Ackee
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| ITIS 506071 |
The scientific name for the akee is Blighia sapida.
Description
A member of the Sapindaceae (soapberry family) Ackee, Akee, or Achee is a relative of the litchi (lychee) and the longan. Akee is a tropical evergreen tree that grows about 10 metres (30 feet) tall, with leathery leaves.
- Flowers: Flowers are white fragrant in colour.
- Fruit: The fruit is pear shaped, bright red to yellow-orange, and when ripe, splits open to reveal three large, shiny black seeds, surrounded by soft, creamy or spongy, white to yellow flesh.
Origin
The scientific name comes from the akee's association with Captain William Bligh, of the H.M.S. Bounty ('Mutiny of the Bounty') who is thought to have carried the fruit from West Africa (possibly present-day Guinea) to the Caribbean islands, and specifically to Jamaica in 1793. Since then it has become a major feature of various Caribbean cuisines, and is largely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas around the world.
Food uses
The fruit of the akee is not edible. It is only the fleshy arils around the seeds that are edible. The remainder of the fruit, including the seeds are poisonous. The fruit must only be picked after the fruit has opened naturally, and must be fresh and not overripe. Immature and overripe akee are also poisonous. The fruit, even when ripe, is a cause of Jamaican vomiting sickness, characterized by vomiting and hypoglycemia.
Cultural aspects
Salt Cod and Akee is the national dish of Jamaica. Salt cod is sauteed with akee, pork fat, onions, pepppers, tomatoes, herbs, garnished with crisp bacon and fresh tomatoes.