mysterious green middle eastern plums

Question

I was on a trip to the middle east a year or so ago around mid spring. I was offered what looked like a green plum.

The taste was very sour and hard (not soft like a plum). The locals called it "janarek" and for the life of me I can't find it here in North America.

The closest I've found were the yellow and golden plums

the mysterious green plums I'm talking about are a bit smaller and lot crunchier.

any ideas on what its name, and where I can buy it from?

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 19 '10 at 19:16

8

Maybe you had the Greengage plum.

answered Jul 19 '10 at 19:16

papin

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do you know if we can buy them online somewhere, here in north america? – dassouki Jul 19 '10 at 19:21
I have only seen the jam online. Not even preserves. – papin Jul 19 '10 at 19:40

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 19 '10 at 19:16

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I believe these are also known as Greengages in English speaking countries (well, in the UK, at least)

answered Jul 19 '10 at 19:16

Rowland Shaw

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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered May 28 '14 at 00:24

I recently sampled these at a Babylon Market in Tucson, Arizona. The owner called them "green plums" but also the name you mentioned, "janarek." He said they're not easy to find -- he gets them from a company in California that imports them. You might look around for a Middle Eastern market = )

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered May 30 '16 at 15:16

you can also find them in Columbia, MD 21045

did some research, they are actually Sour Green plums OR Sour Cherry Plums… but not regular plums

http://parsmarketcolumbia.blogspot.com/2013/04/greengages-or-green-plum-now-is.html The sour cherry plum...Goje sabz, literally translated as green tomato or sour green plums, is said to grow mainly in the mountain areas of Iran. Karaj, in the western part of Tehran is also considered as one of the main growing and producing areas. This self fertile round green plums is often picked before it is fully ripe and eaten fresh or cooked by itself or with sour cherries. The local usually eat them sprinkled and spiced with salt and hence are made into 'goje sabz,' a popular pastime indulgence especially among the ladies.

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited May 10 '18 at 18:33

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I’m in Calgary, Canada, and I’m originally from Syria. We always wait for the month of May to eat "Janarik"

They are the yummiest thing you can ever eat in your life.

So I found them yesterday at our local Arabic store here in Calgary.

edited May 10 '18 at 18:33

Stephie

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answered May 09 '18 at 16:05

Dana Zgheir

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mysterious green middle eastern plums

5 Answers5