VietNamNet Bridge – When the winds of the autumn come is the time dracontomelon fruit is ripening on the streets of Hanoi. Small, round, yellow-ripen fruits are packed with so many memories of those who grew up or lived in the capital.
Seeing ripening dracontomelon fruits, many people immediately
think of the fall of Hanoi. The dracontomelon fruits are peeled then
sugared or salted are the favorite junk food of many people. “I grew up
in Hanoi but I have lived in Saigon for five years. During the summer,
my parents send me some green dracontomelon fruits to me every month. I
kept them in the fridge to cook sour soup. When dracontomelon fruits are
ripen, my mum immediately sent me one kilo to salt at home. The
sourness of the fruits with salt and chili is very good,” said Ms. Hong
Linh in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
In Hanoi there are many streets with rows of dracontomelon trees,
such as Phan Dinh Phung, Tran Phu, Tran Hung Dao… The trees are very
high so few people noticed the ripe fruit on the trees.
For many poets and musicians, ripen dracontomelon became poetic images.
Peeled dracontomelon fruits.
The ripen dracontomelon season does not last long so women quickly
purchase the fruits to process into delicious cuisines for their
families. Ms. Ha who sells ripen dracontomelon on Dai La Road, Hanoi,
said she sold tens per day.
The sugared and salted fruits are favored by young girls.
Sugared dracontomelon fruits can be processed into delicious drink.
Dracontomelon fruits can be used in sour soup.
Dracontomelon trees on Phan Dinh Phung Street.
Many roads in Hanoi are covered with yellow leaves of dracontomelon trees at the end of spring, early summer.
Two rows of dracontomelon trees on the sidewalks of Phan Dinh
Phung Street. Many generations of Hanoi students consider this road as
the most poetic in the capital.
Ripen dracontomelon fruits are the simple fruits that reminds people of Hanoi.
VNE