Bangladesh: Eating Palmyra Palm Fruits

We discovered some really awesome fruits in Bangladesh that are no common in any other country of the region – Palmyra Palm fruits aka “tal”. They resemble coconuts in the outside, but are somewhat smaller and grow in large clusters of 20-40. The tree is called Borassus flabellifer and is widely grown in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. The palmyra palm fruit is round and green when young, turning brown or yellowish as it matures (just like coconuts). The outer husk is hard and inside it contains three sections with a soft jelly-like pulp (kind of like small breast implants but the look of the them). The soft translucent flesh of the fruit is eaten raw, often chilled, and is prized for its refreshing taste. It’s a minor source of vitamins, but has quite some fiber and some minerals.