Salak is also called snake fruit for obvious scaly reasons. The fruit is grown in several South East Asian regions, one of which is Malaysia where I live, and has several cultivars.
I had my first taste a long time ago through the kindness of an old lady who was running a nursery in Sungai Buloh. She offered me one as I browsed for plants to add into my balcony garden.
To eat, pinch the top off and peel the skin like you would a hard-boiled egg. The seed is inedible.
The salak fruit that I tried, which I cannot confirm it's cultivar, was mildly sweet. It was crunchy, a little dry and left a light sourish acidic taste on the tongue. I wasn't particularly taken in by the whole experience.
I would describe its deliciousness as an acquired taste. That said, the sweetness and texture of the fruit also differs between varieties. So, I'm thinking of trying another cultivar to satisfy my curiosity! I will post an update, once I have.
Have you tried a salak fruit before and what did you think of it?
