Wild Fruits & Berries in Goa: In Goa, due to favorable weather, soil, and natural conditions, many wild fruits and berries thrive on hillsides and bushes. These fruits are particularly cherished during the summer months. Some grow on trees in the hills, while others are found on large shrubs. They are most abundant from March to May. Additionally, these fruits are celebrated at the ‘Konkan Fruit Festival’ and are sold in local markets.
Some of the main wild fruits and berries that can be found includes, Limboo, Jambhalam, Khazûr, Kanndam, Charram, Chivram Red and Green, Chunnam, Chirputtam, Binnddam, Borram and few others.
Wild Fruits & Berries in Goa | Best Seasonal Fruits
Limboo – Lemon
Lemon is a yellow fruit that tastes sour and smells fresh. It’s shaped like an oval or an egg and has a smooth, thin, yellow skin. Inside, there’s juicy, segmented fruit with tangy juice and tiny seeds. People use lemons a lot in cooking, making drinks, and adding flavor to food. They’re full of vitamin C and are really good for you. Usually, you find lemons in gardens or farms, but sometimes they grow on hills too. This makes them useful in lots of places, and you can find them easily.
Jambhalam – Syzygium cuminis:
In Goa, there’s a fruit called Jambhalam, also known as Zambllam. It’s a special treat found in every village. When it’s ripe, it turns dark purple or almost black. It tastes sweet, a little sour, and a bit tangy.
Khazûr – Dates:
Khazûr, also known as dates, are yummy fruits with a sweet taste. They look long and have a wrinkly, brown skin. Inside, there’s a soft, chewy part around a hard seed. People like to eat dates fresh or dried, and they use them a lot in cooking and baking because they’re naturally sweet. Normally, dates grow in warm places like deserts, but sometimes you can find them on hills too, although they’re smaller there. Even though they’re small, hill-grown dates taste really good and are loved by many people.
Kanndam – Wild Blackberries:
Kanndam is very popular in Goa. It’s like a small berry and grows on bushes in the hills. You can also buy them from local sellers in many places. You might find them along the roadside in towns or in markets. Or you can have an adventure by going to the hills, picking the fruits yourself, and eating them fresh. When they are raw, they are green in color, and when you pluck them, a white sticky substance or juice comes out, making them a bit sticky. You can eat them raw; they have a slightly bitter taste. The semi-ripe and fully ripened ones are the best to eat; they are sweet and have a great taste.
Charram – Buchanania:
Certainly! Buchanania, known as “Charram” in Konkani, is a fruit that grows in certain regions. It is typically small in size and has a round or oval shape. The outer skin of the fruit can vary in color from green to yellow when ripe. Inside, there is a soft, edible flesh surrounding a single, large seed. The flesh of the Buchanania fruit has a unique taste, often described as sweet and tangy, with a hint of nuttiness. It is enjoyed fresh or used in various culinary dishes, desserts, and snacks. Charram can be mostly found on the hills from March to June, making it a seasonal delicacy cherished for its distinct flavor and versatility in cooking.
Chivram Red and Green:
Chivram is a local Goan fruit that comes in two varieties: greenish and reddish. The greenish chivram turns blackish when ripe. It has no flesh inside, only a fibrous material that needs to be chewed to extract the sweet juice. The taste is sweet, and the seeds are not edible. These greenish chivram fruits are only found on the hills from February to May.
On the other hand, the reddish chivram is soft and sweet, with edible seeds. The entire fruit, including the flesh and seeds, can be eaten. Like the greenish variety, these fruits are also found on the hills from February to May.
Both types of chivram offer a unique sweet taste and are only available for a limited time during the early months of the year.
Chunnam – Wild Whiteberries:
Chunnam’ is one of the most special berries in Goa. You can find them growing on bushes in the hills, especially on thorny branches of Zizyphus rugosa trees. They’re also sold in local markets. These berries look pulpy, either white or a bit pinkish. They taste mildly sweet and have a cotton-like texture inside.
Chirputtam – Gooseberries:
Chirputtam’ are mostly found during the rainy season from August to October. They grow anywhere in the village when it rains. The fruit has a thin covering, and inside the cover is the fruit itself. When the fruit ripens, the covering breaks open, revealing a tiny tomato-like fruit that’s a bit brownish.
They’re similar to firm tomatoes but have a mild, refreshing acidity. They taste like fruits that make you feel refreshed. You can eat them fresh or use them to make jams.
Binnddam – Garcinia indica:
Kokum’ or ‘Binnddam’, as it’s known, is a fruit that’s useful in cooking, medicine, and industry. It’s called different names in different parts of India and has many uses. The fruit is reddish and round, and you can use it to make a refreshing drink. You can also dry the outer cover in the sun and use it as a slightly sour spice, like a replacement for tamarind, in curries and other dishes. You can mostly find them on the hills.
Borram – Jujube
Indian Jujube: Borram, also called Indian Jujube, is a tiny fruit that’s originally from India. It grows on trees and bushes all over the country. The fruit starts off small and green, but as it gets older, it turns reddish-brown or purplish-black. Indian Jujubes taste sweet and a little bit tart, and they’re crunchy when
you bite into them fresh. People like to eat them as a snack or use them in making desserts, jams, and preserves. Jujubes are grown a lot in India and are important in Indian food and traditions.
Wild Fruits & Berries in Goa – Conclusion:
These local fruits are mainly found in hilly areas, with some exceptions like jujube, Jambhalam, Borram, and limboo. They are seasonal, meaning they are only available during certain times of the year. All the above fruits are often only known to local people who live in these areas or are frequent visitors and eaters.
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