SAPODILLA

Common Name: Sapodilla
Vernacular Names: Naseberry, Ciku, Chiku, Chikoo, Chico, Sapoti, Sapota, Lamoot, Hồng xiêm, Chicosapote
Botanical Name: Manilkara zapota
Specimens from: Vietnam
Specimens Weight: 164 gm (average wgt per fruit)

Sapodilla is a common tropical fruit. It goes by many different vernacular names, depending on the language of your country. This fruit originated from Mexico and a few surrounding countries.

The fruit is either round, oval or conical, due to the various cultivars. Greenish-brown(fruit on the left in the first photo above) is still unripe and hard but will turn brown and soft when it is ready to eat. Flesh is yellowish-orange to earthy-brown, with a grainy texture. The taste is extremely sweet and juicy. The kind of sweetness is similar to the taste of caramel or brown sugar syrup and that is why I call it "Mr. Brown Sugar"

The easiest way to eat it, is to cut it into half and scoop it with a spoon but be careful of the seeds as the flattened dark brownish-black seed is toxic. Make sure you get rid of the seeds before putting it into your mouth, as to avoid swallowing it accidentally. Due to the curved shape at one end of the seed, similar to a small hook, it can easily lodge inside your throat. Seeds count are usually between two to four but if you are lucky, some are seedless


Fruit: Sapodilla; Manilkara zapota; Sapotaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Canistel


Click here to view other fruits in thumbnail images


Click here to have a say in your favourite fruits