Mimbro, the grimace-maker

Known locally as Mimbro and by many names around the world (a lot of variations around Bilimbi but also many names which compare the fruit to a pickle), this is a fruit like no other. Sour but super versatile, innocent looking but able to attack rust and stains like the harshest of commercial cleaners, and a big part of many spiritual and cleansing ceremonies, there is SO much more to the Bilimbi than most people dare to realize!

ORIGINS

Like many of the ‘local’ fruit such as Jackfruit, Starfruit, Mango, Mangosteen and Lychee, the Bilimbi has its origins across the Pacific Ocean – in the tropics of Southeast Asia. It is thought that the fruit made its way to Costa Rica in the late 1700s or early 1800s, hitching a ride on the many trade ships that frequented the coasts. Once here, Mimbro took well to the local climate and became established, carving its niche in the local culinary scene.

WHAT?

The Bilimbi has a few very interesting uses – one as being the cleaning agent of the ethnic Javanese dagger called Kris, a tradition going back many hundreds of years. This cleaning ritual is known as jamasan and needs to be performed once a year to satisfy the spiritual and mythological traditions of the Kris.

A less glamorous use is a stand-in for commercial cleaners and stain removers – this practice is particularly common in the Philippines but also practiced in many areas of the world. Floors, walls, clothing, metal utensils, pots & pans, even cars and machinery are cleaned using the Bilimbi. It cuts through grease, rust, stains and chemical bonds like nobody’s business.

The reason for the above is that the fruit contains very high levels of Oxalic Acid (Oxalate) – many other fruits & vegetables are high in this acid too, such as potatoes, oranges, raspberries, beets, tea, leafy vegetables, and many others. This substance is very reactive and thus super useful in cleaning and dissolving rust, breaking chemical bonds that keep stains attached to various surfaces, and bleaching wood to bring out its natural richness.  Other than being useful in stain removal, Oxalic Acid can cause kidney issues and kidney stones if consumed in very high quantities – but rest assured that gorging on many Bilimbis a day will not even bring you close to those levels!

TASTE

The Bilimbi’s sour taste is brought to you by the Oxalic Acid, discussed in the section above. While not as sour as lemons or limes, the Bilimbi is nevertheless sour enough to be a replacement for the common citrus fruit. Imagine biting into a green, tangy apple or an unripe mango – this is similar to the experience of biting into a Bilimbi. Ripe fruit may offer a hint of sweetness but not even close enough to covering up the sourness. The fruit is juicy and crunchy, hitting you with its sourness without hesitation.

THE FRUIT & TREE

The greenish – yellowish Bilimbi is a rather small fruit, measuring between 4 and 10 cm in length. Elongated and usually roundish, it may sometimes reveal 5 faint angles like its close relative, the Starfruit. Having a short shelf life of 5 days from picking, Mimbro should be eaten or preserved quickly – not unlike another local fruit, the Snake Fingers. The fruit is also prone to bruising so should be handled with care.

The tree is not big, rarely reaching higher that 10 meters. It has a habit of forming multiple, upright trunks. Loving rich, well-drained soils in tropical regions, Mimbro is not very tolerant of colder temperatures – even in warm Florida, Bilimbi trees need to be protected for cold and wind. Some fruit clusters attach directly to the trunk which can look a bit odd.

Mimbro is known for its beautiful flowers and, like the Manzana de Ague we wrote about in out previous article, is sometimes grown as an ornamental tree as well.

CULINARY USES

The Bilimbi is very commonly used to add a sour flavor to dishes in a way similar to the use of lemons and limes, or turned into a common condiment by being salted and dried. In Asian cultures, dried Bilimbi is call Asum Sunti.

In some areas the flowers are eaten or preserved in sugar to be added to deserts. Many regions have other traditional used for the fruit:

Costa Rica – Often presented as relish served with rice and beans or gallo pinto.

Philippines – Often eaten raw or dipped in rock salt.

India – Used for making pickles and fish curry, also eaten raw with salt and spice.

Maldives – Pickled with spices and eaten with rice & fish soup.

Seychelles – Used with fish and shark dishes, or cooked with onion, tomato and chili to make a sauce.

One of the most common uses for Bilimbi is to make a refreshing summer drink, not unlike a lemonade.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Containing impressive amount of Vitamins A and C plus antioxidants & very generous amounts of Iron and Potassium, the Bilimbi is both refreshing and nutritious.  The flavonoids and fibers in the fruit aid in controlling blood sugar while boiling and consuming the fruit is believed to lower blood pressure. Very high Vitamin C contents help prevent cold infection and tackles the symptoms. The Vitamin A, C, and Oxalic Acid help turn Mimbro paste into a potent anti-acne, anti-aging and rejuvenation mask. There are many other tested and potential health benefits of this fruit – but as always, make sure you do proper research and consult an expert before deciding to self-medicate. It is also important to note that consuming too much of Bilimbi can cause kidney issues, a few serious cases happened when people were drinking excessive amount of concentrated extract for long periods of time. There is some evidence that it is also better not to eat the fruit on an empty stomach.

EXPERIMENT!

Bilimbi is very versatile – it can be used to make chutney, combined with spirits to make refreshing alcoholic drinks, flavor dishes especially seafood, or add a twist by replacing lemons and limes in cocktails like Margaritas, Mojitos, Martinis, or Daiquiris…with such a variety of fresh fruit in Costa Rica, there is more than enough opportunity to experiment and the Mimbro is a great candidate!

Our tropical area boasts untold variety of strange, exotic, and tasty fruit – a visit to a local fruit stall will leave you speechless! Imagine living in a beautiful, tropical land where each day brings an explosion of new tastes and wonder – you can make this dream a reality much quicker than you think! Take the first step by browsing our local property listings here. RE/MAX WE SELL PARADISE is your trusted partner in this land of exotic and tropical culinary delights!