Description
Srikaya, also known as sugar-apple, is the fruit of Annona squamosa, the most widely grown species of Annona (the same family as Soursop/Sirsak and Cherimoya). Though native of the tropical Americas and West Indies, the Spanish traders of Manila galleons brought it to Asia, where its old Mexican name “ate” may still be found.
In Indonesia, Srikaya is often mixed with palm sugar and coconut milk to make a custardy jam (“Kaya”), which is then used as the filling for a number of traditional steamed cakes. Alternatively, it is often also used as flavouring for cakes and to make a pandan-infused pudding.
Sugar-apple is high in energy, an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, a good source of thiamine and vitamin B6, and provides vitamin B2, B3 B5, B9, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium in fair quantities.
