High priced green mangosteen still 'sold out'

Green mangosteen "reigns"

In recent days, in many areas People's market In Hanoi, such as Nghia Tan market (Cau Giay district), Thanh Cong market (Ba Dinh district), Long Bien wholesale market... green mangosteens suddenly "sold out". Although the price is quite high compared to other common fruits, this unripe mangosteen is still hunted by many consumers, mainly to make mangosteen chicken salad, a dish that is popular in the South but is becoming a new " culinary fever" in the North.

According to a reporter from Cong Thuong Newspaper at Nghia Tan market, many traders said that green mangosteens are imported from gardens in Binh Duong and Dong Nai to Hanoi by air or refrigerated trucks. The price of green mangosteens with skin ranges from 75,000-100,000 VND/kg, while the peeled type can cost up to 450,000-500,000 VND/kg.

Green mangosteen is becoming a "hot" ingredient in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Thanh

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hang, a fruit seller at Thanh Cong market (Ba Dinh district) shared: “ Last week, I imported 30kg of green mangosteen, and it was sold out in just two days. Customers mainly buy it to make chicken salad, because this dish is very popular on Facebook and TikTok. The pre-peeled type is expensive, but customers still buy it because peeling the mangosteen releases a lot of sap, which is very time-consuming .”

According to the seller, to get 1kg of mangosteen pulp to make salad, you have to peel 5-6kg of mangosteen with the skin on, taking nearly 3 hours. Green mangosteen has a hard skin and contains a lot of resin, so the preparation process requires a lot of technique. After separating, the pulp must be soaked in ice water to keep it white and crispy, then soaked in vinegar, sugar or lemon to prevent it from turning black.

To get 1kg of mangosteen pulp to make salad, you have to peel 5-6kg of mangosteen with the skin on and it takes a long time to peel. Photo: Nguyen Thanh

On culinary groups such as “Love the kitchen” and “Hanoi Housewife Market”, housewives continuously share the recipe for mangosteen chicken salad with compliments of “delicious” and “addictive”. Many restaurants in Hanoi have also taken the opportunity to add mangosteen chicken salad to their summer menu. A portion of salad for two people costs from 200,000 to 350,000 VND depending on the place, and is still welcomed by many diners thanks to its refreshing and novel flavor.

Be careful when buying green mangosteen

Contrary to the trend of choosing ripe fruit, Hanoi consumers now prefer green mangosteen. Not only appearing in traditional markets, green mangosteen is also "on the shelves" at some clean fruit stores, online markets... However, the quantity of goods is not much and the selling price is quite high. Some online stores also advertise a combo package of 2kg chicken + pre-peeled mangosteen + pre-made salad sauce, delivered within 2 hours for 650-700,000 VND/set.

On online market forums, there are also advertisements for ready-made mangosteen chicken salad sets that are loved by many people. Screenshot

According to Ms. Le Thi Phuong (Dich Vong Ward, Cau Giay District): “ I saw the mangosteen chicken salad online that looked very eye-catching and easy to eat in hot weather. I ordered 1kg of green mangosteen that had been peeled by the seller to save effort at the price of 400,000 VND/kg ”.

According to experts, mangosteen is a fruit that contains a lot of vitamin C, antioxidants, aids digestion, and beautifies the skin. However, green mangosteen is not as sweet as ripe mangosteen and needs to be carefully processed to remove the resin. Therefore, consumers should buy from reputable places, avoid products that have been stored for a long time or have been treated with chemicals to soften the shell.

After separating the green mangosteen pulp, it must be soaked in ice water to keep it white and crispy, then soaked in vinegar, sugar or lemon to prevent it from turning black. Photo: Nguyen Thanh

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, a trader specializing in importing mangosteen from Binh Duong to Hanoi, said: “ Because of high demand, many places mix in mangosteens that have been preserved for a long time, with hard or dry flesh. Consumers should choose fruits with natural purple-green skin, no bruises, and white sap when pressed, which means they are fresh .”

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/mang-cut-xanh-gia-cao-van-chay-hang-3358943.html