Rose Apple

Also known asSyzygium jambos · Jambu Mawar · 蒲桃

Name: Rose apple (Syzygium jambos), also called jambu mawar or jamrosa. The name refers to the fruit's rose-like scent and flavour. It is a close relative of the wax apple (also called Semarang rose apple) and the java plum, described on their own pages.

Description

Rose apple is native to Southeast Asia, from Malaysia to Indonesia, and was spread by travellers across the tropics, including India, the Caribbean and Central America. It is a bushy evergreen tree that fruits heavily, producing small, round to oval fruits that are pale yellow to pinkish-white when ripe.

Unlike a true apple, the fruit has a thin, waxy skin and a crisp, airy, dry flesh that surrounds a hollow centre in which a few large seeds rattle when the fruit is shaken. The taste is delicate and perfumed, like rose water, though not very sweet. It is eaten fresh, and also made into candied fruit, sauces, jelly and sweet preserves.

Main nutrition value

Rose apple is a light, watery fruit that provides some vitamin C and a little fibre, and is low in calories.

How best to be consumed

Rose apples are mostly eaten fresh for their fragrance and crunch.

1. Eat fresh, whole or sliced, and discard the loose seeds in the centre.
2. Chill the fruit, which makes the crisp flesh more refreshing.
3. Slice into salads with a little salt, chilli or lime, as in parts of Southeast Asia.
4. Cook into jelly, syrup or candied fruit, where the rose scent is the highlight.
5. Use soon after buying, since they bruise and spoil quickly.

Overconsumption could cause…

Rose apple is safe in ordinary amounts and very mild.

1. Digestive upset, such as loose stools, from a large amount of fruit at once.
2. Little nutritional value if eaten in place of more nutrient-dense foods.
3. A choking risk from the loose seeds, which should be discarded.
4. Allergic reactions in rare cases.

GroupsTropical FruitsMyrtle family (Myrtaceae)Low fatLow sodiumFresh

Related foodsFeijoaGuavaJava Plum / JamunWax Apple / JambuStar Fruit / CarambolaAcerola Cherry

Wikipedia — Syzygium jambos, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syzygium_jambos