their name?

When I posted photos on my Instagram, someone left a comment saying “If you eat 1 - 2 kilos of it you will get drunk.” “If you eat much of it like a kilo, your breath will smell like alcohol.” Yikes!

It’s also said that the flesh from chiku can be fermented to make wine.  That is a little too adventurous for me to experiment right now although wine does sound nice after a day out in the garden. 

They deserve more love

Well, maybe wine in the pipeline...

GOTTA LOVE 'EM

There is no secret that I’m in love with anything natural and good especially when words like “rich source of antioxidants,” “health benefits,” etc pop up.  Who doesn’t??

Ain't she gorgeous?

When I heard from the grapevine that the Clitoria ternatae whose common name is blue pea flower for centuries have been used in traditional ayurvedic medicine and is supposedly good for improving eyesight, the blind as a bat in me just have to give this plant a second glance!  

I Love You

To begin, I love the vivid intensity of these lovely blue flowers and the added bonus is there are lots of them taking refuge all over the fence.

For a long time the natural dye in the flowers have been used for cooking.  The flowers can also be dipped in batter and deep fried.  You can even make tea out of them.  They can also be added to a bowl of salad.  Look at how beautiful they look!

Do bear in mind that if these beautiful flowers are to be consumed, it is best that they be grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals.

 

Why eat something supposedly good with added benefits when in fact it is detrimental to your well being.  If you're growing your own, do it the organic way.