From the pantry: Kokam

Kokum is a popular tropical fruit commonly found in the Sahyadri region of western Maharashtra. Its intense and tangy flavour is often used in Konkani cuisine to

Kokum is a popular tropical fruit commonly found in the Sahyadri region of western Maharashtra. Its intense and tangy flavour is often used in Konkani cuisine to add some zing to traditional dishes such as a spicy fish curry or the refreshing sol kadi. Owing to its cooling properties, kokum is also used as a medicine for burns and rashes.

Kokum juice helps fight allergies as well as acidity. Its refreshing sharp flavours makes for a great accompaniment in pickles and chutneys. Our expert chef presents a modern way to integrate kokum in a tikka, while the best reader recipe is a traditional take on the fruit.

Kokum Paneer Tikka

Recipe by: Gaurav Chakraborty, executive chef, Novotel Imagica Khopoli

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Serves: Two

Ingredients

*Malai Paneer: 200g

*Hung curd: 100g

*Fresh kokum: 50g

*Mustard oil: 50ml

*Ginger garlic paste: 50g

*Jeera powder: 20g

*Red chilli paste: 15g

*Red bell peppers: 20g

*Yellow bell peppers: 20g

*Salt to taste

*Pineapple chunks: 6 to 7 pieces

*Green chillies: 1 to 2

*Mint: A few sprigs

Method

*Wash and clean the kokum before making a thick paste out of it.

*Mix this paste with hung curd, ginger garlic paste, chilli paste and mustard oil. Add salt as required.

*Apply this marinade on the paneer and bell peppers, and leave it to rest for

an hour.

*In a pan, heat some oil, add green chillis and pineapple chunks.

*Caramelise the pineapple and transfer it to a grinder.

*Add mint to the mix, and make a fine chutney out of the pineapple mix.

*Lay out the marinated pieces of paneer and bell peppers on a grill and let it cook.

*Serve with pineapple chutney.

Watch chef Gaurav Chakraborty prepare Kokum Paneer Tikka

Winning reader recipe: Kokum Sharbat

Recipe by: Lakshmi Khemani

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Serves: Three

Ingredients

*Kokum: 1 cup (chopped)

*Water: 2 cups

*Sugar: 2 cups

*Cardamom powder: 5 to 6 pods (crushed)

*Cumin powder: 1 tsp

*Black salt: A pinch (optional)

Method

*Grind kokum with a little water and strain the mixture.

*In a vessel, boil water and sugar till it forms a syrup.

*Cool the sugar syrup and add the strained kokum mixture to this.

*Add cumin powder and cardamom to this mix.

*You can store this concentrate in a bottle or a jar.

*When serving, dissolve one-two tablespoon of concentrate in a glass of water.

*Add ice cubes to serve chilled.