Garcinia indica

Not a fish. Nor a tadpole. Just the dried peel of the fruit Garcinia indica, better known as kokum.


I was pretty sure that one of the Konkani food bloggers would get it right away and sure enough, Meera did. TC also got it. You guys are amazing. To me, it looked like the head of a baby eel hanging out with a fishy friend! And why not? Kokum and fish go very well together!

If you missed it, check out this fantastic post on kokum by Shilpa with pictures of the kokum tree, the fresh fruit, the dried fruit and its various by-products.

This is the freshest and tangiest kokum I have ever had. I soaked about 4-5 kokum in a shot glass, knowing fully well that a few would disappear along the way and they did - a certain little person who shall remain unnamed has an affinity for anything sour. The resulting liquid was a gorgeous deep pink in color and it just blew me away. Oh, the possibilities! But, to begin with I stayed with a family favorite: Gujarati dal. Recipe coming up in my next post tomorrow! Today, I have to work!

Oh noes!

I like my drink much more than every other person. Mainly because I can't drink too much. So whatever little I do imbibe, I enjoy to the last drop. So imagine my shock when I looked down into the shot glass and spied this! Oh noes!

First it was the invasion of the cuttlefish. What in heavens name creature is this? Can you fine folks help me figure out this mystery?
Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely Moms out there! My gift so far? Hormones.

Say it with me: Oh noes!
Because your turn will come soon, if it hasn't already.