Mamey Sapote Seeds
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Mamey Sapote seeds are found within the fleshy fruits of the same name. The fruits average 8 to 25 centimeters in length and have a round, oval, or oblong shape, sometimes with tapered, pointed ends. The skin is semi-rough and light to dark brown with a textured, scruffy, and sandpaper feel. Underneath the skin, the flesh ranges in color from orange, red, to salmon and is soft, creamy, and dense with a fine, smooth consistency and faint squash-like scent. The seeds are extracted from the flesh and are enveloped in a hard, glossy, dark brown-black shell. Each fruit can hold 1 to 4 seeds. The seeds also share a similar elliptic shape to the fruit and can reach up to ten centimeters in length. When the hard shell is cracked open and discarded, the interior seed is brown, hard, and high in oil, giving it a rich consistency. Mamey Sapote seeds release a nutty, almond-like aroma and are only edible when processed. They should never be eaten raw. Once processed, the seeds have a complex taste with toasted, slightly smoky, earthy, and nutty nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Mamey Sapote seeds are available throughout the year, with peak harvest between March and July.
Current Facts
Mamey Sapote seeds, botanically classified as Pouteria sapota, are a part of the tropical fruits on large evergreen trees belonging to the Sapotaceae family. There are several varieties of Mamey Sapote fruits cultivated worldwide for fresh eating, but the use of the seeds for culinary and medicinal purposes is primarily localized to Mexico, Central, and South America. Mamey Sapote seeds are commonly known as Pixtle, a descriptor derived from the Nahuatl word “pitztli,” meaning “seed or pit.” The seeds are valued for their unusual flavoring, high oil content, and nutritional properties. Mamey Sapote, in general, is considered a sustainable fruit as almost all parts of the fruit are utilized for varying purposes. While the use of the seed is less common worldwide than the consumption of the fruit’s flesh, Mamey Sapote seeds are a treasured pre-Hispanic ingredient that has been passed between familial generations, especially in Mexico, for use in beverages, sauces, and cooked dishes. Mamey Sapote seeds are collected annually after fruit consumption. They are processed into fine powders as a method of preservation to incorporate into culinary dishes throughout the year.
Nutritional Value
Mamey Sapote seeds are a source of vitamins A and C to strengthen the immune system and maintain healthy organs, and minerals like phosphorus and iron to support bone health and oxygen transport in the bloodstream. In its native growing region of Mexico and Central America, Mamey Sapote seeds are used in natural medicines to aid the liver, respiratory ailments, and digestive issues. The seeds are toasted, ground into a powder, and made into tea and infusions for consumption. The seeds are also thought to have antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to making tea, Mamey Sapote seeds are rich in oil, which is extracted for use in beauty products. The oil is topically applied to the scalp and skin for various treatments.
Applications
Mamey Sapote seeds are not eaten raw and must be processed before they are safe for consumption. The seeds are separated from the fruit, and the outer hard shell is removed. Once prepped, the seeds are soaked in an alkaline solution, washed, sun-dried, and smoked over a fire for several days for preservation. When the seeds are ready for culinary use, they are toasted on a clay comal, a customary flat cooking surface, to help release their natural oils. The roasted seeds are ground into a fine powder and occasionally enhanced with aromatics for added flavoring. Mamey Sapote seeds are used to make tamales, sauces, and enchiladas, especially in the Puebla region, where the tamales are called pixtamales. The seeds are made into a paste with herbs and wrapped with corn dough to make the festive meal, frequently served during Day of the Dead celebrations. Mamey Sapote seed powder is also used in place of mole sauces in some regions of Southern Mexico. Studies are being done to possibly use Mamey Sapote seeds as a chocolate substitute. The distinct flavor of the ground seeds is also incorporated into various dessert recipes like crumbles, panna cotta, and ice cream. Mamey Sapote seeds have elements to make drinks frothy and light. In Tabasco, the ground seeds are mixed into atole and pozol, favored beverages. Mamey Sapote seeds have a taste that pairs well with aromatics like chile peppers, garlic, and onions, corn, tomatoes, and flavorings like sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Whole Mamey Sapote seeds should be immediately dried and processed after being extracted from the fruit for the best quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Mamey Sapote seeds or Pixtle are traditionally toasted and ground into a powder for use in a frothy drink called tejate, known as the “drink of the Gods.” This beverage has been prepared for centuries in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Tejate is also known as cu’uhb, the Zapotec name for the drink. Zapotec is the main indigenous language spoken throughout the central valley of Oaxaca, where the drink is prepared as an everyday, celebratory, and religious beverage. Tejate is comprised of four main ingredients: maize, Pixtle, cacao seeds, and rosita de cacao. The ingredients are toasted, ground into a fine paste-like mixture called masa, and combined by hand with water. It is common for the women preparing the drink to use their whole arm to knead the ingredients into the water, and this process eventually creates a layer of foam at the top. The frothy surface is thought to be created from fatty, rich elements within the Mamey Sapote seed, and once prepared, the drink is served with ice or sometimes sweetened with a simple syrup. Tejate is still made using ancient methods, and vendors throughout Oaxaca prepare the beverage for residents to consume on a daily basis. Tejate was once used as a symbolic drink served during religious ceremonies and on select holidays, but it has also become a part of everyday life in Oaxaca.
Geography/History
Mamey Sapote is native to Southern Mexico and parts of Central America and has been growing wild since ancient times. The species has pre-Hispanic origins and has historically been used for medicinal, culinary, and religious purposes, as seen on ceramics, drawings, and artifacts from ruins. In Mexico, Mamey Sapote is one of the few fruits still used in similar preparations from ancient times to the modern day. This is attributed to families passing tips on how to prepare all parts of the fruit, including the seeds, as ancestral knowledge. Mamey Sapote later spread and naturalized throughout South America and the Caribbean. When Spanish explorers and colonists arrived in the New World, they carried Mamey Sapote on ships to Asia, where the species was planted and spread. Today, Mamey Sapote is cultivated in tropical regions worldwide and is grown in commercial and home gardens. It is also still found in wild populations in its native growing regions. Mexico is the leading producer of the fruits worldwide, and Mamey Sapote seeds remain a traditional ingredient sold in select fresh markets.
