Ripe Pili fruit is pure black

The first culinary lesson for  a Bulusanon is how to prepare the pili fruit as 'ulam' or dish with the perfect pili pulp softness. I learned it this way:  First is to master the right temperature of the water. Second is to know the right moment when it is done and to pick up the pili fruit selectively from the not so hot water (slightly higher than lukewarm). And never use boiling water--this has the opposite effect in most cases. The pili will turn up hard instead!

Best serve with 'kuyog', a local condiment made of fermented ziganid fry (baby ziganid fishes).