Winter glory

Hi folks these berry like fruits grow around hedges every year but are not edible. They can be seen in November and start disappearing in the beginning of December. What are they?

Cheers!

Star Fruit

Saturday was a holiday and typically Pune monsoon weather with an intermittent light drizzle. We decided to drive off to a friend’s

A Star Fruit Tree

beautiful farm place at the out skirts of Pune. The location is exotic with an expansive view of a large lake.  I am keen on sharing some of the pictures of the lake i a subsequent post.  The greenery all around made the weather conditions oxygen rich and conducive to growth of plant life.

Among all the beautiful flora all round we spotted a tree with plenty of longish hanging fruits yellow in colour. We were told by the caretaker it is a star-fruit tree.

The star fruit tree was about 15 ft to 25 ft high. Some net research revealed another name for it – carambola. The fruit is shaped like a star and is about 5 inches long. When the fruit is cut crosswise the sections look like stars because of the sharp pointed ridges. It is best

Star Fruit

to pluck them when they are at their peak or else they fall off and the juicy pulp runs out. We tasted it and found it to be sweet and juicy and mildly tangy. Quite delicious!

It can be eaten fresh or added to salads. It is claimed that star fruits are rich in vitamins A and C and high in fibre.

As given in the Wiki the star fruit or Carambola is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamin C and low in sugar, sodium and acid.

I liked the taste of the star fruit and will be on the look-out to buy some in our local market. Hope I can find them there.

Alphonso – King of Mango

Greetings dear friends!

King of Mango

Yes we here in India are in the midst of our Mango season. And its the majestic Alphonso with an exquisite heavenly taste that we are enjoying. Alphonso is considered by everyone as the first among all mangoes and loved for its sweetness, richness and flavor . It’s first to reach the markets and first to go out of season too. After the King retires we make do with others Dashheri, Chousa, Safeda and others but in taste they are no match for the king.

Alphonso season in full swing

Alphonso or Aapus in Maharashtra is expensive present rates for a dozen are Rs 600, Rs 400 and Rs 300 for large, medium and small respectively.   That’s fairly expensive  yet people from all income groups celebrate the Alphonso according to their pockets. In April 2007, the United States lifted its ban on the import of Indian mangoes, including the Alphonso. The first batch of Alphonso mangoes arrived in the US after an 18 year hiatus.

So wish all a wonderful Mango season!

Did you know Custard apples have health benefits too?

Well I did not; the only thing I knew is that they taste great. I love its rich, sweet creamy taste. It tastes lovely in Ice-cream too! Known as custard apple, sitaphal and shareefa in India. Sitaphal trees are grown all over and the rich and the poor all enjoy the fruit. The tree itself is very hardy and demands little care. However we always feed some good oganic manure during the flowering period and the tree responds with a bounty yield. I found some interesting health benefits on google and am sharing the important ones:

Custard Apple for Good Eyesight: The presence of riboflavin and vitamin C in custard apple which is an antioxidant too, is suggested to help in fighting free-radical damage caused to the cells. These can help in maintaining good eyesight.

Custard Apple for Healthy Heart: It is suggested that custard apple contains reasonably high amount of magnesium and potassium. Magnesium can relax the smooth muscles of the heart and soothe spasms or cramps, thereby preventing heart attack and strokes. On the other hand, the rich content of potassium may regulate blood pressure, thereby maintaining cardiovascular function.

Custard Apple to Treat Arthritis and Rheumatism: Experts

Bounty harvest

suggest that high in magnesium content, custard apple may regulate water balance. This might help in removing acids from the joints, thereby alleviating symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism.

Custard Apple for Fighting Fatigue: Custard apple is a rich source of energy. This can help in fighting fatigue and weakness. Also the presence of potassium can also help in fighting muscle weakness.

(Information from – http://naturecure.ygoy.com/)

This year we had a bounty crop of sitaphal!