Arenga

Arenga is a genus of tropical palms whose species supply several traditional foods across Southeast Asia. Sap tapped from the flower stalks is boiled down into palm sugar (gula aren) or fermented into palm wine and vinegar, forming the base of rural sweetener and beverage economies. The fruits of species such as Arenga pinnata, the sugar palm, are processed into the translucent, jelly-like palm fruit known as kolang-kaling, popular in desserts and drinks. Young shoots and palm hearts are eaten as vegetables in some regions. Like other sugar palms, Arenga demonstrates how a single genus can support sweeteners, fermented drinks, fruits, and vegetables within traditional food systems.