Persimmon in Khartoum 'Shi' or 'Kaki'?

Fruits play a major role in life. Some are forbidden while some speak of success. Most of them are tasty. Some are discovered late in life. Like how I recently tasted the Persimmon. A native of China, the persimmon spread to Japan and Korea. Just slice it and eat the flesh. No need to peel it, as some suggest. Don’t forget to wash it with water first. It has a mixed taste of ‘Chiku’ (Sapodilla plum) and ‘Taal Sash’ ice apples of palm fruit. Persimmons contain health benefiting flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants such as catechins and gallocatechins in addition to having an important anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. Catechins found to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties. Persimmons are also a very good source of vitamin-C and other vitamins and minerals.

I had seen Persimmon before in the supermarkets of Khartoum but never tried them until Zahir, my friend from Dhaka, who works with the UN in Darfur made me taste it. Thanks Zahir for introducing me to ‘Kaki’ the Japanese name for Persimmon. I need to find out whether the Persimmon in Khartoum is ‘Shi’ or ‘Kaki’, ‘Shi’ being the Chinese name.