Hoa Nam for Dragon Fruit

I stopped at Hoa Nam (on the corner of Argyle and Winthrop) this morning. I had meant to pick up some more dried jackfruit and little dried banana rollups sprinkled with sesame seeds to bring up North this weekend. I was distracted from the moment I walked in by the fruit display which had pieces of fresh jackfruit.

I also saw what looked like neon pink Kohlrobi, which turned out to be Dragon Flower Fruit (or something like that?). The manager/owner, cut one open for me. It looks like a white kiwi inside with all the little seeds. I think they were about $4 each (I got two). At that price I wouldn't get more other than for the novelty, because the taste was a lot like bland kiwi, which are available for about $.25 each.

I also bought some small waxey fruit which they had labled pears, but were not...I will need to do more research on these.

Jackfruit is a huge fruit, a little bigger than a watermelon and has the bumpy texture like a durian (but not the offensive smell). It is usually split and sold in sections, at least that was how it was sold on the streetside when I was in Africa. The fruit sap is incredibly sticky, so you need to be very carefull with it.

Inside is a web of seed pods and seeds and a thin membrane of sweet fruit, it tastes a little bit like very sweet cantalope with high floral overtones. Jack fruit is available in many of the markets along Argyle. It is very good in the now popular bubble teas and shakes.

A few months ago, I found fried jack fruit, sold like bannana chips. Most of the grocery stores along Argyle have lots of dried, fried fruit snacks to nibble. I have not tried the little anchovies covered with sesame seeds yet...but I am working up my courage.

My new love is in the Vietnamese desserty-type snack, Che. Hong Xong bakery supplies Che to many of the groceries in the Argyle area. One of type of Che is made with jack fruit and bananna with cocconut milk. Check out these sweet snacks in the refrigerator cases, sold in cups that look soemthing like Jello (some have additional ingrediants added upon purchase...ask the folks at Hong Xong for assistance). These treats are about $2 each, so you can afford to try all ten to find out which one you like. Incidently, I read about Che in the Lonely Planet Word Food Guide for Vietnam, before I dared to try it....don't you wait, its great.

I also like a Che called Sweety Corn...though it sounds terrible, it is actually skinned corn, a bit like hominy and the taste/texture is a bit like rice pudding....not quite as sweet as the other Che.


Regards,
Peter


Hoa Nam
Address: 1101 W Argyle St, Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: (773) 275-9157

Hong Xuong Bakery
Address: 1139 W Argyle St, Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: (773) 878-2888

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I also saw what looked like neon pink Kohlrobi, which turned out to be Dragon Flower Fruit (or something like that?). The manager/owner, cut one open for me. It looks like a white kiwi inside with all the little seeds. I think they were about $4 each (I got two).

I will be interested in your opinion of the dragon fruit's taste. I bought several last November with someone who requests to be nameless. I found the name interesting, the looks fabulous and the taste uneventful if not dull. I suspect if it was fully tree ripened bought in the region it was grown, it may just be delicious. Ding, ding, ding --- My friend just rang. She had DragonFruit in Thailand, who also sampled what I bought here, but it was just as unexciting as I described.

I have a close friend who grew up in the Philippines, who loves Jackfruit. At Village Creamery, which has a Filipino influence, there usually is a Jackfruit-based ice cream available. I have alerted her just now there is Jackfruit available on Argyle.

Thanks!

I rather liked Dragon Fruit, and consumed quite a bit, in Vietnam. But I would agree that it is very much about the texture, with a subtle taste. Sort of like a slightly sweeter jicama.

I am sure that what I ate was ripe, and less than a day removed from the tree. Older and/or less ripe I can see where you would lose the subtle flavor, and the crisp texture. Probably hopeless around here.

The dragon fruit I purchased is not crisp like jimica at all. It has the texture of kiwi, and the flavor did improve a bit after it sat out on the counter, peeled and cut, for a while.

Again, a nice novelty, but at 4 bucks, not something I will rush to buy. I would consider it for an exotic fruit plate.

pd

I suppose it had been frozen for transport. Completely different experience. Even when fresh it is seedy and not as firm and fibrous as Jicama, but it was certainly not pulpy like Kiwi, either, unless my memory is betraying me.

I suppose it had been frozen for transport. Completely different experience. Even when fresh it is seedy and not as firm and fibrous as Jicama, but it was certainly not pulpy like Kiwi, either, unless my memory is betraying me.

Jicama-ish is not what I experienced either. Kiwi-ish squishy-firm is more accurate. I'm not too excited from my first impression. Though this is a different time of year, I might try it again just to reconfirm my opinion.