Do you know about the Phoenix-eye fruit? The ripe "Ping Po" fruit, also known as the "Phoenix-eye fruit," gets its name because the split fruit looks like a phoenix's eye. Let me introduce you to the appreciation value of the Phoenix-eye fruit!
Image of the Phoenix-eye fruit
[Origin of the Phoenix-eye fruit]
The Phoenix-eye fruit is mentioned in the "Essential Guide to Medicinal Properties of Herbs".
1. "Junzi Hall Daily Inquiry Mirror": In Hengzhou, there is a famous nine-layered skin fruit called Gu Gu, which needs to be peeled off nine layers to reveal the flesh. When ripe, it tastes similar to chestnuts.
2. "Miscellaneous Records of Lingnan": Ping Po fruit is like a large soap pod, with fresh red flesh inside, and the seeds resemble soap pod seeds. The skin is purple, and the flesh is like chestnuts. It has multiple layers of skin that need to be peeled off to reveal the flesh.
3. "Si'en Prefecture Chronicles": Luo Huangzi, commonly known as the nine-layered skin, resembles edible broad beans and tastes like simmered chestnuts. It has a black sheen and has nine layers of skin covering the flesh, hence the name. It is produced in mountain trees (forests).
[Methods of consuming the Phoenix-eye fruit]
Phoenix-eye fruit braised chicken
Ingredients: 0.5 chicken, 1 jin of Phoenix-eye fruit, soy sauce, sugar, salt
Method:
1. Cook the Phoenix-eye fruit beforehand and peel them.
2. Clean the chicken and chop it into pieces. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, white wine, white sugar, and cornstarch, mix well, and marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Heat the pan, add some oil, and add garlic and ginger slices. Stir-fry until golden brown.
4. Add the chicken pieces, stir-fry until golden brown, then add the Phoenix-eye fruit. Add 2 bowls of water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
[Appreciation value of the Phoenix-eye fruit]
Due to the low fruiting rate of the Phoenix-eye fruit and the limited annual yield, there are very few orchards that cultivate it on a large scale. It is only sporadically grown.
The Phoenix-eye fruit has strong adaptability, tall and beautiful tree structure, and strong pollution resistance. It is widely cultivated in parks, roads, campuses, factory areas, and gardens in the southern region of China.
The Ping Po tree has a dense crown, evergreen leaves, and a beautiful tree shape that does not easily shed leaves. In the neighboring Zhongshan city of Panyu, the Ping Po tree is a good courtyard landscape tree and roadside tree that can be seen everywhere.
The Ping Po tree blooms in early summer and produces large red fruits in July and August each year. The mature Phoenix-eye fruit splits into four or five individual fruits, with a dark red exterior and a black-brown oval-shaped seed inside.
Because it looks like an eye from a distance, and the black-brown seeds are edible, it is colloquially known as the "Phoenix-eye fruit".
