The bamboo tree of the Seven Mountains region

This plant is a specialty of the Bay Nui region, with a unique and distinctive aroma from its fruit and leaves, and is used by many as a special spice in cooking.

Many elders say that they don't know when the kaffir lime tree (called Kot-sot by the Khmer people) originated, but it has been intimately present in the daily life and cuisine of this region. In the past, kaffir lime trees were very precious because they were only found in a few villages and hamlets of the Khmer people.

Nowadays, people plant one or two kaffir lime trees in front of their houses, both for cooking and medicinal purposes, and to ward off snakes from entering their homes. The kaffir lime tree, related to the lemon tree, is a woody plant that can grow from 2 to 10 meters tall. Its leaves contain essential oils and have a strong, fragrant aroma. The kaffir lime fruit is round, with a fairly thick, rough peel; it is green when unripe and yellow when ripe. Inside, the flesh is yellowish-green, with little juice, and has a tangy, very sour taste.

“It takes 5-8 years for a kapok tree to bear fruit. The older the tree, the more fruit it produces. The kapok tree bears fruit once a year during the rainy season, around June-August in the lunar calendar,” said Ms. Neáng Ray Tha, a resident of Ô Lâm commune.

Both the fruit and leaves of the kaffir lime tree have their own uses, often used in folk medicine to relieve colds, nasal congestion, and indigestion. Women in the Bay Nui region use kaffir lime fruit to wash their hair, making it smooth and shiny. The gentle fragrance of kaffir lime emanating from the hair helps to refresh and promote restful sleep.

The kaffir lime fruit is popular as a substitute for lemon, providing a sour taste when eaten fresh, used in refreshing drinks, or as a seasoning in dipping sauces and salads. The juice of the kaffir lime fruit is also used to treat anorexia and loss of appetite in buffaloes and cows.

The bamboo tree of the Seven Mountains region.

The pomelo fruit has an unusual shape.

The leaves of the kaffir lime tree have a distinctive aroma similar to the kaffir lime fruit, so they are used as a spice in the preparation of many delicious and attractive dishes such as: steamed chicken with kaffir lime leaves, grilled fish with kaffir lime leaves, dried chicken with kaffir lime leaves, grilled beef with kaffir lime leaves, steamed snakehead fish with kaffir lime leaves, hot pot... making diners crave and be captivated.

“I really enjoy the flavor of the leaves and fruit of the kaffir lime tree; it makes for many incredibly delicious dishes that no other plant can match,” shared Ms. Lam Thi Bich Tuyen, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, kaffir lime leaves strongly stimulate the sense of smell and taste, helping to eliminate the fishy smell of high-protein dishes (beef, chicken, eel, snake) and aiding digestion. Locals crush kaffir lime leaves and add them to ponds and lakes to help fish grow faster and healthier. Furthermore, the peel of the kaffir lime fruit contains a very high amount of essential oil, suitable for extracting essential oil for use as fragrance and medicine.

Ms. Chau Hai Yen, residing in Tri Ton commune, has successfully researched and produced pomelo essential oil. She explains that pomelo trees are grown in the Bay Nui region without the use of fertilizers or pesticides, thus avoiding contamination by harmful substances. As a result, many products made from pomelo fruit, such as essential oil, soap, hand sanitizer, dishwashing liquid, and hair serum, are very user-friendly.

Currently, due to the increasing demand for the leaves and fruits of the kaffir lime tree, some farmers propagate the tree by cuttings, grafting, and sowing seeds for sale. When kaffir lime trees in the Bay Nui region bear fruit, people seek out mature kaffir lime fruits to extract the seeds and sow them. On average, 1 kg of mature kaffir lime fruit can sow about 300 kaffir lime seedlings.

"Selling bamboo saplings is worry-free because the longer you keep them, the bigger they get, and the higher the selling price. You just wait for the right market and time; you never have to throw them away," shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, a resident of Nui Cam commune.

The value of the kapok tree is known to people both within and outside the province. Gradually, they are cultivated as ornamental plants, and their leaves and fruits are used as spices in some daily dishes, contributing to enhancing the value of this characteristic plant species in the Bay Nui region.

Text and photos: TRONG TIN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/cay-chuc-vung-bay-nui-a425423.html