English/Common name- Kokum
Local name- Kannada - ಮುರುಗಲ ಹಣ್ಣು
Tulu - ಪುನರ್ಪುಳಿ (Punarpuli)
Botanical name- Garcinia Indica Choisy
Appearance- Kokum is a tree with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged tender emerging leaves. The tree is large and handsome, having elliptic, oblong, or oblong-lanceolate, deep-green glossy leaves, 5.5-8 cm long and 2.5-3 cm broad. The flowers are fleshy, dark pink, solitary, or in a spreading cluster. The fruit is about the size of an orange. An average kokum tree bears hundreds of fruits during summer. When they are tender, they are green in color. As they ripen, they get the beautiful purple color. The fruits are plucked when they are ripe.
Origin- Kokum (Garcinia Indica Choisy) is one of the important indigenous tree spice crops that originated and grown in Western Ghats of India, the South Konkan region of Maharashtra, Coorg, Wayanad, and Goa and is found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and as a home garden tree
Conditions required for growth- Garcinia Indica Choisy requires a warm and humid tropical climate.
Uses- The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get amsul. It is used as a souring agent typically in Maharashtrian cuisine, Goan cuisine, and in some parts of Karnataka. As a souring agent, it is used as an alternative to tamarind in curries and other dishes from south India. It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat, where it is frequently used to add flavor and tartness to dal (lentil soup) for flavor balance. It is extensively used in Assamese cuisine in many dishes like masor tenga (sour fish curry) and Tenga Dali (sour dal). The seed of Garcinia Indica contains 23–26% Kokum butter, which remains solid at room temperature. It is used in the preparation of chocolate and sugar confectionery.
Common remedies-
Kokum helps in weight loss by reducing the production of fatty acids as well as increasing the secretion of a hormone (serotonin) that suppresses appetite.
- To manage gastric ulcers(Part of the tree used - Fruit) : Take kokum fruit, when consumed orally, might also be useful in managing gastric ulcers due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
- To reduce acidity and expel heat (Part of the tree used - Fruit): Drinking Kokum juice helps to expel heat, reduce acidity and relieve sunstroke. Kokum juice also helps manage blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion due to its anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties.
