If you ever go to India, you’ll find that there are so many different kinds of fruits used in Indian cuisine. One of these fruits is the mango (आम), which is the national fruit of India. In some countries the mango is an exotic fruit that is expensive and rare to find, but in India the mango can be found in nearly every corner of India. The mango can be consumed in a chutney, which is an Indian spice and vegetable mix. It can also be used in a cool summer drink called mango lassi.

Coconut (नारियल) is another commonly found fruit in Indian cuisine. In Tamil Nadu there is a dish that uses layers of coconut and layers of powdered rice stuffed in a long tube. The coconut and rice is steamed and consumed as breakfast. Kerala is the state that grows the most number of coconut trees. The name ‘Kerala’ actually means ‘land of the coconut trees’. You can find all sorts of products like coconut water, coconut oil, coconut cakes etc. in Kerala.

The pomegranate (अनार) is a deeply symbolic fruit in Hinduism. The seeds of the pomegranate and the reddish color of the fruit represents fertility. That is why this fruit is associated with Bhoomidevi, who is the earth goddess in Hinduism. The roots, flowers, leaves and even the fruit itself is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda is a form of traditional Indian medicine used to prevent illnesses.

The fruit of a ripe tamarind (इमली) is sweet and used in all sorts of Indian dishes like chutney and curry. Tamarind is also used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat indigestion and other gastrointestinal problems. In places like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, the leaves of tamarind is used to make lentils. In places like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, tamarind is used to make sambhar, which is a type of vegetable stew.