By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Nov 8: Once you get a taste of the seasonal exotic local fruit called tampoi (scientifically known as baccaurea macrocarpa), one will be counting down the days the return of the fruit for the following season, says a local fruit seller.
The fruit seller who wanted to be identified as Ah Soon said tampoi tends to be overshadowed by other local fruits like mangosteen because it has almost the same features and texture, except its skin is slightly brownish orange in colour instead of dark purple.
“The juicy pulp of tampoi is almost the same as mangosteen; it is either whitish or golden yellow, and it is addictive as it tastes sweet and tangy like mandarin orange pulp. I have here (tampoi with) an golden orange pulp,” he told DayakDaily before opening one and to sample it.
“These days, tampoi fruit is getting popular as people have also started to plant it in villages. But despite that, I believe that many young people in the city are not familiar with it,” he explained.
Hailing from Kuching, Ah Soon, who has been selling fruit at a makeshift stall in the city for more than 20 years, said he often likes having young people from all walks of life to taste local exotic fruit so that they familiarise themselves with them.
He revealed that he gets his supply of tampoi from Serian and is selling it at RM10 per kilogram.
“One fruit is quite light, and I tie a few stalks into a bunch, which is about 500 grammes. It is about RM5,” he shared.
“When exotic fruits like tampoi is in season, I like to share and let people taste. It not about asking people to buy for the sake of buying and being generous, but if we fruit sellers do not share and let the public know, they won’t know about many of our exotic local fruits and their seasons,” he opined.
“I have been selling many types of local fruits, and the most common is the pineapple, mango and banana, so my regulars only come for it, but when the fruit season comes during the year, I usually ask my suppliers to send to me varieties of exotic fruits grown locally.”
Ah Soon added he does not know the English name for tampoi fruit but disclosed it is known as ‘buah puak’ in Iban.
“I also believe Iban in the city are not so familiar with the fruit’s name unless they come from rural Sarawak, but whatever it is very tasty and addictive to the palate,” he said. — DayakDaily
