Description of the marula fruit. Healing substances contained in fruits. Useful properties for the body, caution and contraindications. Recipes with marula. The benefits of marula are not limited to the pulp of its fruit. The oil contained in and extracted from the seeds deserves a separate mention. It is rich in unsaturated oleic omega-9 acid, which deeply nourishes the skin upon application, retaining beneficial substances in it. In addition, it improves the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. It is believed that marula oil is about 10 times more stable than olive oil, therefore it is stored much longer, while maintaining its healing properties. African women have long used this type of oil for beauty treatments, including massage.
Harm and contraindications of marula
As a food and cosmetic product, marula is quite safe and hypoallergenic. When using it, you should follow the standard precautions if you suffer from any type of intolerance.
The consequence of abuse of marula is indigestion. The high amount of fiber in the fruit can cause bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, indigestion, and other similar symptoms.
Absolute contraindications for marula:
- Allergic reactions … Although rare, the fruit can cause symptoms of intolerance, especially if you are already allergic to any of the fruits.
- Use while taking medication … The reaction of active substances of marula to certain chemical compounds has not been studied enough. In any case, it is best to avoid exotic fruits during serious treatment or consult a healthcare professional.
According to unconfirmed, but often spread in Africa, stories, when eating a large number of marula fruits, intoxication is possible. The reason is that the overripe fruits of the tree are already partly "wandering", causing animals and people to react similar to the intake of fun drinks. It is unlikely that this feature can be attributed to serious contraindications for marula, since in order to achieve a tangible effect, you need to eat a lot of tasteless fermented fruits.
Marula recipes
Most often, the fruit is eaten raw or as part of sweets and pastries. African countries cultivating marula produce the famous Amarula liqueur based on its fruits.
Recipes with marula:
- Cocktail with marula … The drink is easy to prepare in a couple of minutes if you have the following ingredients at hand: 40 ml of vanilla vodka, 40 ml of Amarula cream liqueur, 40 ml of heavy cream, a slice of marula for decoration and aroma. We mix the ingredients in a shaker, add ice and get 2 servings of an exotic festive cocktail.
- Beer from marula … The traditional use of marula in African villages adjacent to plantations is to ferment fruit and consume the resulting drink. It is prepared as follows: carefully wash a kilogram of ripe fruits and cut off the peel, squeezing the juice into a container. Add the remaining pulp there, pour water in such an amount that it slightly covers the fruit mass. Now just cover the pan with a lid and leave to ferment for 2-4 days. Sugar can be added at will, without it the finished product will be noticeably sour.
- Jam from marula … Wash 500 g of ripe marula fruit, peel and cook until soft. Rub through a sieve, add sugar in a 1: 2 ratio. Bring to a boil, let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, turn it off and place in jars. Store in the refrigerator.
- Marula ice cream … This product can be used not only as an independent dish, but also as a delicious, refreshing addition to other desserts. For 8 servings we need: 1.5 kg of fresh marula fruit, 500 mg of sugar, a little water, juice of one lemon for jam, as well as 150 g of sugar, 200 g of milk, 200 g of cream, 4 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of vanilla for ice cream. Prepare jam from marula according to the above recipe, adding lemon juice along with sugar. For ice cream, beat the sugar and eggs together until light and frothy. Add milk, cream, vanilla, stir well. Combine with fruit mass and pour the contents into an ice cream maker or distribute into forms, sending them to freeze in the freezer.
