PULASAN (POOLASAN) FRUIT

PULASAN (POOLASAN) FRUIT

Pulasan, originated from Malaysia, is very rare once out of South-east Asia, other than the Philippines. This crew-cut, punky fruit, is the cousin of the hairy rambutaPulasan, is way under-rated. If compare to the rambutan, it is bigger, sweeter and the flesh does not stick to the seed. Moreover, the seeds are edible. But surprisingly, not much is known about this exotic fruit.Eating style is exactly the same as eating the rambutan. Just use both your thumbs to prise it open. The leathery skin is soft but it is thicker and slightly harder to tear it apart. Pop the white, translucent flesh into your mouth or just bite it from your hand.The rind is usually red to reddish-black. The flesh is sweet and slightly juicy, plus the seed is edible and tastes like almond. I would prefer this fruit anytime better than the rambutan but it is usually priced higher.

Pulasan is usually eaten fresh, though it resembles much like Rambutan, it is different from Rambutan and haves its own characteristics. The wood is light red, harder and heavier than that of rambutan. The decotion of the fruit is highly used bathing fever patients. There are two varieties of Pulasan one is dark red and the other one is light red.The dark red fruit haves a seed that separates easily from the flesh whereas the light red fruit haves a seed that sticks on to the flesh of the fruit.How to eat? On by twisting the fruit with both the hands, the fruit can be opened and the flesh can be consumed.

The , or poolasan, Nephelium mutabile Blume (family, Sapindaceae), is closely allied to the rambutan and sometimes confused with it. One of its local names in Malaya is rambutan-kafri (negro's rambutan); another is rambutan paroh. In Malacca it is sometimes called pening-pening-ramboetan. The Dutch name in Java is kapoelasan. In the Philippines it is mostly known as bulala. There are numerous tribal names for this species throughout Malaysia.

The pulasan tree is a handsome ornamental; attains 33 to 50 ft (10-15 m); has a short trunk to 12 to 16 in (30-40 cm) thick; and the branchlets are brown-hairy when young. The alternate leaves, pinnate or odd-pinnate, and 6 3/4 to 18 in (17-45 cm) long, have 2 to 5 pairs of opposite or nearly opposite leaflets, oblong-or elliptic-lanceolate, 2 1/2 to 7 in (6.25-17.5 cm) long and up to 2 in (5 cm) wide; slightly wavy, dark-green and barely glossy on the upper surface; pale, somewhat bluish, with a few short, silky hairs on the underside. Very small, greenish, petalless flowers with 4-5 hairy sepals, are borne singly or in clusters on the branches of the erect, axillary or terminal, panicles clothed with fine yellowish or brownish hairs. The fruit is ovoid, 2 or 3 in (5-7.5 cm) long, dark- or light-red, or yellow, its thick, leathery rind closely set with conical, blunt-tipped tubercles or thick, fleshy, straight spines, to 3/8 in (1 cm) long. There may be 1 or 2 small, undeveloped fruits nestled close to the stem. Within is the glistening, white or yellowish-white flesh (aril) to 3/8 in (1 cm) thick, more or less clinging to the thin, grayish-brown seedcoat (testa) which separates from the seed. The flavor is generally much sweeter than that of the rambutan.

NUTRITIONS IN PULASAN

Parameters ( Per 100 g)
Calcium	.010 mg
Proteins	0.81 g
Carbohydrates	12.9 g
Iron	.002 mg

Vitamins (Per 100 g)Vitamin C11.1 mg

Prof. John Kurakar