Canarium amboinense - Kenari

Canarium amboinense Hochr. (1904)
 
Synonym
Canarium indicum L (1759)
Canarium mehenbethene Gaertner (1791)
Canarium zephyrinum Duchesne (1836)
Canarium moluccanum Blume (1850)
Canarium commune L
 
 
Varieties
Canarium indicum var. indicum
Canarium indicum var. platycerioideum Leenh
 
 
Vernacular names
Indonesia : kenari ambon (Sudanese), kenari ternate (northernSulawesi, kanari bagea (Moluccas), jal (Ambon)
Panua New Guinea : red canarium. Galip(Pidgin), lawele (New Britain), hinuei (New Ireland)
 
 
Distribution
Indonesia (Sulawesi, Moluccas, Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and surrounding islands. It is often cultivated, especially in Melanesia and sometimes elsewhere.
 
 
Uses
In Melanesia the seeds are highly esteemed as a food. Oil from the seeds is used as a substitute for coconut oil.
The wood is used  especially for light construction, mouldings, interior finish, and as a firewood.

Rare Fruit @ Negeri Sembilan : Beluluk

Buah kabong is the fruit of Arenga pinnata.   It is a delicacy in Negeri Sembilan, especially in the Kuala Pilah district where its named buah beluluk.  In Perak it is known as buah kanto, in Indonesia its called buah kolang-kaling.
 
The texture of buah beluluk is almost similar to buah atap ( Nypa fruticans ), or nata de coco.  Usually consumed raw as condiments in cendul, air batu campur, or air sirap.   In Kuala Pilah, beluluk and nira enau is mixed with coconut water to create a specialty drink called air jando pulang.
 

Rare Fruit @ Negeri Sembilan : Kadam

Botany

Hodgsonia macrocarpa ( kadam, lardfruit ) is a fast-growing, evergreen climbing plant with tendrils.  The plant produces large, edible seeds that are very rich in oil, thus the name lard seed. 

The fruit is fibrous, about the size of a coconut.  Each fruit contains up to 8 large flat seeds.  

Range

Native to tropical South East Asia, ranging from Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia to Indochina.

It is usually grown wild by the riverbanks of primary, disturbed forest, and forest fringes.

 

Food

The seeds are often roasted or baked, has a pleasant taste.  Seeds are often crushed and cooked with vegetables.  

In district of Gemencheh and Johol of Negeri Sembilan, the seeds are grated and kneaded with rice flour and limestone paste ( kapur sirih ), wrapped in palm leaves ( daun palas ), and cooked in boiling water.