Available in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, wood apple is mostly available from October onwards till March. It is available in both, raw and ripe form.
In my childhood, we used to get raw wood apple outside our school gate. During lunch breaks, we use to purchase it at a very minimal cost of Rs 2 and eat it with salt. This raw wood apple tastes a little bit sour. But we loved eating and sharing it with friends. We used to eagerly wait for the lady who used to sell it.
When it ripens, it tastes sweeter. In Maharashtra, wood apple ( कवठ in Marathi) chutney is made from both raw and ripe fruits. My mother also used to make a nice chutney with ripe wood apple that we ate with chapati, bhakri or parathas. Today, I also make wood apple chutney in a similar manner. Also, a sweet and sour sherbet is made from the pulp of ripe wood apple to get relief from the infamous heat of Vidharbha.
Wood apple is a common fruit grown during winters in Maharashtra. It offers benefits like aiding digestion, boosting immunity, controlling blood sugar, and cooling the body. It is a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium.
Tangy wood apple chutney
1 medium-sized wood apple
Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Jaggery powder: 1/4 cup
Rock salt: a pinch
Take one medium-sized wood apple (not completely raw or not complete ripe) and break it. The cover is very hard. So, use a hammer to break it. Separate the pulp. The pulp should be approximately 3/4 of a cup. Sieve it and remove the seeds to get smooth pulp. Add chilli powder, cumin seeds, both salt and jaggery powder and grind it in a mixer. Your tangy wood apple chutney is ready to serve. It will remain fresh for eight days in a fridge.
My Food Story is a collection of stories and recipes that celebrate India’s traditional plant-based ingredients sourced from local biodiversity. You can see these recipes on our interactive dashboard (https://www.cseindia.org/page/myfoodstory).
Join us as we showcase the recipes shared with us by the participants of a recently concluded recipe contest on winter dishes.
Nilima Vijay Khadatkar is a schoolteacher from Maharashtra.