Tropical Kokum Fruit

India is home to a stunning array of gorgeous culinary and medicinal plants! One such plant is the Kokum Tree (aka the Goa Butter Tree). Known in science as Garcinia indica, it’s a fruit-bearing tree that belongs to the mangosteen family. It is native to India and mainly grows in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka which lie in the region of the Western Ghats Sahyadri Mountain range. In Sanskrit the tree is called Amlabija or Amlashaka. Amla means “sour”, indicating the primary taste of the fruit.

Kokum trees are quite hardy – they can thrive in a variety of conditions, climates and terrains. Each tree produces hundreds of green berries that ripen to a reddish-purple color from April to June. Once harvested, the entire fruit is used.  When opened, the mildly sweet inner pulp houses the seeds which contain highly nutritious, saturated stearic and oleic fatty acids which, when extracted, is called “kokum butter” due to its beautiful butter-like consistency. This emollient, healing butter is used as a soothing body care treatment. The rind (or peel) of the fruit is called kokum; it’s mostly sour with just a slight hint of sweetness. Once separated from the inner pulp and seeds, it is dehydrated in the sun. During the drying process, the fruit changes color, becoming dark purple-black. This dried rind can now be stored and enjoyed for up to a year.

Kokum is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with assorted vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. For centuries, it has been used for culinary, medicinal and skincare purposes. In India kokum is used as a spice that is especially revered for its cooling properties. It is added to numerous dishes and is often made into syrup that becomes a highly satisfying, refreshing summer beverage. The syrup is made by covering the rind with sugar and storing it in a glass jar in sunlight. This allows the heat to melt the sugar, creating a divine, delicious syrup that can be mixed with water, sparkling water or herbal tea for a cooling summer treat.

In Ayurveda, India’s ancient healing system, the fruit is used to stimulate and support agni, the digestive fire. The taste of the fruit after digestion is sour and as such, it is considered heating. However, when combined with cooling sweeteners such as Jaggery or Mishi rock sugar, it can be made into a cooling, warm-weather beverage.

At Pure Indian Foods, our sun-dehydrated Kokum fruit is 100% pure, certified organic, with no added sulfites, sugar, chemicals, preservatives or coloring agents. Remember, kokum will add a sour quality to foods, much like tamarind, vinegar, lemon juice and cranberries.

Enjoy these ideas:

• Soak in warm water to extract the essence of the fruit; add sweetener to taste. Store in the refrigerator; use as desired as a base for beverages
• Add to lentil and legume dals, soups and stews
• Try it with fish, shrimp and other curries
• Can be used as a substitute for tamarind, lemon, vinegar and cranberries
• Grind or pulverize; add to curries, gravies, sauces and dips
• Add to pickles and chutneys
• Make kokum sharbat concentrated syrup (check out the many online recipes)
• Add to grain dishes and casseroles