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Vietnamese: gấc, or quả gấc [quả meaning "fruit"]; in Chinese: 木鳖果),
is a Southeast Asian fruit found throughout the region from Southern China to Northeastern Australia. It is also known as
Baby Jackfruit, Spiny Bitter Gourd, Sweet Gourd, or Cochinchin Gourd. It has been traditionally used as both food and medicine
in the regions in which it grows.
Because it has a relatively short harvest season (which peaks in December and January), making it less abundant
than other foods, gac is typically served at ceremonial or festive occasions in Vietnam, such as Tết (the Vietnamese
new year) and weddings. It is most commonly prepared as a dish called xôi gấc, in which the aril and seeds
of the fruit are cooked in glutinous rice, imparting both their color and flavor.
Other than the use of its fruit and leaves for special Vietnamese culinary dishes, gac is also used for its
medicinal and nutritional properties. In Vietnam, the seed membranes are used to aid in the relief of dry eyes, as well as
to promote healthy vision. Similarly, in Traditional Chinese medicine the seeds of gac, known as mubiezi (Chinese: 木鳖子),
are employed for a variety of internal and external purposes.
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