This is my second take on an agbalumo carrot cake. Because of the zobo pineapple upside down cake, this came to mind. I used macerated agbalumo – flesh tossed in sugar and left to sit overnight till the sugar has drawn out a lot of the liquid and somewhat ‘dehydrated’ the fruit. I loved the...
Did you know that Chicle, the milky juice or latex found in Agbalumo and other relatives was for a long time, the foundation of all chewing gums? Chewing gum Yes, if you are able to get past the bitterness, chewing the latex-rich skin and sap will yield great delights. So yes, chicle and things cf. Chiclets. Pectin...
Lool, if you are tired of me and my Agbalumo experiments, imma have to ask you to step aside for a minute or two because there’s more. I’ve been wanting to make this posset since I first realised how acidic Agbalumo was. How it curdled milk. Yep, this has been in my plan for a year...
So, a follow up to Bitters & Life, I’ve put my Agbalumo skins to what I hope will be good news – bitters, similar to Angostura and Orijin. A combination of Agbalumo skins because plenty… Rum, because…no vodka at home; Spice, because ‘je ne sais quoi’; Some citrus; And time. In a few hours, the colour...
Yep, I think I have a vegan winner with this one. Yep. This jelly is made with sweetened Agbalumo juice and set at room temperature in no time. I couldn’t find gelatine sheets in Lagos – and no, I did not look in every single shop. So agar agar it was. Anyhoo, the texture takes...
Last season (December 2014 – April 2015), I ‘discovered’ other aspects and characteristics of Agbalumo that hitherto were unknown. I’m glad it’s back because I have a few more recipes to try with our African Star Apple. My intention is to make some specialty Agbalumo treats for sale, especially the drinks and chutney. In the...
I’m rushing to finish up the last of the Agbalumo, stashed in my deep freezer. I want to make a salted caramel Agbalumo ice cream. I imagine it would be perfect. I get home from work, puree thawed Agbalumo flesh (1 1/2 cups) with water (1 cup) and white granulated sugar (1 cup) till smooth then I...
Agbalumo is back my friends. Just this morning, my son woke up and declared it foggy on the horizon and true to his word with ashy ankles, harmattan is here. The day stayed grey, chiffon veils in the distance, clouding ever so delicately my view. Except when I came across the Agbalumo, it wasn’t far...
You can do a number of things with both the skin and the flesh, and seeds of the African Star Apple. At the start of my exploration, I didn’t realise how much of the flavour was in and could be extracted from the flesh. The notes below chart my progress with this fruit that can...