Salak

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Salak fruit
Plant Info
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Scientific classification
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[[{{{diversity_link}}}|Diversity]]
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Binomial name
Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss
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Synonyms
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Salak (Salacca zalacca, syn. S. edulis, Calamus zalacca) is a species of palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6 m long; each leaf has a 2 m long spiny petiole and numerous leaflets.

The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, usually round with a distinct tip, with an edible pulp; to peel, pinch the tip of the fruit and pull away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes, each lobe containing a large inedible seed. The lobes look and have the consistency of peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali).

Cultivation

Salak fruit has been cultivated throughout Indonesia and there are at least 30 cultivars, but most of which have an astringent taste and are not sweet. Two popular cultivars are salak pondoh from Yogyakarta province (found in 1980s) and salak Bali from Bali island.

Salak pondoh

Salak pondoh has been an important fruit production in Yogyakarta province. In 1999, the production of salak pondoh in Yogyakarta was increased by 100% within five years, reaching 28,666 tons. The popularity of salak pondoh among local Indonesian consumers is mainly because of its aroma intensity, including overripe and sweaty even before full maturation, compared to the other cultivar, such as salak Bali. The cultivar salak pondok has been produced even outside the province. However, the distinctive aroma of salak pondoh is not very popular among non-native consumers.

Salak pondoh has three more superior variations, namely pondoh super, pondoh hitam (black pondoh), and pondoh gading.

References

• Supriyadi; Suhardi; M. Suzuki; K. Yoshida; T. Muto; A. Fujita; and N. Watanabe (2002). "Changes in the Volatile Compounds and in the Chemical and Physical Properties of Snake Fruit (Salacca edulis Reinw) Cv. Pondoh during Maturation". J. Agric. Food Chem. 50 (26): 7627–7633. doi:10.1021/jf020620e S0021-8561(02)00620-9.