- Eclairs stuffed with marula … This recipe with marula is quite voluminous in terms of the number of ingredients and the time taken, but the result will surpass all expectations. For eclairs we take: 360 ml of cold water, 120 ml of milk, 250 g of unsalted butter, 4 teaspoons of castor sugar, 2 pinches of salt, 250 g of flour, 6 eggs, 2 egg yolks. For the custard: 110 g castor sugar, 50 g sifted flour, 3 egg yolks, 1 egg, 500 ml milk, half a vanilla pod, 150 ml cream, 50 ml Amarula liqueur. For the icing: 100 g cane sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh cream, some chopped pistachios or coconut flakes for garnish. To prepare the dough: preheat the oven to 200 ° C, lay out the forms with paper or grease with oil. Combine butter, water, milk, sugar and salt in a separate container, bringing the mixture to a boil and stirring well. We remove from heat, gradually introducing flour. Knead the resulting dough well until it becomes smooth. We introduce eggs and stir again. Using a pastry bag, we form eclairs from it on baking sheets. Leave in the oven for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 180 ° C and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Now take the eclairs out of the oven, cut one end to release the hot air. Let the desserts cool completely. During this time, we will prepare the custard using the following method: cut the vanilla pod and stir it in the milk, bringing the liquid to a boil over medium heat. Place the egg yolks and leftover eggs in a large bowl. Add castor sugar and beat together until white and fluffy. Stir in flour until smooth. When the milk starts to boil, pour the egg mixture into it. Keep on fire for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Let cool, covered with plastic wrap. Add the marula liqueur and beat well with a mixer. Fill the eclairs with cream using a piping bag. To decorate, mix the icing sugar and cream until a thick glaze is formed, then apply to the cakes. Sprinkle with pistachios or coconut flakes.
- Panna Cotta with marula liqueur … For 15 small desserts we need: 900 ml of fresh cream, 500 ml of marula liqueur, sugar to taste, 16 g of gelatin powder, 100 g of dark chocolate. Bring half of the cream to a boil with gelatin. Add the marula liqueur and let cool. Whisk the other half of the cream, add the gelatin mixture and sugar. Divide into molds and refrigerate to freeze panna cotta. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and apply to pastry paper to create an abstract flake shape to decorate the dish. After hardening, remove and serve with the finished dish.
Interesting facts about marula
Archaeologists confirm that the marula was used in Africa 10,000 years ago and has undergone minimal evolutionary changes. The plant's extremely strong and resilient root system is capable of collecting and storing huge amounts of water during the rainy season. This allows marula to survive in the scorching sun during periods of prolonged drought, growing in the most inhospitable parts of the continent, for example, where the annual rainfall reaches only 250 mm. in year.
The Latin name "Sclerocarya" comes from the ancient Greek words for a hard nut inside a marula fruit. Moreover, the tree belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, common to mango, cashew, pistachio and sumac. In local dialects, the tree and the fruit bear more than 20 different names that are not similar to each other. More or less well-known synonyms sound like "elephant tree", "jelly plum", "cat thorn" and so on.
It can be said with certainty that the marula tree is the most useful plant in arid regions, a favorite among humans and animals. Since it has been cultivated for thousands of years, there are many African legends surrounding this specimen of flora.
For example, in Swaziland, from February to March (that is, at the time of the ripening of the fruits), the annual marula festival is held at the royal residence of the country's ruler. The king and queen mother are handed marula beer, made according to different recipes from famous families, as it is considered to be "fruit suitable for kings." Only then can the rest of the inhabitants start drinking beer from the marula. In some areas, this is accompanied by an elaborate ritual between women watching over the booze and men dancing and singing to share the meal.
Marula fruits are of great socio-economic importance for African states, as they occupy a significant share among export goods. For sale, the fruits are collected by members of rural communities, on whose land trees grow, constituting practically the only source of income for 2-3 months.
Marula fruits are distinguished by their unusual taste and aroma. But other than that, tree bark is used to treat dysentery and also as a medicine against malaria. The sap of the plant is used for disinfection and pain relief. Green leaves are taken for heartburn, and with the help of oil they care for the skin. Another traditional medicine from marula is a mixture of crushed fruits, leaves, and bark along with cold water. African women use marula to get rid of pregnancy and birth marks, stretch marks and other skin imperfections.
Marula softwood is used in the manufacture of furniture and musical instruments. The dyes extracted from the bark produce red and brown hues.
Watch a video about Marula:
Marula is an exotic fruit rich in nutrients and health benefits. Vitamins and trace elements are concentrated not only in its pulp, but also in the contents of the bone, and have a positive effect on the health of bones, skin and muscles. Marula oil is an important cosmetic product exported to many countries around the world. Obtained by the method of cold pressing, it contains a maximum of antioxidants that protect against overdrying, ultraviolet radiation and premature aging. More than 27 different flavors are extracted from the peel of the fruit, which are used in aromatherapy as well as homeopathic medicines.