KARONDA CHERRY Dear friends,
Yesterday I just likethat asked the nearby fruit shop whether cherry is there? He said yes andhanded a packet called Karondacherry. A packet of 200grams cost 65-00 rupees. I read elsewherethough cherry is sweet, it would not increase blood sugar level. Earlier too Iwas eating Karonda cherry. My blood sugar level has not increased by eating 3or 4 small cherries after meals in the afternoon. For the last three months Itake only wheat rice though tiffin is rice product like iddali in the morning andevening. I thought of collecting some information about Karonda cherry throughgoogle search and the following is a compilation of the information. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan10-4-2021 Origin of Karonda in India Karonda is one of themany berry-like fruits believed to originate near the Himalayas, though some botanists placethe fruit’s origin to Java.Its natural range extends from Nepal to Afghanistan and encompasses severalparts of northern India throughout that stretch. Today, the fruitappears throughout the tropical areas of the Indian Ocean, tropical Asia, theArabian penisular, and stretches down to parts of Australia. Karondas are alsonaturalized throughout Africa. A few African countries, including Kenya andEthiopia, have a rich history of utilizing the fruit for medicinal purpose Karonda’s many nom deplumes indicate its ubiquity throughout the world: Num num, nam phrom, andparunkila, to name a few. Despite the fruit’s wide native range, only a few commercial venturesprocess and sell the fruit. 2 Availability of Karonda in India Today, the fruitgrows throughout several regions including the Siwalik Hills, Bihar, WestBengal, the Western Ghats, Karnatakaand the Nilgiri hills. It thrives in tropical and subtropicalregions without heavy rainfall. The drought-resistantnature of the plant enables the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,Gujarat, and Bihar to grow the fruit on a limited scale. In fact, the Bhil tribe in Rajasthansells karonda leaves for use as rolling tobacco paper to beedi manufacturers. Many of these groups also value the plant forits medicinal qualities. In the Jashpur district, for instance, the tree’sroots kill the worms in the wounds of cattle, and the Munda tribe in Chota Nagpur uses theroots to treat rheumatism Fruit harvest isAugust through October, though unripe fruits get plucked at the start of Maythrough June. More specifically, harvest in the north occurs during the summermonths of May through July, andsome trees in the south bloom and yield fruit sporadically year-round. 3 Where to find Karonda in India Commercial growers ofthe fruit pledge most, if not all, of their batches to manufacturers interestedin selling jam. When in season, they will not appear in large produce storesbut may appear in the wicker baskets of small, local vendors. Several individualhomes grow the bush, particularly as a thorny fence to keep out unwanted pests (perhaps neighbours included). 4 Checking forRipeness in Karonda Karonda’s ripenessdepends on its purpose. If intended for use as a vegetable, the fruits shouldbe plucked while still under ripe, as apparent by the fruit’s greenish white color. When fully ripe, thefruit bears no hint of white on its skin. These fruits are selected for canning, preserving andpickling. Some of the fruits turn red when fully ripe; others growdark purple. My note- What I get is dark red variety. 5 Taste of Karonda The sweet nectar fromthe shrub’s flower has better taste than the karonda fruit itself. In its raw state, the fruit issour and acidic with little sweetness. In its ripest state itbecomes a bit sweeter, but only a few varieties become sweet enough to consumeout of hand. However, karonda possesses several attributes that make it ahighly desirable for culinary applications. Its close cousin, the Natal plum (Carissa spinarum),is much sweeter and enjoyed by those who try it. Unfortunately, the closeresemblance in name, appearance and lineage cause many to mistake karonda forthis sweeter version. 