Author Topic: Bali Salak Salacca zalacca amboina (Read 8945 times)

Mike T · « **on:** February 08, 2013, 04:30:28 AM »

There are quite a few varieties of lowland bali salaks and this is one of the best.They might not quite mix it with the upland gula pasir but they come close.The ones I have been eating today are very large with a nice apple/pineapple flavor and crispy flesh.

HMHausman · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2013, 09:33:33 AM »

Astringency? Sounds like not. Would love to try them.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2013, 03:34:22 PM »

Howdy Mike,
Them Salak's look snakey and cool

Here's a vid on Salak, the dude says if you eat a bunch of them strings, can cause blockage

Is this true?
Exotic Fruit: Salak - Snake Fruit!

Mike T · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2013, 03:47:10 PM »

Never heard that one before Steven and it sound like.........poppycock.They don't have any string as the flesh is crispy.They are not astringent at all but the flesh is denser than you might expect.Being subspecies amboina they don't have seperate sexes of course and that goes for all Bali salak.This one was a selection made after sampling a variety of the lowland types and some lowland Bali salaks can have a little sourness but not these.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2013, 04:00:19 PM »

Hi again,
I suspected it was bull...it was the first time hearing about this too. From the bunch of info i have read, never mentioned this and that's why i suspected it was false. Thanks for clearing this

BTW Andrew Zimmer...hates this fruit

''Nice apple/pineapple flavor and crispy flesh'' What's not to like, about this exotic fruit...sometimes i don't get this dude $:-\$

Mike T · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2013, 04:15:29 PM »

Steven there is no accounting for tate and I have seen people turn up their nose at lychees,mangoes,bananas and pineapples.With salak there are so many differently tasting varieties within the 2 good species it is easy to get poor fruit that colors your opinion after that.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2013, 06:50:39 AM »

Hi Mike,
I found the vid, where Andrew gets to eat, Salak(took me a while to find)

Bizarre Foods Indonesia With Andrew Zimmern Part 2 of 3

A bunch of fruits appear on the vid...jump to 09:25 for the Salak and you will see what this dude says

The lady even said that Salak smells like a white man's armpit

Looks like he didn't get a good Balinese Salak...maybe the fruit was over ripe $:-\$

HMHausman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2013, 01:41:37 PM »

The salaks I have had have had absolutely no resemblance to white man's armpit in fragrance (something I have a fairly severe aversion to) nor to cheese, whether good or bad cheese. The ones I have had have had crispy flesh and some sweetness, but a strong astringency. Maybe they were not at peak ripeness. Maybe they have to go some to develop that body odor character that these Asian women appear to find appealing. I think I'll just stick to the crisp astringent stage.

red durian · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2013, 08:01:14 PM »

In Java they also believe that they will be constipated from salak if they don't eat the white skin on the fruit.

Salak picked too late loses its crisp texture and becomes like an old mealy apple. I don't enjoy them at this stage. I don't know which Bali Salak I tried, (it was in Bali, so only assuming it was Bali Salak) but it was good. Not as good as Salak Pondoh, which has no astringency and thick flesh.

My big Salacca mission right now is to encourage people to try Salacca affinis. The flesh is thin, but what flesh there is is perfect, atleast to my taste. I am just as excited to grow S. affinis as I am Salak Pondoh.

Mike T · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2013, 09:26:43 PM »

Red I reckon many Balis would be better than Pondoh and a few would be way better.I don't like any astringency or aftertaste that is not nice.Some have hydrocarbon or cough medicine overtones and they are not worth eating.I have not eaten S.affinis but would be shocked if it could hold its own in the flavor stakes with upland Bali Gula Pasir or the Thai Sala Sumalee.The good Thai ones are a bit more juicy not crunchy or dry.

DurianLover · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2013, 11:13:13 PM »

I had already given up on salaks, after trying quite a few from numerous places around Asia. Don't know varieties I tried, so can't blame them all. My reactions to salak was similar to Andrew Zimmern. Never finished even one salak I tried. Including the ones I tried at Chow Kit market like the guy in the video.
Anyway, fast forward to the future and everything changed at Tenom agriculture park. Salacca affinis was amazing! Almost perfect as "red durian" says. Slightly sour but sweet, juicy and aromatic at the same time. Nothing close to other salaks I tried. I'm going to give shameless plug to "red durian" and encourage people to buy salacca affinis from him.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM »

Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant!

Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

Mike T · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2013, 05:21:22 AM »

The poorer tasting ones Iam referring to are low quality S.wallichiana and S.zalacca zalacca.Balis are at worst like firm pineapple core but not atringent.
Iam with Oscar on this and some people probably should not be quoted.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2013, 05:29:06 AM »

There are plenty of S. wallichiana salaks in Thailand that are god awful. Cough medicine was a good descripiton of their taste. Really weird medicinal taste.

