Kemiri Nut / Kemiri (Aeurites triloba) is also called candlenut
and is characterized as an oily nut with the size and shape of an acorn and, when ground to a paste, is a principal thickening agent in
Indonesian sauces. Kemiri is also considered to have a stabilizing action when combined with
coconut milk.
Kemiri is often used in Indonesian and Malaysian
cuisine, In
Malaysia, it is known as Buah Keras. On the island of Java in
Indonesia, Kemiri is used to make a thick
sauce that is eaten with
vegetables and
rice. Outside of Southeast Asia, macadamia nuts are sometimes substituted for candlenuts when they are not available, as they have a similarly high oil content and texture when pounded. The
flavor, however, is quite different, as the Kemiri is much more bitter and is mildly toxic when raw.
Several parts of the Kemiri
plant have been used in traditional medicine in most of the areas where it is native. The oil is an irritant and laxative and sometimes used like castor oil. It is also used as a hair stimulant or additive to hair
treatment systems. The seed kernels have a laxative effect. The bark of the Kemiri tree has been used on tumors in
Japan. In Sumatra, pounded seeds, burned with charcoal, are applied around the navel for costiveness. In Malaya, the pulped kernels or boiled leaves are used in poultices for headache, fevers, ulcers, swollen joints, and gonorrhea. In Java, the bark is used for bloody diarrhea or dysentery.
Read more …