kokum fruit

 kokum fruit

Introduction

The scientific name of kokum fruit is Garcinia Indica. It grows in the tropical evergreen forest. It is a slender tree that is complemented with sloping branches. The tree reaches a height of fifty feet or fifteen meters. The leaves are oblong, and the bark is thin and lined. The kokum fruit is round in shape and dark purple. The fruit has a diameter of about four centimeters along with five to eight seeds. The kokum fruit is usually picked when they are ripe. After that, the rind is removed, and the fruit is soaked in the pulp’s juice. Finally, it is sun-dried. However, kokum cannot be easily cultivated. It grows as a single tree in specific conditions. The other names of kokum tree are mangosteen oil tree, kokum butter tree, cocum, and black kokum.

What is Kokum?

When it comes to Grandma’s secret cure to acidity, kokum fruit is the ultimate hack. It grows primarily in India’s southern region, which is around the Western Ghats, in the Konkan and Goa region. It does not have an English name. The fruit is small in structure, just like a cherry tomato.  Kokum is initially red, but when it ripens, it turns purple. It can be found both in dried and fresh form. However, the dried form is widely sold. It has various culinary uses. It has a faint sweet aroma and a sour taste.

The fruit is dried after it ripens.  After it has been sun-dried, it is called kokam, kokum, or aamsul. It is mainly used in Gujrati, Konkan, and Maharashtrian cuisine. It gives the food purple or pink color when added to the food. People, at times, use it as a substitute for tamarind.

Health Benefits of Kokum Fruit

Kokum fruit has various health benefits. It is well known for its refrigerant properties. It can be used directly or infused with other products depending on its purpose of use. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using kokum fruit.

1. Cures Acidity:

Kokum is widely known for its legendary benefit of curing acidity. Most of the people in today’s world suffer from acidity. Curry, worry, and hurry are the three main reasons behind the occurrence of acidosis in people. However, luckily people do not have to rush behind synthetic medicines to sure their acidity problem. A glass of chilled kokum sherbet made up of dried kokum fruit, black/common salt, and little sugar helps in easing the acidity burps.

2. Improves Digestive Health:

By now, you already know that the extracts of kokum fruit are highly beneficial. People can make juice made up of kokum extracts to relieve themselves of other gastric problems such as flatulence and indigestion. The anti-bacterial property of kokum helps in fighting these problems. It kills all the harmful bacteria while protecting the good bacteria living in the gut. This helps in easing stomach troubles.

3. Powerful Antioxidant:

Kokum has a powerful component known as ‘garcinol’ that carries antioxidant qualities. Hence, garcinol works against the harmful effects of the body’s free radicals. If these free radicals are left inside the body, they can cause a wide range of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. Moreover, kokum also helps in maintaining and regenerating the health of the organs and cells of the body.

4. Heals Cracked Heels

This property of kokum is linked to the ancient and powerful Ayurveda. People have to make a paste of kokum with oil or butter. Then they can apply the paste on their blisters, skin rashes, and cracked feet. Thus, kokum butter is famous, and it is also present in various cosmetics like balms, soaps, and skin locations.

5. Beats Body Heat:

Drinking a glass of chilled kokum juice helps immensely in quenching the thirst as well as leaving a cooling effect on your body. The juice can be consumed to beat the summer’s scorching heat.

6. Keeps A Healthy Heart:

The kokum fruit contains an important compound known as hydroxycitric acid. The compound helps in suppressing appetite and in the reduction of cholesterol levels. Hence, kokum can be consumed to maintain a healthy and robust heart as well as in controlling obesity.

Therefore, these are some of the few health benefits of kokum fruit. In addition to these, the fruit is also useful for treating piles, pains, tumors, and dysentery. It has even portrayed anti-carcinogenic properties.

Best way to consume kokum ( Indian recipes )

Kokum has a vast range of culinary uses. It is mainly used in the cuisine of the Konkan coast, Maharashtra, Gujrat, and other South Indian states. Sometimes it is used as the main ingredient of a dish, or it is used for seasoning. Here are some Indian recipes which are the best ways for consuming kokum.

1. Kokum Sherbet or Kokum Juice

Ingredients Required:

• One cup of kokum
• One cup of sugar
• One tsp of cumin or jeera seeds powder
• ¾ tsp of black salt
• A pinch of lemon juice

The total time taken for making the juice is only nine minutes

Method:

• First, you have to take a microwave-safe bole and pour some water in it. Then you have to soak the kokum in the water. After that, you have to microwave it for one minute on high and then keep it aside for ten more minutes.
• After that, you have to drain the mixture of kokum and water. Now you have to keep the drained water and the kokum aside.
• Take your mixture. Combined half a cup of the drained kokum water and the kokum inside the mixture and blend them into a smooth paste. Now keep the paste aside.
• Again take the microwave-safe bowl and pour half a cup of water in it. Add some sugar in the bowl. Then microwave it for eight minutes on high temperature while stirring it once in-between after four minutes.
• Then add the kokum paste in it and mix well.
• After that, strain the mixture using a sieve. Discard the kokum remains and keep aside the kokum-sugar mixture.
• Now add some citric acid, black salt, and cumin seeds powder to the sugar-kokum mixture.

Your kokum sherbet is now ready. You can just add two tablespoons of the kokum-sugar mixture in a glass of chilled water and have it peacefully. You can store the mixture inside the refrigerator for days.

2. Kokum Kadhi

Ingredients Required:

• Twenty-five kokum fruits
• Two tsp of chopped green chilies (finely)
• Salt to taste
• One tbsp of oil
• Two tsp of jeera or cumin seeds
• Four curry leaves or kadi patta
• One tsp of chopped garlic (finely)
• Two Kashmiri red chilies (dry and broken into pieces)
• One and a half cup of coconut milk.
• Two tbsp of chopped coriander (finely)

The total time for making the dish is about half an hour.

Method:

• Take a deep bowl and pour half a cup of water in it. Then combine the kokum fruit, salt, and the green chilies in the bowl and cover it with a lid. Then keep it aside to soak for about twenty minutes.
• After that, use a strainer to strain the kokum. Discard the green chilies and kokum and keep aside the kokum water.
• Take a non-stick kadhai and heat some oil in it. Add some cumin seeds and when they crackle, start adding the red chilies, garlic, and the curry leaves. Saute them for some seconds on a low to medium flame.
• Now add some salt, the kokum water, and the coconut milk and mix it well. Now cook the mixture on a medium flame for about three minutes. You have to stir the mixture occasionally while cooking.

Now your kokum kadhai is ready to be served. You can garnish it with some coriander leaves. Serve it hot with some rice and let the tangy kokum flavor burst in your mouth with every bite that you take.

Summary

Kokum fruit, for a significant part of the time, was seen as a typical local fruit that had some culinary uses only. Even though this fruit typically grows in the Southern part of India and has not traveled much in the country, this tart fruit is gradually becoming a super-fruit. Kokum is generally available in its dried form, although you can buy it as a fruit. You can store dried kokum inside an airtight container for nearly a year.

In addition to a vast number of culinary uses, it also used extensively in medicinal practices and traditional coastal cuisines. In case you are bothered about your skin, and you want to keep it healthy and young, kokum fruit would do it all for you. So, the next time you see this plant growing in your garden or your backyard, do not mistake it for a weed and chop it off. Instead, take care of it and let it grow.