Ackee, Akee, Achee

This is the fruit of a West African tree, Blighia sapida, named in honour of Captain Bligh who introduced it to Jamaica. A handsome evergreen, it bears a fruit whose scarlet shell and shiny black seeds alone would make the tree worth cultivating for its decorative aspect. The edible parts, sometimes called vegetable brains, is the aril, which looks like a small brain, or scrambled eggs, according to the eye of the viewer. It has a delicate flavour and is best known in the Jamaican dish Saltfish and Ackee. Tinned ackees from Jamaica are quite widely available in Indian and other speciality food shops.