The summer fruit you ignore

Jamun just like mango is a summer fruit Just not as popularNative to the Indian subcontinent the sweet purple fleshy berry recently made it to the news when a young resident of Badlapur near Thane sought a geographical indication GI tag for the fruit with the decision being seconded by the Thane collectorateThe jamun has a distinct tastemdasha mix of sweetness sourness and tartness followed by an astringent aftertaste that leaves dryness in the mouth It stains the tongue a deep purple not to mention your clothes if you are a messy eaterldquoThe kalakhatta flavour of the gola comes from the jamunrdquo says Goabased food writer Vikram Doctor 53 who first experienced jamun as a gola at Tardeorsquos Swati SnacksDeeply intertwined with Indian folklore the jamun regarded as the ldquofruit of the godsrdquo finds a mention in Indian mythology ldquoThe Puranas divide the cosmos into seven continents the centermost it called Jambudvipa the island of jamun It is said that this is the world we inhabitrdquo shares Doctor In Ramayana as well the jamun finds a mention Legend has it that Lord Rama managed to survive his 14yearlong exile from Ayodhya on a diet of jamuns among other foraged forest foods It is therefore that they say that often temples dedicated to Lord Rama have jamun trees in theWhy then does this traditional fruit not make it to Indian kitchens as much as it should ldquoJamun like all Indian summer fruits including chikoo is competing against the mango which is like the dada of fruits It gets overshadowed by our insane passion for the aamrdquo thinks Doctor adding ldquoThe kind of work that has been put into cultivating superior varieties of the mango using grafting hasnrsquot happened for the jamun It is in fact one of the most important crops for the Indian ecosystem Besides humans a huge variety of animals and birds including fruit bats monkeys and jackals consider it an important part of their diet Its flowers are also used abundantly by bees for honeyrdquoWhile some trees may struggle through the unforgiving Indian summer not the jamun ldquoIt is a beautiful large spreading and shady tree In fact the British chose it as one of the main trees to plant along the avenues of New Delhi when they were building the new capitalrdquo says Doctor whose most defining memory of a Delhi summer includes walking on long pavements plastered with the squashed purple fruit ldquoWe have romanticised summers because our school vacations tend to fall during the season but truth be told our summers are very tough We live in an incredibly hot place which is getting hotter Jamun which leaves your mouth dry represents the India summer bestmdashlife is sweet but also toughrdquo he addsWhen it comes to health benefits there are plenty in the jamun assures Mumbai nutritionist Shweta Shah ldquoLoaded with vitamin C and iron it improves haemoglobin levels It is one of the best home remedies for stomach pain arthritis and diabetesmdashit has a low glycemic index which keeps blood sugar levels in control The fruit cures dysentery and flatulence and keeps the heart healthy as it has good cholesterol Its antibacterial and antiinfective properties strengthen your gums and teethrdquo Not only the fruit even its seedsmdashwhen dried and powderedmdashhave multiple benefits ldquoThey contain chemical compounds called jamboline and jambosine that decrease the rate at which sugar is released into the bloodstream while also increasing the production of insulin This makes it excellent for diabetics and patients of hypertensionrdquo says Shah adding that the best time to have jamun is through the monsoon months of June and July at the start of of the rainy seasonAnd what makes Badlapur jamuns special ldquoIt is the laterite soil of the region that makes them rich in ironrdquo says Shah adding ldquoThe climate of Badlapur is perfect fit for the jamun tree These are juicy and sweet Besides they are a source of income for many tribal communities They deserve preservation and protection since their numbers have reduced drastically in the last few yearsrdquoJamun and phalsa berry sorbetJamun sorbetJamuns first caught Chef Chirag Makwanarsquos attention while playing with friends outdoors at his home in Lokhandwala ldquoJust before the monsoons we would see jamuns fall below a tree Not knowing much we would wash and eat them The part that excited us was that the fruit would stain our teeth purple making all of us gigglerdquoIngredients500 gm jamun15 litre water400 gm sugar200 gms phalsa berries or syrup20 ml lemon juiceMethodPlace all the ingredients in a pot and simmer for 10 minutes Allow the mixture to cool down and then make a puree using a food processorOnce done pop the mixture in the freezer until it setsKaala jamun and guava chilli coolerJamun coolerFor Chef Shantanu Gupte of The Bandstand Pantry kala jamun takes him back to his childhood when he would visit his grandparentsrsquos heritage home in Chiplun ldquoMy cousins and I would climb the jamun tree to pluck fresh fruit We even fell a couple of times but it never stopped us We would then make kalajamun sharbat with my grandmother who would soak the fruit in sugar in a chini mitti ka bottle for a week Every summer takes me back to that memoryrdquoIngredients30ml kala jamun crush60ml pink guava juiceA dash green chilli paste1tsp kala namak1tsp chaat masala1tsp lemon juice1 nos lemon sliceSoda water to top up45 ice cubesMint for garnishMethodMix all the ingredients in a serving glass and stir Serve chilled with ice cubes and sprig of mintJamun cheesecakeJamun cheesecake PicsAshish RajeldquoJamun sharbet was one of my favourite summer drinks when made by my grandmotherrdquo says Swanand Thipsay sous chef ITC Grand Central adding that it was a common drink in many households If you are a fan of mojito Chef Thipsay has a tip ldquoA great Jamun mojito can be handcrafted using fresh jamuns instead of lemon juice It is a definite thirst quencher during the summersrdquoChef Swanand ThipsayIngredients500 gm crushed biscuitscookies of your choice500 gm melted unsalted butter1kg cream cheese350 gms eggs375 gms sugar220 gms white chocolate220 gms jamunMethodCrush the biscuits and combine with melted butter till it binds well Place this mixture at the base of the mould Now extract juice from the jamuns using a cold press juicer Reduce the juice over low flame till it becomes thick and syrupyWhip the cream cheese and sugar till it dissolves completely Slowly add the eggs in this one by one to ensure that the mixture doesnrsquot curdle Add in the melted white chocolate in this and continue whippingAdd the jamun juice to this and allow it to lightly incorporate Do not overmix jamun swirls should be visible in the cheesecake mixture Pour into a mould of your choice and bake at 160 degree celsius for 4045 minsJamunrsquos benefitsgtgtthinspPacked with vitamin C and irongtgtthinspImproves haemoglobin levelsgtgtthinspHome remedy for stomach paingtgtthinspKeeps blood sugar in controlgtgtthinspControls flatulence and dysenterygtgtthinspAntiinfective properties strengthen gums and teethHandling jamunsJamuns are very delicate and must be plucked when they are ripe not overripe Wash them gently with water without damaging the flesh and keep them covered in a muslin cloth in a fruit basket They will last longer without shrivelling inside the fridgeWith inputs from Nasrin ModakSiddiqi