Why eat it?
It is packed with many essential vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B3, vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, potassium and zinc. It contains a good amount of folic acid, ascorbic acid, acetic acid, hydroxy citric acid and fibre. Kokum juice can be consumed in any season as it is good for digestion. Kokum has been used in Ayurveda to treat sores, dermatitis, ear infection, and facilitate digestion. The rind of the fruit is known to lower appetite and aid weight loss, improve heart health and the immune system. Ward off summer heat by using it as a flavouring in drinks!

Cooking tips:
Kokum is used to add tangy flavours to curries. If needed, it can be substituted by Imli/tamarind or Thekra Tenga in recipes. But by doing that, you lose out on its unique tart flavours and health benefits as Kokum fruit is a powerhouse of rich nutrients. The fruit needs to be soaked for a couple of hours and strained. This pulp is then used for cooking. You can use it with coconut milk to make solkadhi, a popular coastal Maharashtra & Goa drink. Or simply add water, salt & jaggery to rehydrated fruit pulp and strain the mixture to make a sharbat.