Delicious dishes made from the sấu fruit – a taste of traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

The sấu tree (Garcinia cambogia) is a long-lived, evergreen tree, often planted for shade along roadsides, in yards, and in schools. Besides enhancing the landscape, the sấu tree also provides a stable income for many families.

Currently, it is the peak season for harvesting sấu fruit.

Tuan Di village, Trung Trac commune (Van Lam district) is the "capital" of sour plums in Hung Yen province with over 1,000 trees. Tuan Di sour plums not only serve the needs of people in the province but are also transported by traders to many provinces and cities such as Hanoi , Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, etc., becoming a local gift exported to countries like South Korea and China.

The family of Mr. Chu Van Cuong in Tuan Di village owns nearly 30 sấu trees that yield a steady harvest each year. Mr. Cuong said: Each tree produces 1-5 quintals of fruit, selling for 10,000-15,000 VND/kg. Besides its economic value , sấu trees are also preferred by locals for intercropping to provide shade for the dong leaf trees underneath.

According to traditional Vietnamese medicine, the sấu fruit has cooling properties, helping to clear heat, quench thirst, treat coughs, expel phlegm, and improve digestion. Not only is it a medicinal herb, but the sấu fruit is also the "soul" of many dishes in summer meals.

One example is boiled water spinach with pickled star fruit, a simple yet flavorful dish. A few star fruits are boiled with water spinach, then mashed. The water from boiling the water spinach is then mixed with the star fruit. Easy to eat and prevents boredom with the same old food on hot days.

Pickled ambarella fruit is also a familiar side dish. Fresh ambarella fruit is peeled, crushed or left whole, and pickled in good quality fish sauce, garlic, and chili peppers. After a few days, it's ready to eat, with a harmonious blend of sour, salty, and spicy flavors that goes very well with rice.

Pickled star fruit in fish sauce, garlic, chili...

The most famous dish made with sấu fruit is braised duck with sấu. The duck is marinated, stir-fried until browned, then braised with green sấu fruit, taro, lemongrass, etc., until tender. The braising liquid is thick and flavorful, the sourness of the sấu fruit enhancing the sweetness of the meat. It's delicious served with vermicelli or rice.

Besides being a staple in meals, the sấu fruit (a type of sour fruit) is also a key ingredient in making delicious snacks like candied sấu and pickled sấu. These days, the Quyen Luu processing facility in Phuong Nam commune ( Hung Yen city) is busy making candied sấu with ginger and pickled sấu. Every step, from peeling and piercing the fruit to marinating, processing, and packaging, ensures food safety and hygiene. The refreshing aroma of sấu and the pungent scent of ginger fill the air. On average, the facility processes about 15 tons of finished products per season, selling them at 100,000 – 110,000 VND/kg.

Processing of pickled sour plum products at Quyen Luu facility, Phuong Nam commune (Hung Yen city)

Mr. Vu Van Quyen, the owner of the establishment, said: "The most important thing in making pickled sour plums is marinating and processing them in the correct ratio of sugar, water, and sour plums. This step must be handled by experienced people to ensure the flavor."

In Tran Cao town (Phu Cu district), Phuong Thao processing facility is also in its peak season. Ms. Duong Thi Phuong, the owner of the facility, shared: "To preserve the characteristic tangy and aromatic flavor, the preparation and marinating process must be carried out cleanly and with a balanced combination of ingredients."

Processed products made from the sấu fruit, such as candied sấu and sấu stir-fried with ginger, from Hung Yen have consistently won the title of typical rural industrial product for many years. In particular, the "Fresh and Crispy Sấu" product from Quyen Luu establishment was awarded a 3-star OCOP product certificate by the Provincial People's Committee in 2019.

On a sweltering summer day, enjoying a glass of iced pickled star fruit, with its harmonious sweet and sour taste and fragrant, spicy ginger flavor, is a simple yet unforgettable experience. The star fruit season usually lasts only a little over a month, so many housewives take advantage of it by buying fresh star fruit, processing it, and freezing it for year-round use.

Many people process fresh sấu fruit, vacuum-pack it, and freeze it for year-round use.

From simple dishes on the country dinner table to popular specialties in the market, the sấu fruit has been contributing to enriching the cuisine of Hung Yen.