We love berries don't we?
The best part is to collect them in the wild and either take them home or even better to indulge them here and there in the forest/jungle.
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We don't feel like it is a waste of time!
It's an urge, like a desire deep from our subconscious selves, telling us “Come on, it is fun and tasty at the same time!”.
Granted, I for once don't stop my inner voice at those moments, I just let myself go and collect those berries before somebody else does! =P
Most probably that's a smart decision because even science can prove the vast amounts of nutritional values in a freshly plucked wild berry.
It wasn't forced to grow quickly, it wasn't planted by humans, and it wasn't created in a laboratory. In fact, the berry bush/shrub ancestors mostly grew the same way in the same area for ages!
Fortunately, the humans didn't do all wrong and to our generation's luck we have the chance to share our experiences and discoveries with the world, thanks to the brilliant internet (that word already sounds old O.O), we share our knowledge all for free and learn them whenever we are ready to!
But the web still contains some few wholes and “missing links” here and there, and when I was looking for information about a little white Indian berry, I crashed into a dead end.
Although, after some time, I had the chance not only to fill my belly with the berry delicacies but even coming across information which might be useful in the future in one way or the other.
I was smitten by the idea of heralding the existence of the Zunna berry so that everyone might have the chance to use it before it gets swallowed into the abyss of extincted fruits.
The zunna/chunna berry (Ziziphus rugosa) is further known as Churna (Hindi), Toran (Marathi), Kottamullu (Kannada) and Ceruthutali (Malayalam) (source).
Since there is barely any information online about this fruit, I wasn't able to find out if it was available or known anywhere else except in India, so it might be that there are more Asian names for it!
Some few months back, I had written an Article about another berry, known in Goa as bora/ber also known as jujube date.
Somebody on Facebook had mentioned that the Zunna berry is a jujube date, which I had dismissed!
My sincere apologize to the one, apparently those two berries are cousins and the Zunna berry might be called jujube date too!
Anyway... I did find one recently published study report about the berry, which elaborates the test results of the nutritional values, perfectly well.
By the way, I had elaborated on the fruit color and taste before here.
Again, the unripe fruit is green and hard.
While riping it turns white, then transparent and the flesh soft/mealy.
I love them over ripe, they just melt in your mouth, plus they are not sour or anything like that but sweet and then too not a lot!
The first study report explained on how to use the zunna berries in a culinary way ( I hadn't the chance to try out myself yet) by juicing the fruit gems or by mixing them into South Indian Dosas.
I am pretty keen to try out the later recipe, once the berries are in season again next year!
They look like chickpeas 🙂 I wouldn't be game to pick and eat something that I found. I would love to have your knowledge so I could!
Everyone should forage like you do. We'd all be much healthier.
Never heard of these berries but they sound delicious.
I don't know about this berry...thank you for introducing it.
Thanx Helene for introducing us to these berries.
First time here and glad to follow such an informative blog from now on :D.
Anuja
Hi Helene! I love reading your posts, I am always learning something new : ) It's because of this that I have nominated you for the new award from Food Stories "For Excellence in Storytelling" You can learn more about the award here http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/
I'm always amazed at how few fruits and vegetables I am aware of! Thank you for a lovely intro to yet another new food.
Thank you for this amazing discovery! I don't think I can ever taste this berry (unless I go to Goa 😉 ) but I love expanding my food related knowledge.
Wild food foraging is so satisfactionary! Those berries look intriguing. I've never heard of them before...
I can't wait for the blackberry season to start. We have so many bushes around!
Cheers,
Rosa
Can't wait for that either!! =D
Thanks for introducing me to these exotic berries. Very interesting post!
Another post telling us all about exotic berries - I love it 😀
Though honestly I can't believe there is so much variety in the world!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Love this post Helene!
Another tasty introduction Helene. I have never heard of these berries but, I'm sure I would indulge. I'm a berry kind of girl!
Thanks for sharing...