Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Buha, The Coconut Cotyledon



Oh man. I found something out about coconuts today. It feels like finding out your longtime best friend has twelve toes. I feel pretty stupid, but beyond that, amused.



So the mature coconuts fallen in our garden are collected regularly for their milk. Awhile ago one was cracked open for lunch (stewed vegetables), and there was a strange formation inside. Apparently, this coconut was ready to shoot some leaves out, and this thing-- called buwa or buha (Ilonggo)-- is an edible, soft predecessor.



It feels like and tastes like coconut-flavored foam. I couldn't finish it, but everyone else was munching away. The spongy balls can be cut into slices, and their flesh feels like a super firm frozen brazo de mercedes.



This part is actually the coconut cotyledon, sometimes called the "coconut embryo" or "coconut apple", is actually suspended in germination. It is named uto in the Cook Islands, o'o in Samoa, and manzanas de coco (coconut's apples) in the Americas. Check this video out for a low-tech but interesting compilation of what must be all existing photos of the coconut cotyledon on the internet, plus some marginal medicinal information.

There are few resources and accounts on it. Here, according to personal interviews, it is eaten raw in the province, especially by those preparing copra. In Micronesia, there are accounts of a soup containing it with arrowroot (uraro) flour. This person speaks of a Chinese-Malaysian who taught them how to eat it. This South Indian tells us that it may sometimes be caramelized. I hope to gather more stories in my free time.

This short search also led me to discussions of the "coconut pearl", which are intriguing and funny to me.

13 comments:

megahealth said...

haven't come across the word cotyledon in 20 years.

chiqui said...

buwa. i don't like it.

nutart said...

children here love it! I couldn't finish one myself :-)

Unknown said...

It is a strange coincidence to see this post because i just ate two of these today when i visited my place in indang. reminded of my childhood when my lola used to give them to me whenever she found one in the coconuts she brought from the market.

Bea said...

Apparently, there are two camps when it comes to buha/buwa. One group hates it, the other is sort of "egh". Maybe I can add another that likes it because of some kind of nostalgia :D

I had another one in Batangas a few days ago, and am still thinking of a culinary appliaction..

shing said...

this is so interesting, bea. Nw when I get back to Iloilo, maybe i'll ask for one in our bukid. Heehee.

Bea said...

Thanks! Try it out! It's definitely.. interesting.

Anonymous said...

I am loving your blog already...I think my sons will too: you have a terrific mix of interesting facts and grossness factor! LOL!

Bea said...

Thanks Teresa

devasura said...

very informative
devasura,India

devasura said...

very informative.
devasura,kerala(gods own country)

Unknown said...

In the Maldive Islands we call it "Mudi". It is eaten fresh as it is in the islands and is very much liked by the islanders. In the South of the Madives, in Addu Atoll we call it "midi". I get a lot of midi in my garden. In fact I had one today. Noce & sweet.

Unknown said...

I would like to know the nutritious value of "Midi".