Keluak

Keluak, also spelled keluwak, refers to the seed of the Pangium edule tree, a tropical species native to Southeast Asia. The seed and the surrounding fruit have a long culinary history in Indonesian, Malaysian, and Peranakan cuisine, where it is valued for its distinctive dark color and nutty, earthy flavor. The term may also appear as buah keluak or buah keluak hitam in regional cookery literature.

Botanically, Pangium edule is a tall evergreen tree that produces large fruits containing several hard seeds. The kernel seeds are highly toxic when fresh due to hydrogen cyanide compounds. To render the seeds safe for consumption, traditional processing methods involve fermentation and washing, often with ash or alkaline solutions, sometimes followed by soaking and thorough rinsing. After detoxification, the kernels can be ground into a dark paste or used as whole kernels in dishes.

Culinary use centers on the processed keluak paste, which provides both color and flavor. In Indonesian cuisine, it is a key component of rawon, a beef or tender meat soup whose broth takes on a characteristic black hue from the keluak paste. In Peranakan and Malay cooking, dishes such as ayam buah keluak (chicken with keluak) also rely on the processed seeds to create depth and aroma. The paste is typically used in small amounts due to its strong flavor and potential toxicity if misprocessed.

Safety and regulation emphasize proper Detoxification; consuming raw seeds can be dangerous. Commercial keluak products in many markets are sold pre-processed to reduce risk. Despite safety considerations, keluak remains a notable traditional ingredient in regional Southeast Asian cuisines.