BMc · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2013, 06:31:41 AM »

My affinis seem to be really tough. I was growing them for aesthetic reasons as much as eating, but now am slightly more encouraged...

red durian · « **Reply #15 on:** February 10, 2013, 06:42:19 AM »

Quote from: DurianLover on February 09, 2013, 11:13:13 PM

I had already given up on salaks, after trying quite a few from numerous places around Asia. Don't know varieties I tried, so can't blame them all. My reactions to salak was similar to Andrew Zimmern. Never finished even one salak I tried. Including the ones I tried at Chow Kit market like the guy in the video.
Anyway, fast forward to the future and everything changed at Tenom agriculture park. Salacca affinis was amazing! Almost perfect as "red durian" says. Slightly sour but sweet, juicy and aromatic at the same time. Nothing close to other salaks I tried. I'm going to give shameless plug to "red durian" and encourage people to buy salacca affinis from him.

Unfortunately, I have neither fruit nor seed to sell. We are not the only ones who like it. All of the fruits were gone a week after our visit.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2013, 02:48:00 PM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM

Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

Howdy Oscar,
I totally agree with you! he really needs a tongue transplant ASAP

fruitlovers · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2013, 05:45:52 PM »

Quote from: Jackfruitwhisperer69 on February 10, 2013, 02:48:00 PM

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM
Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

Howdy Oscar,
I totally agree with you! he really needs a tongue transplant ASAP

He needs to get on the organ recipient list. HAHA

red durian · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2013, 07:16:38 PM »

Quote from: Jackfruitwhisperer69 on February 10, 2013, 02:48:00 PM

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM
Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

Howdy Oscar,
I totally agree with you! he really needs a tongue transplant ASAP

I think Zimmer and other chefs are threatened by Nature when she pulls off a flavour like a durian. The purpose of a chef is to make things attractive to eat. So too, is it the purpose of a fruit. If Nature always did such a great job, as it has with durian, there would be no need for chefs. To test this theory one should deep fry pig fat together with some herbs, (something Zimmer goes nuts for) stuff it in a fruit shell and see if he hates it.

HIfarm · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2013, 07:48:49 PM »

It has been quite a few years since I have tried salak but I was in Bali at the time so it seems reasonable to assume it was Balinese salak. I cannot recall the flavor but do recall I thought it was quite nice. I have started out some zalacca from Bali and affinis (both from Jim West) and should be planting them out later this year. From the postings, it sounds like the typical wallichiana is probably best passed up. What is the opinion of the miri zalacca? Any sources to suggest for salak seed of good varieties?

Thanks,
John

Picko Jack · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2013, 12:14:03 AM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM

Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

cant be more agree....my wife and rest of my family, friends, neigbour and almost everyone i know here likes Salak Pondoh more than Salak Bali....but no one can change my mind....fully ripe, fresh and good Salak Bali is the best indonesian salak. but its for my personak palate....and im not taste any hybrids of those variety yet like Salak Mawar (bali x pondoh x sidempuan)

fruitlovers · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2013, 02:32:29 AM »

The real problem with salak is the spikes on the plant: ouch, Ouch, OUCH. The real problem with durian are the spikes on the fruit: ouch, Ouch, OUCH. Or translated in Spanish: ay, Ay, AY.

red durian · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2013, 05:09:25 AM »

Quote from: Picko Jack on February 11, 2013, 12:14:03 AM

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM
Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.
cant be more agree....my wife and rest of my family, friends, neigbour and almost everyone i know here likes Salak Pondoh more than Salak Bali....but no one can change my mind....fully ripe, fresh and good Salak Bali is the best indonesian salak. but its for my personak palate....and im not taste any hybrids of those variety yet like Salak Mawar (bali x pondoh x sidempuan)

Looked up Salak Mawar and saw this photo of Salak sidempuan at http://law-of-ming.blogspot.com/2011/03/introducing-mr-mrs-salak.html:

Mike T · « **Reply #23 on:** February 11, 2013, 05:17:45 AM »

Red that Mawar looks great but it that the righ color?I am eating lowland balis right now and they are great.They are like dense pineapple on the dry side with a granny smith taste in there.There is not a feather of astringency and there are a class fruit with thick flesh.The skin clings tight unlike the loose and easy to tear skin of good sala.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 11, 2013, 01:38:33 PM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:45:52 PM

Quote from: Jackfruitwhisperer69 on February 10, 2013, 02:48:00 PM
Quote from: fruitlovers on February 10, 2013, 05:10:37 AM
Andrew? The guy who thinks durian is horrible and thinks jackfruit tastes like onions? That guy needs a tongue transplant! Why trust him on anything? Bali salak is an awesome fruit. Very addicting. Absolutely no astringency.

Howdy Oscar,
I totally agree with you! he really needs a tongue transplant ASAP

He needs to get on the organ recipient list. HAHA

lol

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Author Topic: Bali Salak Salacca zalacca amboina (Read 8945 times)