JOIN USThe older we grow, the more we cling to our childhood. A ‘seasonal’ memory that many in Bengaluru fondly recall is that of a purple-coloured fruit that many have relished while growing up.
Popularly known as ‘jamun’, black plums were sought after for their taste as well as the stained tongues they gave and many would climb trees to get their hands on it or buy it from the pushcart vendors.
Though the fascination for the fruit hasn’t changed, the way it’s consumed has evolved over the years. Now it comes in the form of ice creams, juices and even wine!
Reethika Singh, a recipe developer, says, “I grew up in the North and black plums were available in abundance there. I loved the colour more than the taste of it. And when I saw these in the market recently, I knew that I had to buy them for my son.
Unfortunately the fruit alone wasn’t that big a hit at home so I tried making different things out if it.”
She made smoothies, popsicles and ice cream using the fruit. “The popsicle was a huge hit. Many people don’t experiment much with this fruit as it takes a long time to deseed. I usually microwave the fruit for about 30 seconds — this makes it easier to deseed and use it as needed.”
The fruit has an acquired taste. However, the addition of other ingredients suppresses the pungent flavour, making it more flavourful and more inviting.
Talking about experiments, these are times when ice creams made of ‘jamuns’ are making inroads into the culinary scenario. Design engineer Vinay Shetty tried the black plum ice cream recently.
He says, “I remember my mother purchasing the fruit from the market. I loved the electric feel I got when I bit into it and the colour that it left in my mouth. So when I had the chance to try the ice cream, I was quite excited about it. It didn’t exactly taste like the fruit, probably due to the ice cream making process, but it brought back many memories for me.”
While many have been fans of the fruit right from childhood, it’s just recently that Richa Gupta developed a taste for the fruit. The food blogger explains, “I never liked the dry aftertaste it left in my mouth, but I guess my palate has evolved over the years and I quite relish it now. It takes like dry wine to me now.”
She has tried items like ice cream, milkshake, ‘sherbet’ and wine made from ‘jamun’.
“My husband’s family makes a wine with the fruit and it’s very interesting. You can still taste the fruit, taking the drink to a whole new level.” It’s the hassle of deseeding that hasn’t motivated her to try something with the fruit, but she soon hopes to change that.
“It makes you feel like a kid, especially with the stained hands and mouth. So I never miss a chance to relive that,” she adds.