India is famous for its food. The blend of spices that Indian food had is not only unmatched, it is a joy to the senses of whoever has it. But one thing that goes unnoticed in this plethora of spices and flavours and gravies is the mind-blowing variety of fruits that throng the bazaars of India. Every fruit has a lot of varieties and they are grown, sold and eaten in different parts of the country. The colour, texture and taste of each of these varieties are so different from each other that eating them is an all-together different experience. The local varieties of fruits in India are so many and so scattered that it is difficult to sum them up in an article, but here are a few of them that have become extremely famous due to their heavenly taste and rare cultivation.
Ratnagiri Alphonso
Mango is the national fruit of India and there are multiple varieties of mangoes grown and eaten in different parts of the country. One of the most famous varieties is Ratnagiri’s alphonso mangoes. They are very sweet and make amazing desserts and shakes. Such is the craze of this for this fruit since forever that according to some sources, mangoes became the apple of discord between the father-son duo of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. The former apparently punished his son because Aurangzeb used to keep all the mangoes for himself. Now, that is some love for mangoes!
Bengaluru Blue Grapes
The famous story behind Bengaluru having these grapes dates back to the 18th century when goes that these grapes were brought to Karnataka by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Ever since then, the Nandi Valley has been filled with these delicious grapes. The fruit is a beautiful dark purple and ovoid shape. The taste is very distinct from other grapes and easy to recognize due to the high methyl anthranilate content in it. With its antioxidant content, these grapes are packed with many vitamins and minerals.
Anteri Kiwi
For the longest time, anteri kiwis used to grow in the wildernesses of Arunachal Pradesh without anyone paying much heed to it. The locals did not really recognize the potential of kiwis till the imported ones began to flood the markets .That is when they realized that the kiwis just growing around in the forest can be a great source of revenue and a delicious fruit to eat.
Mizo Passionfruit
Passion fruit is one of those fruits that is intriguing due to both its appearance and its name. But everything aside, it has great nutritional values too and is full of antioxidants, flavonoids, magnesium, potassium, iron, etc. Due to its sweet taste, it is a good choice for desserts. And if you think that is it, passionfruit has a special component ‘piceatannol’ which increases insulin sensitivity and makes it a good dessert choice for diabetics. The passionfruit of Mizoram is the best quality of the fruit found in India.
Allahabad Surkha Guava
A beautiful soft pink inside and bright luscious green outside, the surkha guavas from Allahabad are to die for. The popularity of the fruit is such that Allahabad is also called the city of green gold due to the abundant production of these amazing fruits. It is equally popular in the local area and beyond its border. It is said that you have not taken a bite of heaven if you have not tasted these guavas.
So, try these wonderful local varieties of fruits that would be the game changer the next time you decide to make a fruit salad. Every variety has its own unique taste and every taste is worth it!