Yesterday I went off to the small market in our community to buy food exclusively for lunch. At that time there were two tropical fruits sold, Durian and Marang. I went to the stall and tried to choose which Marang contains plenty of good flesh. After the Asar prayer I bought one Marang and together we ate with my half lemon. Honestly, one piece could not satiate our longing for it. Today after launch I bought again to really feel the toothsomeness of this seasonal fruit.
Marang is called in Malay as Buah Terap. It is a tropical fruit that has its own singularity. Perhaps this fruit grow only in Likusantara [Southeast Asia] area.
I remember when I was in Zamboanga City I once met a Jewish-American who was a visitor of our company. That time was fruit season and that fellow had able to eat Marang we found in a renowned hotel in town. “This is a strange fruit but it’s delicious”, he said. In America, according to him, I didn’t see this sort of fruit in the market.
When I was in Basilan I remember my grandmother brought us 4 pieces of Marang from the market for just 20 pisos. A bunch of four pieces of marang is called a ganta or gantang. If you have a tied of dried fish to be brought to the market you could exchange it with a gantang of Marang.
Marang was also used by the Tausug to name their community. In Indanan, Sulu there is a place called Marang. This place had been bombarded by the Philippine Military during hari raya edil fitri 2009.
The unripe Marang is used to cook by the Tausug with coconut milk with match dried fish. This cuisine named Giyataan Marang. And the Marang seed would be roasted and pounded later after it exposes in the sun for a day. If you happen to eat marang try not to throw the marang seeds for it can give you another yummy taste.
Enjoy this fruit while still available.
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