Kokum Juice

Kokum / Kokam /Punar Puli/ ಮುರುಗಿನ ಓಡು is one of the savoury fruit. Kokam /Kokum /Carcinia India is a fruit bearing plant and we use this fruit in our culinary as medicine. I have used this Kokam /Punarpuli in Juice and it is very healthy to consume during hot summer and all day round the year.

I have used dried Kokum fruit, jaggery, pepper pods, and little salt. 

Kokum is known as below in different languages in India.

In Kannada it is known as : ಮುರುಗನ ಓಡು , ಮುರುಗಲ, ಪುನರ್ಪುಳಿ, 

Konkani : Birinda , Hindi  and Gujarati : Kokam, Malayalm : Punarpuli , Tulu : Punarpuli , Marati : Bhernda, Biranda, Amlaveta, Amosole  Telugu : Chinta, Bengali : Mahada, Oriya Tintali

Let us see some benefits of having Kokam /Kokum /Punarpuli in our diet.

Kokaum helps and has cooling effect properties. It helps in reducing the pitta/bile in our body.

Kokum is good for digestion. It has anti inflammation properties. It is good prevention for gastric ulcers. It also helps to ease anxiety and depression. Good for diabetes and takes care of the skin and fight against obesity. It helps to control cholesterol level in our body. It is good for weight loss. It is used to reduce the rheumatoid pain. It is rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from bowel problems. It is also good for sores and women delay menstrual problems.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Dry Kokam / Kokum /Punar Puli : 2 to 3 Dried Fruits.
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak dried Kokum fruits in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10 Minutes.

2. Grind those soaked Kokum with jaggery and pepper pods.

3. Sieve the content with a siever to a bowl.

4. Add a pinch of salt and mix it well.

5. Pour ready to serve kokum juice to glasses. (Adding ice cubes while serving juice is optional).

6. Serve Kokum juice.

Note :

Soaking kokum fruits helps the fruits to be soft. It is better to grind since you get the good extract.
Adding sugar or honey to juice is optional. Adding ice cubes while serving is optional. I have not done.
Time : 15 Minutes.

Serves : 3 Glasses. 

Kokum Rasam/Punar Puli Saaru

Kokum /Punar Puli/Murudina Odu Rasam is good for digestion. It helps to get back the taste you lost during your sickness.

It is a practice in Dakshina Kannada and Malenadu (in Karnataka State) of using this Kokum once in a while. It is used to prepare rasam and drink during indigestion and fever. It helps to cure cold and helps to get back the taste of the taste bud in tongue..
Let us see the recipe. You can serve this rasam as soup too.

Things Needed:

Dried Cocum  : 5 to 6
Water : 2 cups
Green chillies : 2
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoon ( wash and cut into small pieces).
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Salt :to taste
Jaggery  : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper : 1/4 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh :  a pinch
Turmeric powder: a pinch.

Method : 

1. Soak Kokum pods in hot water. (Wash it before you use). Squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.

2. Crush pepper and jeera.

3. Wash coriander leaves and curry leaves. Cut into small. Wash green chilly and slit in between.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add little ghee and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
5. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add slit green chilly.
6. Add kokum pulp and add 2 to 3 glasses of water.

7.Add turmeric powder and jaggery . Let it boil nicely. Add crushed pepper and jeera. Add salt.

8. Let it boil nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.Shift Kokum Rasam to a serving dish.

9. Add cut coriander leaves and serve.

Note: 

You can add more water to take out the content from kokum pods. Adding more jaggery is optional.
This tangy and sweet taste is nice to have like a soup. Adding more pepper is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5. 

You can prepare this and serve as soup.

Good for cold, cough, cooling down the body, removes pittam. Helps in easy digestion and helps the tasty bud to get better. (Tongue taste bud)