6 Nutritional Valueof Karonda According to ananalysis published in the book, “Minor Fruit Crops of India,” C. carandas hasthe following composition: 91% Moisture 1.1% Protein 2.9% Fat .6% Minerals 1.5% Fiber 2.9%carbohydrate .021% Calcium .028% Phosphorous An additionalnutritional study published by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resourcesprovides the following nutritional information per 100g of edible fruit: 42.5kcal .39-1.1g Protein(negligible) 2.5-4.63g Fat .51-2.9g Carbs .62-1.81g Fiber 21mg Calcium 28mgPhosphorous 1619IU Vitamin A 9-11mg Ascorbic Acid 7 Health Benefits of Karonda Karonda has a lengthyhistory in Indian folk medicine. Tribes in the Western Ghats use the fruitas a blood sugar stabilizer and as a guard against liver damage. As further explained bythe National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, various groups have utilizedthe fruit to remedy biliousness, anemia, parasites, worms, fungal infections,diarrhea, microbes, wounds, skin infections, fevers, and ear infections. Several scientists have studied the fruit as well: -- A 2007 studypublished in Ancient Science of Life found that the root bark has potentantihelmitic properties comparable to the drug, albendazole --A 2009 studypublished in Der Pharmacia Lettre affirmed the root bark’s hemaprotectiveproperties. In fact, its efficacy is equivalent to the liver drug, silymarin. --A report in theInternational Journal of Food Sciences and Technology states karonda’s extractsshow potent antimicrobial activity. --A 2011 studypublished in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology shows that karonda root extracthas potent wound healing abilities. --According toanother 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, karonda stemhas cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities when tested against human leukemiacell lines. --Another 2011study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology affirms the traditional useamong Indian healers of using karonda as a treatment fordiabetes: methanol extracts of the fruit showed antidiabeticpotential. 8 How to Open/Cut: Karonda has 3 to 4seeds per fruit requiring removal. Use a paring knife to cut in half and removethe seeds with the tip of the knife. Also, expect plenty of gummy latex fromthe fruit when boiled: Skim this from the surface periodically while cooking. My note- WhatI get is processed one suitable for usewith in six months with out seed. 9 Storage: Fruits keep for onlythree or four days at room temperature, and should instead be stored in the refrigerator. Even ina dry, chilled environment, the fruit will only last a week or so. The fruit,does, however, freeze well. Pack karondas loosely in a large freezer bag, orde-seed and boil in syrup beforehand. Karonda Recipe Ideas and Uses: --Karaunde chutneyentails cutting karondas into pieces and removing the small seeds. Place thecut fruit in a food processor with red chilies, coriander leaves, salt andcumin. If a thinner consistency is desired, add water or lemon juice. --Make pickled karonda by cutting the fruit intosmall pieces and boiling in water. After 5 minutes, remove the mix and dry.Place the dried fruit in a jar with oil, salt, and masala and store in a cool,dark place. --Make karonda jam using a standard jam recipe.Karonda requires a 2:1 ratio: 2 cups of sugar for every 1 cup of fruit. --Substitute karondain recipes calling for cranberries: the two are similar enough in taste andtexture to suffice --Karonda isIndia’s equivalent of a maraschino cherry: In West Bengal, manufacturersinject bright red coloring and sweetness in karondas to give the appearance ofa cherry. After processing, it’s sold for use in sweet breads anddesserts. Most of the“cherries” that appear on desserts in India are, in fact, karondas. --If sweetenedsufficiently in brown sugar, clove, and cinnamon, karondas make an adequateapple substitute for tarts and pies. 10 Random Facts: India’s “The Tribune”states that karonda is oneof Asia’s 25,000 plant foods that can save a man from death if lost in thewilderness. Perhaps because ofthe hedge’s long spines, karonda’sEnglish name is “Christ’s thorn.” Scientific Name: Carissacarandas (karonda) Carissa congesta Other Names: Karaunda, junglikaronda (Hindi) Karvand (Marathi) Karamdika(Oriya) Chirukila, sirukilaa, kalakai (Tamil) Kavali, vakkay (Telegu) Karakka (Malayalam) My reference- TheEarth of India WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/695841545.291469.1618023060718%40mail.yahoo.com.
