Food Friday: Guinataang Santol

Santol is an exotic tropical fruit grown in Southeast Asia. It is eaten raw and plain. In India, it is eaten with spices added. It is also cooked and candied or made into marmalade when the seeds are removed. Santol seeds are inedible and may cause complications such as intestinal perforation if swallowed.

I've only recently known that this tropical fruit can be cooked with coconut milk just like other vegetables. It was actually our maid who came from Bicol who taught me to cook this. Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shrimp
• 4 cups santol meat (just ripened)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk scraped or grated
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
  
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 pieces chili
• 1 tablespoon bagoong or shrimp paste

Direction:

• Saute garlic and onion in oil. Add the shrimps and shrimp paste.
• Add the santol meat and pour the thin coconut milk, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the thick coconut milk. Cook for 5 more minutes, or till done.
  
• Add the chili and sprinkle with salt.
• Enjoy it with lots of steamed rice.