Kokum is the dried outer rind of the Garcinia indica fruit, called amsul in Marathi, ratamba along the Konkan coast, and punarpuli in parts of Karnataka. It grows almost entirely along the Western Ghats and the coastal belt from Maharashtra down through Goa and Karnataka.

The fruit itself looks like a small dark plum. The rind is peeled away, sun-dried and often rubbed with the fruit\'s own pulp during drying, which is what leaves it dark purple to near black and slightly sticky. That stickiness is a sign of a good piece, not a fault.

What sets kokum apart from other souring agents is the kind of sourness it gives. Tamarind is heavy and slightly sweet. Amchur is sharp and dry. Kokum is lighter, fruitier and cleaner, and it leaves no cloudiness in the liquid. It also releases a deep pink colour, which is why sol kadhi looks the way it does. No other souring agent produces that.

Salt is often used during drying to preserve the rind. This is normal practice and it means kokum should be tasted before extra salt is added to a dish.

How to Identify Good Kokum

• Deep purple to almost black colour, not brown or faded
• Soft, slightly sticky and pliable rather than dry and brittle
• Thick, curled pieces of rind rather than thin flat scraps
• Clean sour smell with no musty or fermented note
• Free from grit, seeds and hardened stone-like pieces

Where Kokum Is Used

• Sol kadhi
• Konkani and Malvani fish curries
• Goan preparations
• Dal and sambar in coastal versions
• Amti and Maharashtrian curries
• Kokum sharbat and summer drinks
• Vegetable curries needing gentle sourness
• Chutneys and coastal marinades

How to Use Kokum

Soaked, the standard method:

• Rinse two to three pieces briefly under water
• Soak in half a cup of warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes
• Squeeze the pieces into the water to release colour and sourness
• Add both the liquid and the pieces to the dish
• The pieces are set aside on the plate rather than eaten

Added directly:

• Drop two to three pieces into a curry or dal while it simmers
• They soften and release sourness gradually over ten to fifteen minutes
• Add early enough for the flavour to spread, but taste before adding more

For sol kadhi:

• Soak six to eight pieces in warm water for thirty minutes
• Squeeze thoroughly and strain the pink liquid
• Blend with thin coconut milk, add crushed lahsun, green chilli and salt
• Do not boil after the coconut milk goes in

Quantity: two to three pieces for a dish serving four. Kokum is gentler than tamarind, so it can be adjusted upward safely, but taste for salt first since the rind carries some.

Dishes That Use Kokum

• Sol kadhi
• Malvani and Konkani fish curry
• Goan curries and xacuti
• Coastal dal and amti
• Vegetable curries
• Kokum sharbat and summer coolers
• Chutneys
• Coastal marinades

How to Store Kokum

Kokum holds moisture, which is what keeps it soft and also what makes it prone to mould if stored badly.

• Transfer to an airtight container after opening
• Keep in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and away from the stove
• Refrigerate during the monsoon or in humid coastal weather
• Do not leave the pack open, since exposed kokum hardens and loses its softness

At room temperature, kokum keeps well for around six months. Refrigerated, closer to a year.

If the pieces harden, soak in warm water for twenty minutes before use and they will soften again.

Kokum or Tamarind: Which One to Use

Both are souring agents and they are not interchangeable in most coastal recipes.

Kokum gives a clean, fruity sourness and a deep pink colour, with no cloudiness in the liquid. It suits sol kadhi, fish curries and Konkani cooking, where the sourness should stay light.

Tamarind gives a heavier, slightly sweet sourness and a brown tint. It suits sambar, rasam, chutneys and North Indian dishes where a fuller body is wanted.

Using tamarind in sol kadhi produces a brown drink instead of a pink one, which is the clearest illustration of the difference.

Dishes That Use Kokum

• Sol kadhi
• Malvani and Konkani fish curry
• Goan curries and xacuti
• Coastal dal and amti
• Vegetable curries
• Kokum sharbat and summer coolers
• Chutneys
• Coastal marinades

How to Store Kokum

Kokum holds moisture, which is what keeps it soft and also what makes it prone to mould if stored badly.

• Transfer to an airtight container after opening
• Keep in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and away from the stove
• Refrigerate during the monsoon or in humid coastal weather
• Do not leave the pack open, since exposed kokum hardens and loses its softness

At room temperature, kokum keeps well for around six months. Refrigerated, closer to a year.

If the pieces harden, soak in warm water for twenty minutes before use and they will soften again.

Kokum or Tamarind: Which One to Use

Both are souring agents and they are not interchangeable in most coastal recipes.

Kokum gives a clean, fruity sourness and a deep pink colour, with no cloudiness in the liquid. It suits sol kadhi, fish curries and Konkani cooking, where the sourness should stay light.

Tamarind gives a heavier, slightly sweet sourness and a brown tint. It suits sambar, rasam, chutneys and North Indian dishes where a fuller body is wanted.

Using tamarind in sol kadhi produces a brown drink instead of a pink one, which is the clearest illustration of the difference.