The thought of summer in India immediately fills the mind with visions of the wide range of luscious and delicious fruits that can be found across the country! Fruits in India, like vegetables, depending on the local temperature as well as natural soil quality and natural resources of the area.
However, the thought of summer never fails to tempt us and make us wait eagerly for the wonderful fruits that fill the market stalls and roadside stalls with fresh and juicy fare every day. For the most part, the fruits are juicy and wonderfully popular, but there are a few that help us remain cool and hydrated in the dry heat.
Mangoes grow in the coastal regions are rich in iron content. There are about 12 varieties of Indian mangoes that are famous across the world. The king among these is the Alphonso, also known as the Hapus, grown in Maharashtra.
The Badami that grow only in Karnataka can match the Alphonso in size, softness and flavour. This is perhaps why they are known as the Alphonso from Karnataka.
From Gujarat comes the Kesar. This variety is also called the Gir Kesar because they are unique to the Girnar foothills.
While the Alphonso is said to be the king of mangoes, the Raspuri from Karnataka is the queen. It can be identified by its oval size, and juicy, sweet-sour flavour.
From Tamil Nadu inFrom the eastern states of Orissa and West Bengal comes the Himsagar. This is a variety that puts it on par with the Alphonso and the Badami because of its softness and unique flavour. From Southern India comes the Totaputi. The firm, sweet flesh is marked by a slight sour tingle. Although this variety is now available across the country, they are one of the most expensive varieties, after the Alphonso.
From Andhra Pradesh comes the Banganpalli. Also referred to as the Benishan, this is one of the most common and favourite varieties that grow in the southern regions.
Another variety from Hyderabad that is as famous and unique in flavour and texture as the Banganpalli and the Raspuri is the Neelam.
The Mulgoba, which grows in Tamil Nadu and other states in the south, can be said to be the Alphonso or the king of the south. This is also a variety that cannot ever be missed.
Let us now move to Uttar Pradesh in the north. The two most famous varieties that grow in this state are the Langda and the Dasheri. The unique flavours of each put the state firmly on the tourist map in India.
From Himachal Pradesh in the north comes the Chausa. The name is derived from the juicy and sweet flavour of the flesh.
The jackfruit has golden yellow pods separated by yellow strands. Each pod has a seed. When the jackfruit is ripened to the right degree, the pods are honey-sweet and of melt-in-the-mouth softness.
The jackfruit is perhaps the only fruit of which, once the outer covering has been removed, every part can be eaten in different forms. The strands can be fried like fritters, while the seeds can be roasted and eaten as well.
The jackfruit is grown in the coastal regions of the southern state, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. It is also grown in Uttar Pradesh in the north and Maharashtra in the west.
The watermelon grows in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Orissa, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The watermelon has a deep red flesh that is sweet and soft and dripping with water. As the name suggests, the watermelon contains an abundant amount of water, making it an ideal antidote for the dry hot summer months.
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The musk melon has a deep pinkish-yellow flesh that is honey sweet and melts in your mouth. Perhaps because of the honey-sweet taste, it is also called the honey-dew melon. This is another fruit that is rich in water content, making it ideal for the dry summers of most parts in India. It grows in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra.
Figs are tiny brown fruits with a smooth outer covering. The flesh is soft and sweet and not very juicy. Figs grow well in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, and are ideal for the hot and dry summer days.
Lychees are small red fruits with a prickly outer covering. They look like strawberries, with transparent white flesh that is sweet and melts in your mouth. This is another fruit that cannot be missed during the summer months. Lychees grow in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Assam, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. They are rich in iron, phosphorous and fat.
Plums are round and deep red in colour, with flesh that is juicy and sweet-sour to the taste. In fact, they are so juicy that when you bite into perfectly ripe plum, the juice drips down your chin! A natural resource of Vitamin C and helpful for the digestive system, plums grow in the higher altitudes of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu.
The papaya has an orange flesh that is firm and sweet that allows you to enjoy its unique taste. The papaya is soothing but unlike other summer fruits, does not contain too much water. Grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab, papayas are good for the digestive system, besides having multiple medical benefits.
Apricots are small fruits that are smooth to the touch, with a golden orange flesh that reminds you of the setting sun. It has a flavour that is sweet with a sour twist that becomes more apparent when the fruit is dried. Apricots are not very juicy. Rich in iron, potassium and Vitamin C, apricots are marked by a unique flavour all their own. They grow in the cooler climate of Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Peaches are small and round fruits with a spongy flesh that is golden yellow. They are sweet to taste with a sharp edge to it. Peaches can be preserved and eaten as special delicacies. Peaches grow well in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and Maharashtra, and ideal for the dry and humid summer months.
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