2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Santol (Latin Sandoricum koetjape) - a fruit tree belonging to the Meliaceae family.
Description
Santol is a fast-growing evergreen tree that can grow in height from fifteen to forty-five meters. And the length of its elliptical or oblong leaves ranges from fifteen to thirty centimeters.
The size of santol flowers usually does not exceed one centimeter, and the flowers themselves are painted in yellowish-greenish or pink tones.
The spherical santol fruits reach a diameter of four to seven and a half centimeters. There are currently two varieties of fruits (by the way, they were once considered different species) - with a yellowish and reddish velvety peel. And in Thailand, brownish or reddish fruits are most often found. Santola peel contains latex, and inside of both fruits there is a sweet and very juicy transparent white pulp, in which brownish and rather large seeds in an amount of three to five pieces are lost. In addition, the pulp is divided into several slices. Outwardly, the slices of santol are somewhat reminiscent of peeled mangosteen - in this regard, in France and England, santol is called false or wild mangosteen.
Santol's peel is quite thick, so it will not be difficult to peel it with your hands. The yielding season for these juicy fruits usually falls between June and August.
Where grows
The Malay Peninsula, South Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are considered the birthplace of this culture. From these states, Santol gradually spread to Mauritius and the Philippines, as well as to Indonesia and India. Currently, these countries are harvesting rich harvests of Santol.
For most of the peoples of Southeast Asia, santol is of great economic importance.
Application
Santol is perfectly acceptable to eat unprocessed. In addition, on the basis of this fruit, various alcoholic drinks are prepared, as well as marmalade, jellies and jams. And Thais specially soak santol to get something like soaked pears or apples. Santol also makes a wonderful dessert with a gravy of crushed ice and rich syrup.
Quite often, santol is sold with long stalks - having cut off the peel from it, Thais eat it right on a stick. Or you can simply cut the fruit into two parts and, after eating the sweet core separately, eat the remaining sweet and sour pulp with a spoon. Some gourmets eat santol with pepper or salt - in this case, it turns into a kind of vegetable.
As for the seeds, they are absolutely inedible, moreover, their use can lead to serious intestinal disorders, since the seeds contain toxic substances.
Santol bark and leaves are widely used in medicine - excellent poultices are made of them. Some parts of the leaves boast a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, it was experimentally proved that extracts from the stems of this plant have an anti-cancer effect, and insecticidal properties are inherent in the extract from its seeds.
Santol is very useful as a bone-strengthening agent and is an excellent aid in cardiovascular diseases. This fruit has a general strengthening effect on the body and is recommended for use with weakened immunity. Santol is no less useful for the health of teeth and bones - it is very rich in phosphorus and calcium.
Santola wood also has a certain economic value - it is perfectly polished and can be processed without much difficulty. These properties make it possible to use it for the manufacture of furniture.
Contraindications
In case of individual intolerance, it is undesirable to use santol - the compounds contained in it can easily provoke allergic reactions.
