I found this fruit not long ago in a wet market in Singapore. I’ve never seen it nor tasted it before. It’s called “Buah Jering” or simply “Jering” in Malay (I couldn’t find an English common name). The Malay stallholder told me that it is commonly eaten by the Malays, and that the plant and fruit is unique to Southeast Asia.
There are several ways to eat it: as a snack you can steam it well, and pop it into your mouth neat or coated with fresh grated coconut. I tried both versions and I preferred the latter as the nut is rather bland in taste. The sweetness of the coconut compensates for the blandness of the fruit.
I also tried it cooked in a stew, and its texture reminded me of chestnut but without the chestnut flavor. I think Jering works best eaten this way.
The Jering is a legume that is twisted into a purplish brown spiral. Apparently, the plant is medicinal too. The leaves are used to cure skin ailments, while the bark would be pounded and made into a gargle for toothache and gum infection. The seeds are large and are eaten to treat diabetes and hypertension.
