Fragrant Manjack is native to Pakistan, Nepal, northern India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia including Philippines, China, Ryuku Islands, Taiwan, New Guinea, northern Australia and New Caledonia. It produces small clusters of pink fruit, 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter, containing a single large seed. Ripe, the fruit is mucilaginous (used for glue in offices), a bit insipid in flavor, very delicate and very perishable. It is usually sold unripe or pickled. C mixa is very similar to C dichotoma and used the same, but the fruit tends to be more tan than pink.
In India, sour unripe fruit are cut in half, seeded and pickled for use as condiments, as with other Indian pickles. They are quite popular In Taiwan, where they are pickled whole and used in soups and as a topping for tofu and vegetables. The seeds are also edible, and in Burma, the leaves are cooked as greens. The fruit and seeds have long been used medicinally.
The photo specimens, pickled in Taiwan, were up to 0.56 inches (1.4 cm) diameter. The fruits are reputed to be rather insipid, so they are pickled with flavorings, but then the taste is mostly the flavorings. Ing: Seeds (Cummingcordia), Soy Sauce, Water, Sugar, Salt, Lactic Acid.
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