Licuri

In the semi-arid state of Bahia, licuri palms (Syagrus coronata), with their hanging bunches of thousands of green fruits, are easy to spot from a distance. The imposing licuri palm is also known as the solitary palm of the Brazilian caatinga, the characteristic ecosystem of the northeast of the country, running from northern Minas Gerais to southern Pernambuco, through the states of Bahia, Sergipe and Alagoas. The palm was once an integral part of the landscape and its fruits a common food. There are records of the fruit dating back many centuries: O Tratado Descritivo do Brasil, published in 1587 by the Portuguese explorer Gabriel Soares de Sousa, contains a description of the flavor and quality of the licuri palm fruits.
In the Piemonte da Diamantina region, in the heart of the Bahian caatinga, the main harvest takes place between January and May. The bunches are cut using a knife or a scythe, collected in a typical basket made from woven lianas called a balaio and transported on the backs of mules or on women’s heads. The women both pick and process the fruit. Sitting at home or in the shade of a tree, they use a stone to break the shells of the small nuts.
Birds love to eat the outer flesh of the licuri palm fruits. The flesh surrounds a shell that in turn hides a kernel with a very intense coconut-like flavor.
Also known as ouricuri, aricuri, nicuri, alicuri and coquinho-cabeçudo, the licuri plays a fundamental role in the local economy, and for many families it represents the only source of income. The fruits can be eaten unripe or ripe, raw or toasted. They can also be pressed into milk or oil.
Children use them to make necklaces that they wear while playing so that they can have a snack whenever they like. The licuri is still an essential ingredient in traditional Easter dishes, served with fish or chicken, while the milk is used to flavor rice.

Production area: Bahia, North-East