Kali draksh is the Gujarati and Hindi name for black raisins, dried black grapes made mainly in the Nashik and Sangli belt of Maharashtra, which supplies most of India\\\\\\\'s raisin production.

The difference from yellow kishmish is worth understanding before choosing between them. Golden raisins are usually treated with sulphur dioxide to hold their pale colour through drying. Black raisins are sun-dried without that treatment, which is precisely why they turn dark. The colour is the absence of processing rather than the result of it.

Taste follows the same logic. Black raisins are less intensely sweet than golden ones, with a deeper, slightly tart, almost wine-like note from the grape skin. Anyone who finds regular kishmish cloying usually prefers these.

Texture varies with freshness. Good black raisins are soft and slightly sticky, with a bit of give when pressed. Hard, rattling raisins that feel dry through the pack are old, and soaking will only partly recover them.

How to Identify Good Black Raisins

• Deep purple-black colour with a natural matte or lightly frosted surface
• Soft and pliable when pressed, not hard or brittle
• Slightly sticky to the touch, which indicates retained moisture
• Free from stems, grit and hardened shrivelled pieces
• Clean sweet-tart smell with no fermented or sour note

Black Raisin Nutrition

Drying concentrates what is in the grape, so raisins carry more sugar and more of everything else per gram than fresh fruit.

• Source of natural sugars, giving quick energy
• Carries dietary fibre, iron and potassium
• Contains polyphenols from the grape skin
• Naturally fat free
• Energy dense, so a small handful is a standard serving

This is general nutritional information and not medical advice.

How to Use Black Raisins

Soaked, the most common way:

• Soak 8 to 10 raisins in half a cup of water overnight, or for at least four hours.
• Eat them in the morning, and drink the soaking water if you like.
• Soaking plumps them, softens the chew and makes them easier to digest than dry raisins.

Dry, as a snack:

A small handful of 10 to 15 is a standard serving. Raisins are concentrated sugar, so they are eaten in smaller quantities than fresh fruit.

In cooking:

• Add to kheer, sheera and halwa in the last few minutes so they plump without disintegrating.
• Fry briefly in ghee with cashews for pulao, biryani and sweet dishes. They swell almost immediately, so watch them.
• Stir into upma, poha and sheera for sweetness.
• Fold into cakes, cookies and granola.
• Add to chutneys where a sweet note is wanted.

Rinse before use. Sun-dried raisins carry surface dust from the drying process.

Uses for Black Raisins

• Soaked raisins, eaten in the morning
• Kheer, sheera and halwa
• Pulao and biryani, fried in ghee with cashews
• Upma and poha
• Dry fruit ladoo and panjiri
• Cakes, cookies and granola
• Sweet chutneys
• Festive hampers and prasad

How to Store Black Raisins

Raisins hold moisture, which is what keeps them soft and also what makes them prone to going sticky or growing mould if stored badly.

• Transfer to an airtight container as soon as the pack is opened.
• Keep in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and away from the stove.
• Refrigerate in humid weather or during the monsoon. Cold storage keeps them soft and prevents clumping.
• Do not store in a warm cupboard above the gas, since heat dries them out and hardens the texture.

At room temperature, black raisins keep well for about three months. Refrigerated, closer to six.

If they harden over time, soak them in warm water for fifteen minutes before use and they will soften again.

Black Raisins or Yellow Kishmish: Which One to Pick

Black raisins are sun-dried from dark grapes without sulphur treatment. Deeper flavour, less sugary, slightly tart. They suit soaking, everyday eating and cooking where a stronger raisin note is wanted.

Yellow kishmish is usually sulphur-treated to retain its pale golden colour. Sweeter and milder, and preferred where the raisins should stay visually light, such as in white kheer or pale sweets.