Sambal Kedondong

We have a kedondong tree at the backyard. According to Wikipedia, the kedondong fruit is called "hog plum" in English. Well, that's enlightening. I surely did not know that before. We normally call it by its local name, bakolong.

It's a small oval fruit, usually in green. The skin has to be peeled to reveal smooth yellow-green flesh inside. It's a crunchy but sour fruit, with a distinctively refreshing flavour. The fruit can be eaten fresh, pickled or blended into a juice.

The fruits are abundant all year round ... so we try to consume them sometimes. The other day, Dad prepared a Sambal Kedondong. It is somewhat a spicy and pungent relish made from the fruit.

Dad peeled the tiny fruits, and then cut out the flesh of eacg fruit. Then he pounded the flesh finely in a stone mortar bowl. Then he pounded some belacan or fermented prawn paste and birds' eye chillies before mixing everything together. The sambal was later chilled in the fridge.

Sambal Kedondong

I had lots of it for dinner. It was spicy, sour, pungent, and extremely appetising. Indeed, I did not need to eat any other dishes that night. Sambal kedondong and rice would suffice.