Pangium edule

Pangium edule
Pangium edule
Pangium edule seeds used as spice in Indonesian cooking (rawon beef stew)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Salicaceae
Genus: Pangium
Species: P. edule
Binomial name
Pangium edule
Reinw.[1]

Pangium edule (Indonesian: keluak or keluwak;Malay: kepayang) is a tall tree native to the mangrove swamps of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea[2]). It produces a large poisonous fruit (the "football fruit") which can be made edible by fermentation.

The taxonomy of the tree is uncertain and it may also be classed in the Flacourtiaceae[2] or the Violales.

Contents

Ecology and cultivation

The tree requires many years to mature and the seeds are therefore most frequently harvested from wild trees, as it is not economically feasible to cultivate.[3] Although poisonous to humans, the seeds of the tree form part of the natural diet of the babirusa (Babyroussa babyrussa).[4]

Culinary uses

The fresh fruit and seeds contain hydrogen cyanide and are deadly poisonous if consumed without prior preparation.[5][6][7] The seeds are first boiled and then buried in ash, banana leaves and earth for forty days,[8] during which time, they turn from a creamy white colour to dark brown or black.[9] The method relies on the fact that the hydrogen cyanide released by the boiling and fermentation is water soluble and easily washed out.

In Singapore and Malaysia, the seeds are best known as an essential ingredient in ayam (chicken) or babi (pork) buah keluak,[10][11] a mainstay of Peranakan cuisine. Alternatively, the kernels may be ground up to form a thick black gravy called rawan (or rawon in parts of Indonesia): popular dishes include nasi rawan[12] and sambal rawan. A stew made with beef or chicken also exists in East Java.[13] The Toraja dish pammarrasan (black spice with fish or meat, also sometimes with vegetables) uses the black keluak powder.[citation needed]

Synonyms

  • Indonesian:
    • Keluak,[14] kluwak,[14] kluak,[14] kluwek,[14] keluwek[14] or kloewak (Dutch spelling).[15]
    • Pucung[14] or pucing (Sundanese)[14]
    • Rawan or rawon (adjective referring to food prepared with the seeds of this tree)
  • Malay:
  • Kadazan:

References

  1. ^ Sylloge Plantarum Novarum Itemque Minus Cognitarum a Praestantissimis Botanicis adhuc Viventibus Collecta et a Societate Regia Botanica Ratisbonensi Edita. Ratisbonae (Regensburg). 2. 1825. pp. 13. 
  2. ^ a b Conn B, Damas K. "Pangium edule Reinw.". National Herbarium of New South Wales, and Papua New Guinea National Herbarium. http://www.pngplants.org/PNGtrees/TreeDescriptions/Pangium_edule_Reinw.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  3. ^ Andarwulan N, Fardiaz D, Wattimena GA, Shetty K (1999). "Antioxidant activity associated with lipid and phenolic mobilization during seed germination of Pangium edule Reinw.". Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 47 (8): 3158–3163. doi:10.1021/jf981287a. 
  4. ^ Leus K, Morgan CA, Dierenfeld ES (2001). "Nutrition". In Fischer M. Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) Husbandry Manual. American Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 
  5. ^ Treub M (1896). "Sur la localisation, le transport, et le rôle de l'acide cyanhydrique dans le Pangium edule" (in French). Ann Jardin Bot Buitenzorg xiii: 1. 
  6. ^ Greshoff M (1906). Distribution of prussic acid in the vegetable kingdom. York, England. pp. 138. 
  7. ^ Willaman JJ (1917). "The estimation of hydrocyanic acid and the probable form in which it occurs in Sorghum vulgare". J Biol Chem 29 (1): 25–36. 
  8. ^ Chia CC. "Buah Keluak". http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~ccchia/pict31.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  9. ^ Wong WH (11 Jan 2007). "Buah Keluak". National Parks. http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/01/11/buah-keluak/. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  10. ^ Ng L (29 Oct 2007). "Ayam/Pork Buah Keluak". http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2007/09/ayampork-buah-keluak.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  11. ^ Chia CC. "Ayam/Babi Buah Keluak". http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~ccchia/recipe03.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  12. ^ Seetoh KF (November 1999). "Nasi Padang". makansutra. http://www.makansutra.com/Makanzine/dec99/nasipadang.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  13. ^ "Tarry, Tarry Night". 22 May 2007. http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/2007/05/tarry_tarry_nig.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Kluwak Pangium edule Reinw Familia: Flacourtiaceae Indonesia: Keluwek, keluwak, kluwak, kluwek, picung (Sunda), kepayang. Malaysia: Kepayang, Payang". DipoKusumo Farm Nursery. http://indonetwork.co.id/dipokusumo_farm/1150173/kluwak-pangium-edule-reinw-familia-flacourtiaceae-indonesia.htm. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
  15. ^ "Kloewak [Pangium edule"]. Objectief. http://objectief.be/Kloewak-Pangium-edule.html. Retrieved 15 Oct 2009. 
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