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Of Jamuns and Jambudweep!

Summer and Monsoons bring back several fond memories for me, one that stands out, is Jamun season. Munching on the salted tangy fruits on the way back home from school, stained shirts, chewing on the jamuns till the piths were bare and comparing purple coloured tongues would be, I am sure, childhood memories many of us share.
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Jamun, Black plum or Jambu Phalinda (Sanskrit) is native to the Indian subcontinent. Our Puranas mention the division of the seven continents in which the Indian subcontinent is referred to as “Jambudweep” or the island of Jambu/Jamun trees.

Hindu and Buddhist texts place Jamun trees at the centre of the Universe. Hindu mythology places it as the favourite fruit of Lord Krishna, making it a popular buy during Janmashtami. It’s also (or at least used to be) typical of Lutyen’s Delhi.

Jamun is the first fruit of the monsoon season. The trees grow well in a broad range of soils, can grow up to 30 metres in height and live up to 100 years. Ibn Battuta, the famed traveler mentions the trees in his travelogue too, Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354.

Jamun has immense value in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine. The fruit, is a great source of iron and Vitamin C and known to treat ailments of the heart and liver. It’s also used to treat stomach disorders and its seeds are of special use for keeping blood sugar in control. Jamun is also a popular source for making wine and vinegar.

Adding salt to the jamuns is another stellar example of contrast in flavours, something that I believe, Indian cuisine excels at, at every level. Salt beautifully balances the astringency of the Jamuns and assists in the hydration process as well.

In this day and age where we are obsessed with superfoods and exotic berries, go ahead and bite into some Purple magic – for nostalgia and good health.

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Comments

  1. While reading this all the memories with Jamun was in the mind and the fav one is the tongue color changes to purple… And it’s pleasure to be fan of ur bcause we get to know many more about the history of the particular item.. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

  2. Excellent piece. On native fruits and most of all jamun, which is so underrated and may be children today cannot even recognize it. It’s gone of culture. I

  3. Hi Ranveer Sir,
    Everytime I watch your video and then the moment you give a ‘kattil Smile’ ‘Dil ko mere thandhak par jati hai’.

    Jammun Is my favorite to💕Luv from Jamshedpur

  4. Hello Ranveer sir,

    I love to watch your video, to listen your stories. I like the way you present yourself while cooking. In master chef I believed your are so strict person but after seeing you here “YouTube” I was wrong.
    I am also passionate about cooking, once in my life I tried to take my career in towards cooking because of some reasons now I am a science student.
    I feel doing experiments during my research and cooking, both are same. Most important we have to enjoy and keep interest to do.

    I always tried to go with your recipes, sometime I and my husband Aditya try to do little little modification which taste sometime awesome and sometime we just satisfy ourselves.

    But it’s very interesting when you connect science with cooking. The science of every important step of the recipe, you explain really knowledgeable which create interest for coming students and children.

    Thank you.

  5. Some unique use of jamun in spices or curries or the use of dehydrated jamun in various culinary experiment…keen to know more from your side…. Excellent information about the history and importance of jamun from ancient time….. Thanking you…

  6. Great information about Jamun(Jambhul in marathi). Jamun is also very beneficial to our body. Eating plain Jamun is very tempting. Also your recipes are very nice. Thank You.

  7. Wow post ! exactly before monsoon!!!
    कभी कभी मैं सोचती हूं कि स्कूल के बाहर इमली, कबीट,जामुन, अमरूद फालसे जैसे खट्टे फल ही क्यों मिला करते थे?😊

  8. We have desi jamun but its very difficult to sale. We give it to our local any one who asks.

  9. Agree but see the price.. I got 250gm for 200rs.. All the niceties is possible if basic fruits of nature is available and affordable.. else there is no humanity

  10. Completely agree.. i had the best jamun smoothie at Artjuna, Goa and it was out of the world. Hope you can guide us how to prepare the same.

  11. Omg, I use to love Jamuns, after school same story, you reminded me my childhood since I came to America 1992, i never tasted after that

  12. Love your knowledge, respect for our centuries old Indian foods and your engaging style of communicating! For so many of us now living in far away lands, visiting our loved ones in the Covid era is only a dream. I relish just hearing and seeing your videos….inspires me to try out some dishes ( veggie ones!). Thanks and God bless!

  13. Wonderful forgotten information. I love the fact that u go back to basics every time 💐💐

  14. Very informative and heart touching.. 👍. Please keep posting similar uncommon stories of common things in way to quench the thirst of many food lovers.

  15. It is always a pleasure to learn about India is such a lucid manner. You are not just a cook but a storyteller as well. Love to learn about our culture and cuisine.

  16. Add kasundi, salt, green chilies, lemon leaves in Jamun with a bit of sugar.

    Let me know how it tastes.

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