Palm Fruit - Salacca - Sala

Salacca is a tropical Palm Fruit known as Sala in Thailand. The species for this Palm Fruit is variously given as “Salacca Rumphii. wall”, “Salacca Zalacca” or “Salacca Wallichiana”. Salacca or Sala grows in clusters at the base of the very short stemmed Salacca Palm Trees which are native to S.E. Asia.

The Sala fruit is oval with a thin, brittle brownish red skin covered with short sharp thorn like hairs. The thick flesh is yellowish brown in colour surrounding a dark brown pit. Salacca has a distinctive aroma, slightly sweet and musky and the taste is sweet with sour undertones and is usually eaten fresh. The skin can be peeled by hand, taking care not to be scratched by the hairs. The fruit inside is usually in 2 or sometimes 3 sections.