Jan 2008

Vegetation Profile: Vú Sữa

Milk fruit is known to be a popular tropical fruit indigenous to Cambodia (phlai teuk-doh koh) and Vietnam (vú sữa). The underbelly of the leaf is a greenish purple hue, while the top is a deep green. The smooth, round plant contains sticky white latex and can grow to about 200 grams in weight.

There are two types of milk fruit: purple and white. The exterior of the compound fruit is either white or deep purple when ripe and light green when unripe. A creamy white flesh lies beneath the skin and tastes juicy and sweet.

Their fragrantly sweet white flesh to taste and milky white juice (a little like congealed milk) are probably what gives them their name, although the skins of the young fruit oozes a milky sap when cut.

The most popular way to enjoy the fruit is to squeeze the tough fruit until it becomes tender, so that the juice mixes with the meat of the fruit. A small hole is then cut at the top so the juice can be sucked out. While enjoying the fresh food, be careful not to eat the few seeds embedded in its flesh.

On our taxi ride back to District 4 from the airport, I asked The Astronomer if there were any fruits at the apartment. He replied no. So, instead being dropped off at our apartment, I asked the cabbie to stop at the fruit stand where I procured a papaya and The Astronomer picked up tangerines and a pomelo. I always aim for five-a-day.

As the fruit lady packed up our selections, I asked her what the greenish/pinkish orbs were. She replied vú sữa, which translates kinkily to milky boob. Hubba hubba. Before we could object, she sliced one in half and handed The Astronomer and I each a spoon so we could dig in. The customer service in this country is unbeatable.

It was juicy, but tasted pretty plain and not particularly sweet or tart. Since it was my first taste of vú sữa, I wasn’t sure if I had a great one or an average one. I’ll have to try another while they’re still in season.

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6 thoughts on “Vegetation Profile: Vú Sữa

  1. the right way to eat vu’ su*~a is that you have to chill it in the fridge , then just righ before eating it , you have to squeeze it until it is soft, to produce the milk and make the flesh tender (that’s why it is called vu’ su*~a, you have to treat it like the real MCoy) . Then you either cut it in half or just cut a small hole in the top (big enought to put a spoon in ) and use a spoon to scoop the flesh out.

  2. I loved vu sua as a kid…haven’t had one in such a long time. Cathy what other fruits are in season right now? I’ll be there in a week and that’s one thing i’m really looking forward to right now 🙂

  3. Duy! Thank you so much for the boob eating tips ;-). I can’t wait to eat vú sữa properly. It’s gonna be grand.

    Nhu – you can look forward to gorging on mang cau, mango, papaya, pineapple, water apple, pomelo, jackfruit and plenty of others that are still unfamiliar to me. Mangosteens are unfortunately not in season, but you can pay an arm and a leg for some at the Ben Thanh Market. Happy travels!

  4. I love these things…

    When my mom was little, she and my grandfather would occaisionally shake down their vu sua tree. It gave about 10-20 kilos worth (it was a pretty good tree!). Then, she would call all the neighborhood kids to come and eat them. They mixed them with condensed milk and ice 🙂

    But, now she can’t eat them anymore. Sick of them, she says! Lol and so are my aunts/uncles.

  5. Love this kinda fruit ^^ Duy tell us the right way to eat this milky fruit ^^ The other way that we can eat them with sugar & shaved ice ^_^ so coooooolll

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