Kulhavah




Before I tell you what this post is about  I have to tell you about an old story behind the above picture.  There is an old saying in the Maldives that when a person forgets his roots they say just like " Kulhavafalhu Rani" or the queen from the Kulhavah grown area. Anyway, the above picture shows a locally grown ? fruit? known as Kulhavah. It has a sweet sour taste and a very strong smell as it ripens.

Now the story behind the food.  There was once this poor girl who lived  in an island in the Maldives. These Kulhavah were grown in her house,  and she loved eating them. It can be eaten in its slightly sour green green stage or overly ripe stage.  Anyway, one day the King discovered her and fell in love with her and took her to live in Male' in his Palace.  After years passed by one of the islanders went to visit the Queen, ( the girl)  and took a basket of Kulhavah as a present. She took the Kulhavah  and turned it around her hands and smelled and goes, what is this? is this a fruit? how do you eat it? Is it grown on a bush or a tree? . Apparently she had forgotten all about her beloved fruit and her simple life before she became a queen.

Anyway, I love  this fruit,  not many people do, in my house my nieces and nephews turn their noses to the smell and my brother-in-law runs away a mile, when he gets a whiff of the smell. My aunt and I share the same love for this, so whenever she comes over to Male' or I go to Kulhudhufushi we try to get some to enjoy . She makes juice out of it, a sweet sour-tasting drink .... I like the overly ripe ones, mashed with sugar and fresh coconut.

mashing up the kulhavah
 
It has some crunchy edible white seeds inside.  For me it is a nice little treat, don't really care if no one else likes it , more for me right ;)!

Sweet Mashed  Kulhavah with sugar and  freshly grated coconut

Above is my favourite way to eat this, mashed up overripe Kulhavah, mixed with sugar and freshly grated coconut. Yummm.!


Comments

  1. Kulhavah is completely new to me. They look so fun and exotic. Hopefully one day I can get to try it!

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  2. I have never heard of this fruit. I would be open to it, with sugar and coconut. Sounds delightful.

    Velva

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  3. I learned something new today. Thanks for sharing and educating.

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  4. This fruti is completely now to me. Thanks for the post

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  5. I have never heard or seen kulhavah...but would love to try...thank you for this interesting post Nammi.
    Have a great week :)

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  6. I love the story..
    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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  7. I have never heard of kulhavah before. Would love to try it, though hopefully I would not run a mile away when I find it! Thanks for such an interesting story!

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  8. I have never seen or heard of kulhavah before...Interesting fruit and the story behind it..

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  9. Kulhavah is Mangrove apple. There are mangroves in many islands of Maldives https://goo.gl/images/YBN9Zj

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