Averrhoa Bilimbi

Averrhoa bilimbi (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus Averrhoa family Oxalidaceae. It is a close relative of the carambola, or commonly known jackfruit tree.

Averrhoa bilimbi is common in Southeast Asian countries - the tropics and subtropics being their region of natural growth.

The tree is cauliforous with flowers in panicles that form on the trunk and branches. The fruit is ellipsoidal, elongated, measuring about 4 – 10 cm. The skin, smooth to slightly bumpy, thin and waxy turning from light green to yellowish-green when ripe. The flesh is crisp and the juice is sour and extremely acidic and therefore not typically consumed as fresh fruit by itself. They are often preserved and used as a popular flavouring, or seasoning and is a key ingredient in many Indonesian dishes.

They are too acidic to be eaten, but there are still people who eat them raw with salt and spice.

The Averrhoa bilimbi is reported to have many medicinal properties/uses, and "holds great value in complementary medicine as evidenced by the substantial amount of research on it". However, to date, there is no scientific evidence to confirm effectiveness for such uses.

Besides being touted as a complementary medicine, Averrhoa bilimbi has many users as a food, or fruit. Among the common ones are -

Giving sour or an acidic flavour to food, substituting tamarind tomato.

Preserved by salting and sun-drying to make asam sunti, a kitchen seasoning. It is also used to make salad mixed with tomatoes, chopped onions with soy sauce as dressing.

It also is made into a rather sweet jam.

It is also cooked down with onion, tomato, and chili peppers to make a sauce.

It is used for making pickles and to make fish curry, especially with Sardines,

It can replace mango in making chutney.

Additionally, the fruit can be preserved by pickling, which reduces its acidity, or they can be sun-dried.

The uncooked bilimbi is prepared as relish and served with rice and beans in some cultures.

The flowers of the Bilimbi plant can be used as a cloth dye.

Bilimbi juice is made into a cooling beverage.

With so many uses, the Averrhoa bilimbi sounds like a very useful plant. And it would be an amazing plant indeed if the claims of their medicinal properties are true.

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