Belimbing buluh

Pokok belimbing buluh is a big tree with a fat trunk and small leaves that are deciduous and exfoliate daily. The tree fruits every 2 weeks and requires a lot of water for bigger fruits. The fruits are called buah belimbing buluh. Buah belimbing buluh is used in Malay cuisine. The tiny fruits are approx 2 inches when ripe and are plucked while still green and firm. The exterior feels waxy and has a thin light green skin. The interior is filled with clear colourless juice, which is very sour. The fruit and juice are used by the Malays to reduce high blood pressure. The fruits are also sun dried till wrinkled dry and stored for future use in cooking. The dried fruits are used for making an Indian delicacy such as chutney but modified to make the Malay acar buah, a sweet and tasty fruit preserved that is often served with nasi minyak at Malay weddings. In Johor cuisine, buah belimbing buluh is made into masak lemak udang.

Belimbing buluh