MARANG

Marang is in season again! Yipee! I really missed this fruit when I was in Manila. I usually see this being sold at the supermarket at SM but it was really expensive. So, I always have second thoughts about buying one. But now that I'm in Zamboanga, I'm soooo glad that it's in season once more. I can really enjoy eating this yummy fruit once again. (If you want to know more about the Marang, just read below.)

I took some photos of the fruit. You could see that the outer covering has small spines on it.

It's really not sharp, just rough. This marang (first photo) is already ripe. You'll know it's ripe when you try to press it a little and it gives a bit. Also, you'll know it's ripe by the sweet smell it emanates. The brownish-green color is another sign of its ripeness as opposed to the green ones (but they ripen in just a few days). When you see a yellowish-green one, it's almost always overripe so it's not a good idea to buy those. Those taste too sweet and are no longer firm but soggy.

This is the inside of the marang (second photo). This fruit is very filling. My mom ate 14 of those white arils and she was stuffed. Of course, we ate this for dessert. My dad and I finished the fruit off with no problems at all. =D

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marang

The Johey Oak (Artocarpus odoratissimus), also called Marang and Tarap, is a tree related to Jackfruit, Cempedak, and Breadfruit, native to Borneo.

It is an evergreen tree growing to 25 m tall. The leaves are 16-50 cm long and 11-28 cm broad, similar to the Breadfruit's, but are a little less lobed.

As indicated by the scientific name, the fruit has a strong scent. The fruit is delicious, soft flavoured and can be appreciated from the first bite. The fruit is considered superior in flavour to both Jackfruit and Cempedak.

The appearance of the fruit can be regarded as an intermediate shape between the jackfruit and the breadfruit. The fruit is round to oblong, 15-20 cm long and 13 cm broad, and weighing about 1 kg. The thick rind is covered with soft, broad spines. They become hard and brittle as the fruit matures. The fruit does not fall to the ground when ripe. It may be harvested while still hard, and left to ripen until soft. Marangs change colour to greenish yellow when ripe. The ripe fruit is opened by cutting the rind around. Twisting and gently pulling the halves complete the operation. The interior of the fruit is somewhat similar to the jackfruit's, but the colour is whitish. The core is relatively large, but there are fewer "rags" and less non-edible parts. Arils are white and the size of a grape, each containing a 15 × 8 mm seed. Once opened, the marang should be consumed quickly (in a few hours), as it loses flavour rapidly and fruit oxidises. The seeds are also edible after boiling or roasting.

The tree is not cold tolerant (as is the breadfruit). It can grow between latitude 15º north and south, and in coastal regions where temperatures never stay under 7 ºC. It is cultivated for its fruit in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and southern Thailand. The species is largely grown for local consumption; the short shelf-life of the fruit limits its wider use.