Long Forgotten Indian Fruits
Now a days, you may find Washington Apple, Florida Orange, Thai Tamarind, Fuji Apple, Dragon Fruit, Kiwi Fruit even in the smallest town across the country but there are many Indian fruits which have lost shelf space and disappearing from the market place. I will try to discuss about the fruits which were available in small towns and villages during the season but now not easily available.
First one I remember Khirni which used to be our favorite fruit in our childhood days. These golden yellow berries with a melting fruity sweetness is grown in Central India as well as Deccan Peninsula. It is not seen in market as it is available for a very short period in May, just when the summer season begins. It is also grown in tropical regions around the world and popularly known as Rayan or Mimusops.
A small, translucent, orb shaped fruit, Langash is most often found in Southern States especially in Nilgiri hill region. It can be quite sour when unripe but is perfectly sweet when ripe with a taste similar to a bittersweet grapefruit.
Budha's Hand or Fingered Citron is basically grown naturally in Northeastern part of the country. It is stunning fruit and looks like a lumpy lemon with elongated yellow tentacles looks very similar to gnarled human fingers protruding from the base. It has a mild yet zesty flavor and aromatic. In case you keep it in a room, the room will be filled with its fresh floral perfume.
Move towards Himachal, you will find exotic, deep orange-red colored fruit called Japani Phal in local language. Strikingly similar to tomato, a completely ripe Japani Phal or Persimmon is soft, sweet and tasty. Now it is also grown in Uttrakhand, Jammu and Nilgiri Hills in South.Perhaps its short shelf life obstructed its reach to other parts of the country.
My favorite is Targola or Taal. It is also known as Ice Apple or Sugar Palm Fruit. It has a stiff brown exterior and a jelly like interior. Once you cut open, each fruit has jelly like segmented seeds with a soft off white skin that darkens to a light brown when exposed to air. Grown in Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu as well as Kerala.
Karonda or Carandas Cherry is grown in Bihar, West Bengal, the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills region. Karonda is a nutrition-rich wild berry, pink in color when ripe with tiny seeds at the core. When raw, it is firm with a tart flavor but tastes delicious when eaten with a sprinkling of rock salt.
Phalsa is also known as Indian Sherbet Berries. It is a tiny dark purple berry that beautifully balances sweet and sour flavors. It reminds me of blue berries. It is very rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. In fact it is a super fruit with an effective cooling effect, perfect cooler for the summer. Its is very delicate so has a very poor shelf life.
Kaseru. I was born near the bank of Ramganga river. The Bagwans or the local gardners used to bring it in the market in a very small quantity. The specialty of this fruit is that it is born under water; The skin consists of black feathers over her finely-granular from inside it is white and tastes like sweetened milk . Kaseru or water chestnut is sweet, slightly astringent, little difficult to digest, blood bile inflammation, eye disease destructor, constrigent, semen enhancing. Mix water chestnut juice, milk and water are mounting semen.Water chestnut juice is beneficial in gynic problem leucorrhoea.
Jungle Jalebi. The spiralling green pink podus of jungle jalebi contain about six to ten shining black seeds enveloped in a thick sweet edible pulp. While the pulp can be eaten raw or made into drink similar to lemonade, the tangy seeds are used in curries. It is aptly named after the famous Indian sweet jalebi. It iis grown in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnatka, Andhra as well as Karnatka. It is known as Kodukkapuli in South India.
Kamrakh. It is also known as Carambola or star fruit. Believe me, the moment word Kamrakh comes to mind mouth start watering. It has waxy skin and a green to golden color The ripe fruit is distinctly yellow, with slightly brown ribs, and it makes a great preserve or pickle. Unripe ones are lime green, taste sour and are best eaten when sliced and sprinkled with salt and chili powder. Grown across the country, the fruits are almost available thhrough out the year but withh limited quantity.
First one I remember Khirni which used to be our favorite fruit in our childhood days. These golden yellow berries with a melting fruity sweetness is grown in Central India as well as Deccan Peninsula. It is not seen in market as it is available for a very short period in May, just when the summer season begins. It is also grown in tropical regions around the world and popularly known as Rayan or Mimusops.
A small, translucent, orb shaped fruit, Langash is most often found in Southern States especially in Nilgiri hill region. It can be quite sour when unripe but is perfectly sweet when ripe with a taste similar to a bittersweet grapefruit.
Budha's Hand or Fingered Citron is basically grown naturally in Northeastern part of the country. It is stunning fruit and looks like a lumpy lemon with elongated yellow tentacles looks very similar to gnarled human fingers protruding from the base. It has a mild yet zesty flavor and aromatic. In case you keep it in a room, the room will be filled with its fresh floral perfume.
Move towards Himachal, you will find exotic, deep orange-red colored fruit called Japani Phal in local language. Strikingly similar to tomato, a completely ripe Japani Phal or Persimmon is soft, sweet and tasty. Now it is also grown in Uttrakhand, Jammu and Nilgiri Hills in South.Perhaps its short shelf life obstructed its reach to other parts of the country.
My favorite is Targola or Taal. It is also known as Ice Apple or Sugar Palm Fruit. It has a stiff brown exterior and a jelly like interior. Once you cut open, each fruit has jelly like segmented seeds with a soft off white skin that darkens to a light brown when exposed to air. Grown in Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu as well as Kerala.
Karonda or Carandas Cherry is grown in Bihar, West Bengal, the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills region. Karonda is a nutrition-rich wild berry, pink in color when ripe with tiny seeds at the core. When raw, it is firm with a tart flavor but tastes delicious when eaten with a sprinkling of rock salt.
Phalsa is also known as Indian Sherbet Berries. It is a tiny dark purple berry that beautifully balances sweet and sour flavors. It reminds me of blue berries. It is very rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. In fact it is a super fruit with an effective cooling effect, perfect cooler for the summer. Its is very delicate so has a very poor shelf life.
Kaseru. I was born near the bank of Ramganga river. The Bagwans or the local gardners used to bring it in the market in a very small quantity. The specialty of this fruit is that it is born under water; The skin consists of black feathers over her finely-granular from inside it is white and tastes like sweetened milk . Kaseru or water chestnut is sweet, slightly astringent, little difficult to digest, blood bile inflammation, eye disease destructor, constrigent, semen enhancing. Mix water chestnut juice, milk and water are mounting semen.Water chestnut juice is beneficial in gynic problem leucorrhoea.
Jungle Jalebi. The spiralling green pink podus of jungle jalebi contain about six to ten shining black seeds enveloped in a thick sweet edible pulp. While the pulp can be eaten raw or made into drink similar to lemonade, the tangy seeds are used in curries. It is aptly named after the famous Indian sweet jalebi. It iis grown in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnatka, Andhra as well as Karnatka. It is known as Kodukkapuli in South India.
Kamrakh. It is also known as Carambola or star fruit. Believe me, the moment word Kamrakh comes to mind mouth start watering. It has waxy skin and a green to golden color The ripe fruit is distinctly yellow, with slightly brown ribs, and it makes a great preserve or pickle. Unripe ones are lime green, taste sour and are best eaten when sliced and sprinkled with salt and chili powder. Grown across the country, the fruits are almost available thhrough out the year but withh limited quantity.
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