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Namnam | Local Tropical Fruit From Malaysia, Southeast Asia | TasteAtlas

Namnam

Namnam is a small evergreen tree that’s native to the Malay Peninsula. The tree produced fruits with a rough surface and crips and juicy flesh that contains one kidney-shaped seed. When ripe, the fruits have a texture that’s reminiscent of apples, while the flavor is aromatic and sweet to subacid.


The fruits are eaten out of hand or boiled in order to make pickles and chutneys. They can also be cooked with sugar to make desserts and sweets, while slightly underripe fruits are used in curries and some meat dishes. Interestingly, it is believed that the seed oil helps cure skin diseases.