I found the marang fruit in the Philippines, mostly grown in Mindanao. A cousin of the jackfruit, and durian, the Marang fruit has soft and sweet flesh, wrapped in a thick and thorny exterior with a strong smell. You can eat the flesh either with a fork, or if you desire by hand.
The Marang fruit has soft and sweet flesh with a very strong unpleasant smell. Young marang shoots and flowers are sometimes eaten as a vegetable. The unripe marang with the skin and the inner core removed are usually cut up and cooked, dried or pickled as vegetable. The marang flesh tastes like custard and is refreshing either refrigerated or at room temperature.
Cooked young marang meat has a mild flavor which is remarkably similar in texture to chicken, making marang an excellent vegetarian substitute for meat. Young jack-fruit meat can be sliced and fried in coconut oil for a crispy salty snack.
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The Athlete’s Fruit
Marang fruit is packed with protein and fat. It is also known as athlete’s fruit and is very much compatible to the banana. Moreover marang are also rich in carbohydrates, ash, calcium, phosphorous, iron, crude fiber, retinol, beta-carotene, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, Vitamin A and C.
Marang or Durian
There’s another fruit that westerners often confuse with durian (like jackfruit), but it’s a closer relative to breadfruit. Marang fruit has a distinct sweet odor and like durian is not allowed in airports. The durian, also called the “king of fruits,” is known for its large size and thorny rind. The jackfruit’s rind, on the other hand, has “thorns” that aren’t as sharp, nor are as big as the durian’s.
Marang, meanwhile, has a spiky rind, but its spikes are soft. Durian has a stronger smell, which many find unpleasant. The marang tree originated from Borneo. Today, you will find the marang in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and in the south of Thailand.
Did you know…? The seeds can be eaten but only after being roasted or boiled. They are boiled and candied or baked like beans or made into flour. Roasted jack-fruit seeds have been known to possess aphrodisiac properties and are often consumed for this purpose.
Filipino Tales
In the Philippines, a charming legend tells of a chieftain who had promised the hand of his lovely daughter, Princess Marang, to the son of another chieftain. But Princess Marang fell in love with a merchant in the market place and the father, because of his deep love for daughter, reneged on his vow and allowed Princess Marang to marry the man she truly loved.
The chieftain eventually died but a strange tree grew by his grave ‘bearing fruits that were sweet, smelled heavenly, cured the sick, and made the old feel young—because it was the gift of a golden-hearted father’ (Fruits of the Philippines, Doreen Fernandez, 1997).
The Marang Tree
Timber from a marang tree resembles mahogany and is considered superior to teak for furniture, construction, turnery, masts, oars, implements, brush backs and musical instruments. The sawdust of a marang tree are processed to produce a rich yellow dye used for dyeing silk and the cotton robes. Marang tree is termite proof, fairly resistant to fungal and bacterial decay, and seasons without difficulty.
Local Medicinal
The marang also contains phytonutrients that can prevent cancer cells from forming in the body, can lower blood pressure, can fight against stomach ulcers and can slow down the degeneration of cells thus making the skin look young and vital. Other nutrients including vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc and niacin can also be found in the marang fruit.
Marang, Durian, or Jackfruit
- Durian: large size and thorny rind; stronger smell; taste almond-flavored, custard flavor.
- Jackfruit: thorns that aren’t as sharp, nor are as big as the durian’s; subtle, sweet fragrance; taste subtle sweet flavor with a fibrous texture.
- Marang: spiky rind, but its spikes are soft; subtle smell; taste creamy and sweet taste, with a fibrous texture.
Ready to eat marang
As soon as the marang starts to give off an aroma, its skin is stretched out, and the spikes stand clear of each other, the marang is ripe and ready for eating as is or cooked and sweetened with sugar into a jam.
A popular snack in the Philippines called turon is fried plantain banana wrapped in flour with strips of marang (or jackfruit, or durian) inserted in the middle.
Conclusion
Marang fruit is sweet to taste although the smell may suggest otherwise. It is worth the effort to try this delicious refreshing fruit. Cooked young marang has a chicken taste, for all those vegetarians.
The marang is a healthy fruit to add to your diet. If you come across a turon seller ask if they have marang. A delicious tasting treat you will likely enjoy.
Marang has many uses all of which you will find in the Philippines. Look for marang products when you visit local store sellers.