Belimbing Asam
carambole bilimbi/cornichon des Indes (French), kamranga (Bengali), taling pling (Thai), belimbing asam/belimbing buloh (Malay), belimbing wuluh (Indonesian), kamias (Philippines), birinbin (Japanese), bimbling plum (Jamaica), blimblin (Haiti), grosella China (Cuba), mimbro (El Salvador/Nicaragua)
(Averrhoa bilimbi — Family Oxalidaceae)
Belimbing asam is a fruit-bearing tree native to Malasia, and has no English name.
“Asam” refers to the sourness of the fruit, which is also distinguishable by its smooth, non-ridged, yellowish-green skin, looking a little like a pickle.
Juicy and acidic, this fruit is used in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines for making such pickles as the Malay “sunti”; in curries; and stewed as a vegetable.
In Indonesia, it is caramelized with sugar to make a sweetmeat known as “manisan”. Dried slices of the fruit are also available in local markets.
Related to carambola, belimbing asam reached the West Indies toward the end of the 18th century and has since been planted throughout Central America, and also grown extensively in Zanzibar.
