Kokum

Kokum is a fruit-bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical uses. It primarily grows in the Western Ghats region. Plant can grow up to 18 meters high, on maturity attaining a pyramid shape. The fruit is an orange-purple sized purple berry with fleshy endocarp, The endocarp contains three to eight seeds, which account for 20–35% of the fruit’s weight. The dried kokum is used to flavour food and juice purpose, usually has a purple-to-black colour, and people say that the darker the fruit is, the better the flavour will be. After picking fruits from trees,  remove their pulp, and then sun-dry them sometimes with salt sprinkled on top. It has high demand on domestic and international markets, kokum farming is acquiring popularity in India.