Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter
June plum is a relatively new item in the expanding list of exotics. The oblong or ovate-shaped fruit has been gaining popularity across the world. It is considered to be a good source of vitamin C and rich in iron. It is said to be useful in relieving ailments such as diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure and urinary troubles.
NOT MANY people are aware that the botanical name for June plum is ambarella spondias dulcis ambere and that Jamaicans are the only ones who use the name June plum. Other popular names are Jew plum and golden apple, but in Malaya it is called great hog plum or kedondong.
June plum, the largest of the plum family, is green in colour in its unripe stage, but golden to yellow when ripe. While still green, the flesh and skin are hard in texture. The flesh has a crisp, juicy and acidic taste and has a somewhat pineapple-like fragrance and flavour. Unlike star apple, the plums will fall to the ground, a few at a time when they are still green.
When ripe, they start to soften and the aroma and flavour become musky. The flesh becomes more difficult to slice because of conspicuous and tough fibres extending from the rough ridges of the prickly core. In its ripened form, it is sweeter and less acidic.
JUNE PLUM PRODUCTS
It is related to other popular Jamaican plums such as hog plum and maiden plum. Though a native of the South Pacific, it is now generally found throughout the tropics and was introduced to Jamaica in 1782 and again 10 years later by Captain Bligh, probably from Hawaii where it has been grown for many years. It is also cultivated in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and from Puerto Rico to Trinidad; also in Central America, Venezuela, and Surinam. However, it is rare in Brazil and other parts of tropical America.
When eaten at the proper stage, while still firm, it is enjoyed by many and makes a delicious juice or cold beverage. If the crisp flesh is stewed with a little water and sugar, then strained, it makes a delicious treat, much like traditional apple sauce but with a richer flavour. With the addition of cinnamon or any other spices desired, this sauce can be slowly cooked to a thick consistency to make a preserve very similar to apple butter.
Unripe June plums can be made into jelly, jams, pickles or relishes, or used for flavouring sauces, soups and stews. June plum makes a delicious juice that can be mixed with other tropical fruit juices to enhance flavour, aroma and taste.
Young June plum leaves are consumed raw in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, they are steamed and eaten as a vegetable with salted fish and rice, and also used as seasoning for various dishes. They are sometimes used as a meat tenderiser.
Source: www.destinationtropicals.com/plantdescription/Plant
www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/ambarella
