Garcinia indica
Encyclopedia
Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), commonly known as kokum, is a fruit-bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses.
The genus Garcinia, belonging to the family Clusiaceae, includes about 200 species found in the Old World tropics, mostly in Asia and Africa. Garcinia indica is indigenous to the Western Ghats
region of India
located along the western coast of the country. Of the 35 species found in India, 17 are endemic
. Of these, seven are endemic to the Western Ghats
, six in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and four in the northeastern region of India.
Garcinia indica is found in forest lands, riversides and wastelands. These plants prefer evergreen forest
s, but sometimes they also thrive in areas with relatively low rainfall. It is also cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying of pesticides or fertilizers.
Garcinia indica is known by various names across India, including aamsol, aamsul, bindin, biran, bhirand, bhinda, bhrinda, brinda, bin'na, kokum (alternate spellings kokam and cocum), katambi, looikya, sour apple, panarpuli, ratamba.
. Kokum yields a peculiar flavour and blackish red colour. It is a preferred substitute for tamarind
in curries and other dishes from the Konkan
region. It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat and parts of South India.
Kokum squash or kokum concentrate is used in preparing a drink (sherbet
) which is bright red in colour. Kokum sherbet improves digestion and cools the body during summers.
Further, the extract/ concentrate of this fruit is called aagal in Konkani
and Marathi
. It is to added during the preparation of sol kadhi, along with coconut milk
.
Recently, industries have started extracting hydroxycitric acid
(HCA) from the rind of the fruit.
, Goa
. Kokum crop researchers envision bright future for it. It is rainfed, pestilence and disease-free and is almost a zero maintenance crop. The only menace it faces is from monkeys.
The genus Garcinia, belonging to the family Clusiaceae, includes about 200 species found in the Old World tropics, mostly in Asia and Africa. Garcinia indica is indigenous to the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
region of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
located along the western coast of the country. Of the 35 species found in India, 17 are endemic
Endemic
Endemic may refer to:* Endemism, the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location* Endemic , the state when in which an infection is maintained in a population without the need for external inputs...
. Of these, seven are endemic to the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
, six in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and four in the northeastern region of India.
Garcinia indica is found in forest lands, riversides and wastelands. These plants prefer evergreen forest
Evergreen forest
An temperate evergreen forest is a forest consisting entirely or mainly of evergreen trees that retain green foliage all year round. Such forests exist in the tropics primarily as broadleaf evergreens, and in temperate and boreal latitudes primarily as coniferous evergreens.-Tropical evergreen...
s, but sometimes they also thrive in areas with relatively low rainfall. It is also cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying of pesticides or fertilizers.
Garcinia indica is known by various names across India, including aamsol, aamsul, bindin, biran, bhirand, bhinda, bhrinda, brinda, bin'na, kokum (alternate spellings kokam and cocum), katambi, looikya, sour apple, panarpuli, ratamba.
Culinary uses
The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get aamsul or kokam. It is used as a slightly sour spice in recipes from MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Kokum yields a peculiar flavour and blackish red colour. It is a preferred substitute for tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
in curries and other dishes from the Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
region. It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat and parts of South India.
Kokum squash or kokum concentrate is used in preparing a drink (sherbet
Sherbet
Sherbet may refer to:- Foodstuffs :* Sherbert , an effervescent drink or a fizzy powder sweet, chiefly UK* Sherbert, an American term for a frozen dessert like sorbet, but containing a small amount of dairy...
) which is bright red in colour. Kokum sherbet improves digestion and cools the body during summers.
Further, the extract/ concentrate of this fruit is called aagal in Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
and Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
. It is to added during the preparation of sol kadhi, along with coconut milk
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is the water that comes from the grated meat of a coconut. The colour and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content. In many parts of the world, the term coconut milk is also used to refer to coconut water, the naturally occurring liquid found inside the hollow...
.
Industrial uses
The seed of Garcinia indica contains 23% - 26% oil, which remains solid at room temperature. It is used in the preparation of confectionery, medicines and cosmetics.Recently, industries have started extracting hydroxycitric acid
Hydroxycitric acid
Hydroxycitric acid is a derivative of citric acid that is found in a variety of tropical plants including Garcinia cambogia and Hibiscus subdariffa. Laboratory and animal studies of HCA have produced results that indicate a potential for modulation of lipid metabolism; consequently HCA is an...
(HCA) from the rind of the fruit.
Other uses
The tree is ornamental, with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged, tender, young leaves.National seminar on Kokum
Three national seminars on the subject of Kokum have been held in India till 2011. The second national seminar on kokum or Garcinia indica was held on March 4 and 5, 2005 at the Goa UniversityGoa University
Goa University was established in 1985 and merged with the Centre for Post Graduate Instruction and Research of the University of Bombay that functioned at state-capital Panaji or Panjim. Goa University offers both graduate and post-graduate studies and research programmes...
, Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. Kokum crop researchers envision bright future for it. It is rainfed, pestilence and disease-free and is almost a zero maintenance crop. The only menace it faces is from monkeys.