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Salak (Salacca zalacca) also named as Snake fruit is a tropical fruit native of Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Salak is a kind of palm tree (family Arecaceae) with fruit that can be eaten without any further process. Salak is a kind of palm-shaped shrubs or barely trunked, prickly, growing into dense clumps and strong.
It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6 metres (20 ft) long; each leaf has a 2-metre long petiole with spines up to 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long, and numerous leaflets.
Shape of the fruit generally triangular rather round or oval upside down, pointed at the base and rounded at the ends, 2.5 to 10 cm long, covered by scales yellow brown to red brown shiny composed like tiles, with many small spines are easily broke up at the end of each scale. Wall fruit center (sarkotesta) thick fleshy, creamy yellow to whitish; taste sweet, and sour, seeds 1-3 grains, brown to black, hard, 2-3 cm in length.
Salak fruit popular as table fruit. But other than eaten fresh, Salak also be made as preserves, pickles, canned, or packaged as chips.
It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6 metres (20 ft) long; each leaf has a 2-metre long petiole with spines up to 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long, and numerous leaflets.
Shape of the fruit generally triangular rather round or oval upside down, pointed at the base and rounded at the ends, 2.5 to 10 cm long, covered by scales yellow brown to red brown shiny composed like tiles, with many small spines are easily broke up at the end of each scale. Wall fruit center (sarkotesta) thick fleshy, creamy yellow to whitish; taste sweet, and sour, seeds 1-3 grains, brown to black, hard, 2-3 cm in length.
Salak fruit popular as table fruit. But other than eaten fresh, Salak also be made as preserves, pickles, canned, or packaged as chips.
Scientific classification:- Kingdom : Plantae
- Division : Magnoliophyta
- Class : Liliopsida
- Order : Arecales
- Family : Arecaceae
- Genus : Salacca
- Species : Salacca zalacca
There are more 30 Salak cultivars grown throughout Indonesia. Two popular cultivars are Salak Pondoh from Yogyakarta province and Salak Bali from Bali Island.
Salak Pondoh is popular among Indonesian consumers because of the intensity of its aroma, which can seem overripe even before full maturation Market price of this variety is around USD 1.10-1.30 per kg.
On the other hand, Salak Bali is a popular with both locals and tourists because of its lighter aroma. It feels starchy when eaten. The price of Salak Bali is about USD 1.50-3.00 per kg in Bali markets.
Harvesting:Salak fruits mature five to seven months after pollination. The tree produces fruits all year round but usually peak around May and December in Indonesia. Harvesting takes place at a fruit age of 5-7 months. Salak usually harvested before they are fully ripe, by severing the bunch using a reaping knife.
In hot and humid climates, fruit will stay fresh in room temperature for a week after picking. Below 100C, fruits last up to 3 weeks.
Food Value :
Each 100 gram of Salak contains : 77.0 Kcal Calories, Protein 0.40 g, 20.90 g carbohydrates, 28 mg calcium, phosphorus 18 mg, iron 4.20 mg, 0.04 mg Vitamin B, Vitamin C 2.00 mg, and 78 mg water .
