The manketti tree is indegineous to southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique). Its ripe fruits, in particular the oily nut, have been a forage staple food for the indigenous people. The fruits are cooked to removew the maroon coloured flesh from the hard inner nuts, which is eaten on its own or as a relish with other dishes. The roasted nuts are very tasty. They are pounded and mixed with other ingredients to make a variety of traditional dishes. The fruits and nuts dry well and can be kept for long periods. The enrergy value of the nuts is 645 kcal/100g with a protein content of 26% and a fat content of 58%. Both the nut and the fruit are rich in minerals and thiamine.
