Tarap is always on the list when comes to types of fruits you should try in Borneo.
Sometimes known as the cempedak of Borneo, this fruit usually shares the same fate with durian. It is commonly being banned from entering most hotels for its strong smell.
If you are not familiar with this fruit, here are five things you should know about tarap:
1.It is also known by many names.
Does the tarap fruit seem familiar but you’re not sure if you’ve tried it before? You may have heard it called by any of these other names: terap, marang, johey oak, green pedalai, madang or timadang.
The scientific name of tarap is Actocarpus odoratissimus, and it is actually a tree in the mulberry and fig family Moraceae.
2.It is found in Borneo, Palawan and Mindanao islands.
While it is famously found on the island of Borneo, this fruit is also native to the Palawan and Mindanao islands.
In the Philippines, the locals call it marang.
3.There are two other species of fruit similar to tarap.
The first fruit species that is similar to Actocarpus odoratissimus is Artocarpus sericarpus. It is also known as pedalai, gumihan or terap bulu.
Terap bulu does not have strong odour like tarap. As for its outer appearance, terap bulu is hairy and looks like a giant rambutan.
The second one is Artocarpus sarawakensis (pingan or mountain tarap). It is the same shape as the Artocarpus odoratissimus but it is orange in colour and has smaller kernel sections.
4.Once you open it, you need to eat the fruit really fast
Unlike durian, it does not fall to the ground when it is overripe. So farmers can harvest tarap when they are deemed a mature size and leave it to ripen.
The flesh is sweet and has a creamy texture.
Once opened, you need to eat the fruit immediately because it oxidizes fast and loses its flavour quickly.
This is also the reason why the commercialisation of this tropical fruit is limited. It has a very low shelf life.
5.The many uses of tarap fruit.
If you have the chance to visit Tarakan in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, give the city’s signature tarap juice and tarap layered cake a try.
The tarap layered cake is one of the city’s own original products. As for tarap juice, it is one of the must-try drinks in Tarakan.
You can actually make it at home using tarap, sugar, ice, water and condensed milk.
Besides the fruit, the peels were reported to be useful material for the removal of colouring agents.
Even the seeds are edible; just like jackfruit seeds they can be boiled or roasted and then eaten as snacks. Just like Actocarpus odoratissimus, terap bulu’s seeds are edible after boiling or roasting.
