3 Review(s)

Elephant apples are a large fruit, averaging 5 to 12 centimeters in diameter, and have an irregular shape comprised of multiple round, lumpy, and swollen fused sections. The fruit's exterior is waxy, leathery, taut, and firm, ripening from green to yellow-green and sometimes speckled with dark brown markings. Underneath the tough husk-like surface, layers of fleshy sepals have overlapped and fused together. The ivory to cream-colored sepals are fibrous, chewy, crunchy, and stringy and are customarily cooked to soften their dense texture. Inside the overlapping sepals, there is a pocket of aggregate pulp that is soft, mushy, and fleshy. The pulp is known for its crisp, but mucilaginous, gelatinous, sticky, viscous nature and generally showcases a dark brown-green hue. The flesh also encases anywhere from 1 to 8 small, flat, brown seeds often lined with hairs extending outward. Elephant apples should feel heavy for their size, and the fleshy pulp in the center of the fruit will gently rattle or move inside when it is ripe. The fruit's sepals, also called petals, have a bitter, sour, vegetal, tangy, and acidic taste reminiscent of green apples or grapes. The petals are known for carrying a distinct garlicky funk that may be off-putting to some consumers. The sticky flesh has a sour, astringent, and somewhat resinous nature, mostly sprinkled with sugar in dishes to create a more balanced, sweet, and salty flavor profile.