Both the pili fruit and nut are wonderful, and relatively unknown outside of the Bicol region. The fruit or pulp, a hairy conglomeration of mildly flavored fiber, is enjoyed almost as a vegetable, dipped in guinamos or fermented fish sauce, and a staple during the pili season, which peaks in June to August. It’s a slightly cruel quirk of fate that just as the fruit reaches its peak, the region where it thrives is likely to get battered repeatedly by harsh typhoons. A hardy tree, the pili tree is said to be indigenous to the Philippines, and some assert it only grows here. But apparently it can also be native to parts of Indonesia and possibly Malaysia.
My father’s ancestors were from an area outside Legazpi City, so they all had a hankering for fresh pili fruit that was just barely poached in hot water and the enjoyed with a salty dip of guinamos. The annual arrival of fresh pili fruit in our Manila home, often hand-carried from the family farm, was a major annual event. The fruit is highly perishable, so one must cook it as soon as possible. Dad missed the fruit so much he planted a tree in our front yard, but it never yielded sufficient or edible fruit…
While the pulp doesn’t stay fresh for long, the nut is a bit more practical to use. Possessing one of the highest fat contents of any nut on the planet, it is rich, creamy and very tasty. I have always liked pili nuts, and it surprises me that more folks haven’t made a real business out of pili nut plantations that could yield the fruit, nuts and extracts used in cosmetics, fragrances, etc.
If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh pili nuts, those with the brown skins still on, simply blanche them in boiling water very briefly and let them cool; the skins will rub off very easily. Toast the nuts in a hot oven, tossing to make sure they don’t burn, and serve salted if you like. You can also use the nuts in pili nut brittle -- simply make a batch of caramelized sugar and pour over the nuts to coat. Once cooled, crack into bite-sized pieces and store in airtight containers. Another use is a simple pili nut cake; head to my blog www.marketmanila.com for a detailed recipe.