camias kamias Averrhoa bilimbi
Averrhoa bilimbi

Known as camias (kamias) in the Philippines and bilimbi, tàling pling, belimbing assam and many other names elsewhere, it is indigenous to the Asian tropics. The fruits grow in bunches on a small tree of 5-10 m. high, are greenish yellow to light yellow when ripe, 6-9 cm. long with 3-4 flat, light brown seeds. They are succulent (very juicy indeed!) and taste tart to very sour.

However, there is another variety which has smaller, rounded and sweeter fruits which seems known only to the Philippines. I have personally seen and tasted this variety but it has been at least 15 years ago. Another one on the search list, I suppose.

camias kamias Averrhoa bilimbiThe sweet camias was in my cousins’ backyard but we have always had a (common) camias tree or two at home. When we were children, we used to help with their upkeep by watering them during the summer and thinning their leaves during the rainy season (June till August) in an effort to make it bear fruit. Although bearing fruits almost the whole year round, it is during the summer when they are heavily laden. Sometimes branches would break from the weight alone.

Highly acidic, the fruits are eaten raw (sisigan) - dipped in a bit of salt and sugar, used to flavour soups and stews such as sigang, alpa and pangat, juiced and preserved as candies and jams and into a lot of other recipes sour-loving Filipinos cook.

The camias fruits are also used to remove stains from skin, brass, porcelain and cloth.

Read my blogging Ate’s post from almost two years ago.