Grab these fruits before they’re gone!

We have a reason to be happy! The city will see Monsoon, most likely, by mid June. But, with rains knocking on our door, there are few seasonal fruits that would become a rare sight.

So, before that happens, why not stuff our tummies, as well as our kitchens, with these delicacies so that we don’t miss a thing. From making mango pickle to adding sugarcane juice in the next cocktail you are shaking or making popsickles, we tell you many things you can do before these seasonal fruits go out of sight.

Mangoes
Raw, cut, blended, frozen — the king of fruits can be gulped in any form whatsoever. Though, perfect eaten on their own, there’s a lot you can do with mangoes — you can add them in salads, pair them with chicken, grind chutneys, make desserts, make shakes and slush, or even grill on the barbecue. And, if you are in experiment mode, you could go for some offbeat ways adding mango to you plate by making dips, flavouring your cocktail or even mocktail and making a cake, and a lot more. Most importantly, it is time for you to buy some kilos of raw mango and make the pickle you would be able to eat through the year. You could also extract the pulp, make aam panna, refrigerate it and then use it for drinking for a long time.

Did you know: A mango stored at 55 degrees lasts for up to two weeks, so avoid refrigerating the fruit as much as you can.

Munjal
Loaded with medicinal benefits, munjal or palm fruit is a commonly used as a drink, easily available roadside in the city. You could add it to you pannas to give an additional flavour, make desserts and some delicious curries. It can be a great source to cool down after you have in the heat for a long time. The ripened fibrous outer layer of the fruit can also be eaten raw, boiled, or roasted.
Did you know: The tree can live for more than 100 years.

Jamun
Jamun or the Indian blackberry is best eaten raw with a tinge of salt. You could also drink it in form of a smoothie. With its sharp sweet and sour taste, it is a great fruit for those who don’t like it sweet. The fruit is loaded with nutrients and has several health benefits too. The seed is used in various alternative healing systems like Ayurveda, Unani and Chinese medicine for digestive ailments.
Did you know: It is illegal to grow, plant or transplant jamuns in Florida and parts of Hawaii as it’s not a native fruit.

Sugarcane
Sugarcane is a favourite summer drink for those who have a sweet tooth. Mostly eaten raw or in juice form, it can also be used to make soup, added in drinks as well as desserts as a sweetener, or added to a cocktail for flavour.
Did you know: It is one of the oldest ingredients, dating back to 326 BC.

Melons
What’s summer without a plate full of cubed and chilled watermelon or kharbuja after a long day at work, right? Containing about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight, watermelon is a great fruit to keep yourself hydrated in the sweltering heat. You could add it to your drinks, make ice-creams, salads and a lot more with the fruit. Muskmelon, on the other hand, is a great source of potassium. Apart from eating it raw or adding it in other dishes, muskmelon seeds can be dried, peeled and then used in various desserts you make at home.
Did you know: Watermelon is often called a vegetable and it is related to cucumber, pumpkin and squash.