Ice apples cool Mangaloreans in scorching heat

MANGALORE: With the maximum temperature in the coast consistently staying 2°C above the normal maximum for the month of April at 34.7°C, the demand for hydrating fruits is high. Topping the list is ice apple or 'irol', as it's known in local parlance.
The seeds of palmyra tree, usually referred to as 'eyes' as they are dug out from the 'sockets' of the fruit, are firm and translucent, are moderately sweet like lychee.Eating it is akin to sinking one's teeth into jelly filled with water. It is this method of beating the heat simply by eating a natural coolant that is attracting people of all ages to ice apples.
Most of the irol that land here are from Pollachi in Tamil Nadu, where palmyra is the official tree of the state. Like coconut tree in Karnataka and Kerala, palmyra is called the 'kalpavrisksa' because all its parts can used.
Sudhakar Muniswamy, hailing from Tamil Nadu who has made the city his home for the last 40 years, says he has been selling ice apples for the past 20 years. His usual business spot is Jail Road and its surroundings. "I sell this fruit for seven months, starting from January. It has a good demand like for tender coconut here. This year, the demand for irol has been high as there is a shortage of tender coconuts."
Vegetable merchant David D'Souza says irol is available locally, too, but people from Tamil Nadu have the skills to remove and slice the fruit. "That is the reason why we find mostly Tamilians engaged in this trade. They source the fruit from Tamil Nadu when demand is high."
Each 'eye' sells for Rs 5 and a fruit with three 'eyes' for Rs 12-15. Tender coconuts, too, have a high demand and the cost ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 30, depending on the size and the variety.
Aruna Mallya, dietician, KMC Hospitals, says : Palmyra fruit is a natural coolant just like tender coconut. It is generally used to prepare toddy and has more water content. The moisture content amounts to 77.2 gm per 100 gm. It has 0.7g protein, 0.2 gm fat, 0.7 mg minerals, 0.5 gm fibre, 9 mg calcium, 33 mg phosphorus and 4 gm Vitamin C. Due to high carbohydrate content of 20.7 gm, it gives 87 Kcal of energy.