BER CHUTNEY

Ber or Bhor it is known as is a sweet and sour fruit which is available in Indian market during the period November to March. 

It brings back the childhood memory as we used to go to pluck this near the Krishnan temple at Pallanchathanur where my  grandfather used to stay.  During vacation,  we used to go there and our time pass is this among other mischievous activities. It is a nutrient fruit with antioxidant properties and stimulates your immune system.  It is also rich in Vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and phosphorous. These nutrients will keep your skin healthy, and your scalp and hair in good  condition. 

Traditionally in India, the fruit is dried in the sun and the hard nuts are removed. Then, it is pounded with tamarind, red chillies, salt and jaggery.  In some parts of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, fresh whole ripe fruit is crushed with the above ingredients and dried under the sun to make cakes called ilanthai vadai or regi vadiyalu ) (Telugu).  This vadai I happened to taste when I went to Marudamalai in Coimbatore.  I was fascinated with the shape and colour of this and the fact that never tasted before, I purchased it for tasting.  I really liked it.

Various shapes and colours of ber is available in the market now.  I happened to see the green big ones looks like green tomato and tastes bit like a green  apple.  I purchased the same and cut it for tasting.  I felt the mild sweetness in it and thought of biting a green apple.  I made chutney, subzi and molagootal/kootu out of this and was excellent though you will not be able to identify the taste separately as you will feel that you have made it with the chow chow.  

Let us look at the recipe now and giving below a little brief about the fruit:

CHUTNEY:

Ingredients:

4 nos	Medium sized bher (green ones)
1” pc	Ginger
1”pc	fresh turmeric (ambehalad)
½	Amla (gooseberry)
2  nos	Green chilli
½	Coconut grated
	Salt
Few	Curry leaves
Fistful	Coriander leaves
	TEMPERING:
1 tsp	Oil
1 tsp	Mustard seeds
1 tsp	Urid dal
Few	Curry leaves
1  no	Red chilli broken
	Generous pinch of asafoetida

Method:

Step 1

Cut the ber, remove the seeds.  Put all the ingredients in the mixer and grind to a smooth paste. adjust consistency of chutney by adding water.

Step 2

Temper with the ingredients mentioned under tempering

How to serve:

Serve with dosa, idli, dal rice, curd rice, molagootal rice etc.

NOTE: spice you adjust according to your taste

THANKS FOR VISITING THE BLOG.  YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE MOST WELCOME.

BRIEF 

Ber fruit is also known as Bor, Chinese Apple, Jujube, Indian plum and Masau. It’s a seasonal fruit and can be found in the market from November to March. The ripe fruits are mostly consumed raw. Many people, especially children, enjoy the candied form (made by immersing and cooking the fruits in salt and sugar solution). In some places, ripe fruits are sun-dried and a powder called borkut is prepared, which is also very popular among the children.

Besides, ber is not just about taste and nutrition. This ancient fruit also has a great cultural significance. It was depicted in the epic of Ramayana in which Shabari bites each and every bhor to check the taste of it  before giving to Lord Ram  and therefore has been known for many centuries. 

In Maharashtra  there is a tradition of bathing children in bor fruits (bor nahan), as it’s believed to nurture their immune system. The Ber tree is also dear to Lord  Shiva, whose worship is considered incomplete without offering of the ber fruit, especially during Mahashivaratri puja.

The freshly harvested, as well as the candied  dried fruit are often eaten as a snack, or with coffee. Smoked jujubes are consumed in Vietnam and are referred to as black jujubes.  Both China and Korea produce a sweetened tea syrup containing jujube fruit in glass jars, and canned jujube tea or jujube tea in the form of teabags. To a lesser extent, jujube fruit is made into juice and jujube  vinegar. They are used for making pickles in west Bengal and Bangladesh. In China, a wine made from jujube fruit is called  hong zao jiu.