Prowling upper Broadway by night, I came face to face with jagua.
Not jaguar — the names are unrelated — but jagua (Hah-guah), a tropical fruit I found steeping one summer at a raspado cart. There it was light brown; here it had oxidized to brownish black, suitable for short-lived tattoos.
The juice is used as such in South America (and even in mehndi-loving neighborhoods to the north), so I was relieved to find that these slices from Dulceria Rodriguez (10 oz.; $2.99) were stain-free. However, the same "citric pectin" that jellied their texture may have meddled with the flavor; I was reminded of figs, but I suspect there's more to jagua when the fruit is fresh.
Also shown below: the sunset sky nearby.
Superior Market
3607 Broadway (148th-149th Sts.)
212-234-5619
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