DEWANDARU - PART 4

Dewandaru fruits have a beautiful shape and attractive colors.
The fruits develop and ripen quickly. 
We will get ripe fruits only 3 weeks after the flowers open. 
So quick... 

Dewandaru fruits are  2 to 4 cm in diameter.
The fruits are starting out as green, then ranging through light green, yellow, orange, bright red and dark red as they fully ripen.

Dewandaru flesh is orange-red.
The flesh is melting, very juicy and a sweet-acid taste. 
The skin is very thin.

The fruit contains one large round seed or sometime 1 or 2 small light brown seeds.
The seeds are extremely resinous and should not be eaten. 

The fruits are very juicy with a high content of vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, riboflavin and niacine.

Fruit flavors depending on the level of ripeness.
The taste is sour to sweet, with a touch of resin and sometime slight bitterness.
The full ripe fruit with darker red color is quite sweet.
While the green to orange range is quite sour. 

The fruits should be picked only when they are so ripe or full mature.
So the fruits will fall into the hand at the lightest touch. 
And we will get the best taste and flavor.

The fruits are best  kept chilled for 2 or 3 hours to dispel most of their resinously aromatic character. 
They are usually seeded and sprinkled with sugar before placing in the refrigerator.
The fruits are sprinkled with sugar to release the juice, also reduce the sour taste.
The flesh will become mild, sweet and more juicy.

This fruits are also used in fruit salads, pudding
They could be made into sweetened juice, syrup, pickles, jam, jelly or relish.

But, I really enjoy eating the fully ripe fruits fresh from the tree.

I plant two varieties of Dewandaru.
The first is local (real) Dewandaru, and the second is 'vermillion' variety.
Both of them are really similar on their appearance.
But the Vermillion is much better in taste, fruit size and  productivity.
Local Dewandaru is better for ornamental, as hedge or foliage.
The fruit productivity is very low, and the taste is quite sour, although the fruit is fully ripe.
Whatever, I like both of them.
Exotic plants...
So... don't miss the next part!