Botanical name: Garcinia Indica

Botanical Family:Guttiferae

Kokum

Description

Plant grows to a height of 3 feet and bears small yellow flowers.The fruits are greenish brown in color.The greenish seeds are superior in quality having a sweet aroma taste.It  is a slender evergreen small tree with drooping branches. It is a dioecious tree growing up to eighteen meter high. The fruit is spherical, purple, not grooved having 5-8 seeds compressed in an acid pulp. This aromatic herb is also known as Sauf, Madhurika ,Common fennel,Wild fennel,Large cumin etc… Fennel’s medicinal qualities are believed to be like a fairy tale.It is believed that snakes use to eat fennel to improve their eyesight.Fennel stimulates lactation and is used as a carminative and purgative.

Origin and Description

  The tree is oriental in origin, found in Southern India, particularly in the tropical rain forest of Western Ghats of Ratnagiri, Konkan, Coorg and Wynadu region. It is also found in the evergreen forests of Assam, Khasi, Jantia hills, West Bengal and Gujarat. The crop grows in  warm and moderately humid tropical climate with a total rainfall range of 2500-5000 mm.

Kokum: “Makes your dish”

Uses of Kokum

• The Kokum seeds and essential oil  are used for scenting soaps,perfumes and for flavouring in cooking.The seeds are used as such or ground in cooking for flavouring candies,liquors,medicines,pastries,cakes,pickles and confectioneries etc…
• All the parts of Kokum plant are edible,aromatic and used in flavouring.
• The ripened, rind and juice of Kokam fruit are commonly used in cooking. The dried and salted rind is used as a condiment in curries. It is also used as a garnish to give an acid flavour to curries and for preparing attractive, red, pleasant flavoured cooling syrup.
• The Kokum butter Kokam butter used as an edible fat, is nutritive, demulcent and antiseptic. The rind has antioxidant property.
• Kokum for Allergy: Cold blend of Kokum is used as local application in urticarial and allergic rashes on the skin. The infusion is highly effective and suggested for these purposes.
• Suffering from indigestion, one should take the mix of Kokum should be taken along with black pepper and salt.Kokum is also welcome in diseases and conditions such as hyperacidity, piles, fistula, heatstroke infection etc….

Kokum is the Indian spice used in making dishes, to give flavour