In addition to taking leaves for roofing, making partition walls, making leaves, building rice pots, wrapping corn cakes, swishing, splitting ropes, etc. the nypa fruticans also bloom and bear fruit - a specialty brought with the bold flavor of the river countryside of Ca Mau.
The coconut pulp of the nypa fruticans - A delicious dish associated with the life of the inhabitants of the Ca Mau river region.
The reason people call nypa fruticans is because of its characteristics that live in wetland environments such as riverbanks, canals, alluvial lands, in fields. Because the area is located along the coast, the area of salt and brackish land is relatively large, so the area of nypa fruticans in Ca Mau province is the largest compared to the whole country.
Nypa fruticans often live and grow along canals and wetlands.
From the time of going to reclaim land and open land, residents on Ca Mau land have known to use nypa frutican leaves to roof houses, make partition walls, stare at cones, stare at hats, make leaves, build rice pots, and pack corn cakes for making corn, splitting strings, etc. When the nypa frutican blooms and bears fruit, it is also a specialty with bold flavors of the river countryside.
Nypa fruticans are often very laden.
Normally, nypa frutican bears fruit all year round, but its peak fruiting season is from June to October of the lunar calendar. In this season, in addition to collecting the old fruit that has just fallen to nurse for seedlings, people also harvest the cluster of the nypa fruticans that are edible enough to make food for themselves.
The nypa fruticans are usually red-brown in color and stretchy.
It is known that the cluster of the nypa fruticans that are edible, experienced harvesters often recognize it by its color. If the color of the nypa fruticans is fresh, and the skin color is gentle, these are the young nypa frutican clusters. If the cluster of nypa fruticans is dark brown or turns black and the skin is no longer tight and wrinkled, then these are old, the nypa frutican is hard and no longer edible.
The nypa fruticans are separated from the clusters.
For those who do not have much experience, determining whether the cluster of nypa fruticans are edible or not is often used a knife to beat nypa fruticans to fall out of the clusters. If when falling off, the coconut is broken not close to the stem, the nypa frutican shell is bright white, this is a young nypa frutican. And if the nypa frutican shell falls off close to the stalk when the coconut is smashed, the shell is light yellow, then these are the clusters of the nypa frutican that are edible.
Chop the nypa fruticans.
After felling, the clusters of nypa fruticans are separated and then split in half with a knife to get water and coconut pulp. Usually, every time the windy season returns, the water and coconut pulp has become paler and no longer as juicy as before. Therefore, people in the Ca Mau river area often take advantage of the harvest to pick the matured nypa fruticans before the wind blows.
After splitting, people often use the tip of a spoon to take the pulp of nypa fruticans.
Some households have a large area of growing nypa fruticans, until the fruit is harvested, they must be sold to traders to purchase and transport to the above provinces for consumption. After harvesting, people often take water and coconut pulp to eat on the spot. Coconut pulp is usually transparent like filter powder and very juicy. Many people take water and coconut pulp and mix it with sugar, add a little ice to make a drink, or cook as sweet dishes.
Nypa frutican pulp.
Although it is a rustic dish, the water and water coconut pulp are very delicious and nutritious. Many people, even though they have been away from their homeland for decades, still cannot forget the country-style dish of this nypa frutican.