The Rare Fruits of La Chorrera

From a recent research trip in the Colombian Amazon.

Aside of the fruits listed below, there were more common fruits encountered in the La Chorrera region of Colombia, such as marañon (cashew), moriche (aguaje), camu camu, maraca (macambo), asai (açaí) and castaña (Brazil Nuts).

Hievi Toro

During a long hike from the community of La Chorrera in the Colombian Amazon, north of the Putomayo River, during a recent research trip there was a strange fruit (Macoubea guianensis) called hievi toro locally that I have yet to come across before. Eduardo Martínez, the chef of the always wonderful restaurant Mini-Mal in Bogotá was with me and had seen it a few years before during the same season so we were on the lookout for it and our Oitoto friends Pocho and Pacho, and Okaina friend José Pablo Neikase were able to find some trees and pull down a few of the fruits with a 5 meter long stick.

The large green fruit, which turns brown when ripe, goes by a number of other names such as ucuye, amapá, molongó or cucuy. It’s native to the far north of the Amazon, from Colombia to the Guyanas. When you slice it open, there is a sticky milky white substance that oozes out of the pulp, but what’s more fascinating is what is on the hollow inside. Within black seeds float in a gelatinous substance with a sweet taste. When poured out the substance somewhat resembles frog eggs. To consume, you simply tip the fruit into your mouth like you would a young coconut and drink the gel while spitting out the seeds, which are toxic. Allegedly, if you leave the liquid in the fruit for an extended period of time, it ferments, turning into a syrupy liquor.