Achacha – the Amazonian fruit now grown in Australia
It’s always exciting to try a new food, and last weekend I tasted for the first time a fruit called an Achacha. What an amazing taste sensation! A cousin of the mangosteen, Achachas are tangy and refreshing, the taste vaguely resembling that of a passionfruit although the texture is completely different.
Originating from the Bolivian part of the Amazon basin in South America, the Achacha is grown in North Queensland and the first harvest is available now. The Bolivian name of the fruit is Achachairú and translated means “honey kiss”. An Achacha is egg-shaped in appearance about 4cm x 6cm, has a seed similar to a lychee and when ripe is bright orange in colour. Nutritionally, achachas contain a high Vitamin C content, as well as Folic Acid, Potassium and Riboflavin.
To eat fresh, score the skin with a sharp knife and remove (don’t throw them away though, as the skins can be used to make a refreshing drink – see below!). Enjoy the delicious flesh avoiding the seed. Achachas can be successfully frozen for many months and can be served frozen as a palate cleanser between courses (as you would serve sorbet).
Add them to a fruit salad for an exotic twist, or drop a peeled fruit into a glass of bubbly for some festive fizz!
The skins of the Achacha are also very nutritious and can be used to make a thirst-quenching drink. Try this recipe:
Ingredients:
Washed skins from 12 Achachas (skins can be collected and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week)
2 litres water
1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup raw sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Method:
1. Place the Achacha skins in a blender or food processor and blend with 1 litre of water.
2. Add the honey or sugar syrup and the other 1 litre of water.
3. Place in a jug and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Strain the drink, and keep chilled until ready to drink.
5. Serve with fresh mint leaves if desired. You can also serve with lime wedges or add some rum for a refreshing alcoholic drink!
Achacha Thirst Quencher
Achachas are available from selected greengrocers, including Harris Farm.
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14 comments
They are so cute in this photo. We haven’t met with this cute little things yet in Turkey. I really wonder about it.
if it taste like mangosteen then achacha will be one of my fave.
were can I purchase some plants and or fruit as I am a avid fruit tree grower and collecter
Hi Kevin, contact Achacha Fruit Holdings, contact details on their website: http://www.achacha.com.au/
what season does achachas come around??
I really love there sourly taste
Hi Mahek, the season in Australia is from December to February. They really are a delicious fruit!
Can you eat the seeds
No you can’t eat the seeds Rodney. For more info on Achachas, see http://www.achacha.com.au/
Achacha fruits are available now at BiLo, North Ward, Townsville, Australia for about $2.40 for 5 fruits. I had read about Achacha when I was on a rare fruits website about longans, and recognised the name when I saw it in the shop. The skin is just like persimmons, but the flesh around the seed is soft and sweet. The seed is larger than a lychee seed and the taste bit more tarty than a lychee or longan. The achacha is reported to be high in Vitamin C and other nutritional substances. Certainly interesting for a change. Could be nice with icecream, but I didn’t have any icecream in the fridge tonight. Looks like the seed might be easy to germinate. Does anyone know if it grows true to type from seed?
According to the website and the newspaper, there are 30,000 trees on a plantation at Giru, which is 1 hr drive south of Townsville. Apparently the market is Sydney and SE Asia. I haven’t noticed them in the shops until today, but then I wasn’t looking for them.
Hi Merilyn not sure if the seed is easy to germinate, but I’ll see if I can find out & let you know!
I live in nz, so am unable to get any of these, would there be a replacement fruit I could use in a recipe I found?
Hi Max, achachas have their own unique flavour so there is not really a direct substitute, but you could experiment with mangoes, mangosteens or lychees in your recipe.
Saw the little critters on Landline ABC, and saw them in Coles Riverlink. splashed out and bought 3. They are different. See you can use skins, for a drink or as a wart fixeruper I discarded mine. See also Wikipedia for more info
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