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Sunday, April 18, 2010

My Kitchen Gallery - Albakara



I am not sure about the spelling but going by the pronunciation I know.
Albakara/Albukara is a dry fruit that is dark brownish in color and is about the size of a walnut / almond fruit. It has a soft, moist, edible flesh with a sweet, distinctive flavor. The fruit encompasses an almond colored seed that is oval shaped, smaller than an almond and is not edible.
I get my supply of albakara fruit from India. As far as I know, they are available in Andhra and even around Bangalore but not a familiar one to many. It is usually sold by vendors who specialize in selling spices.
Usually eaten when one is convalescent. It is said to bring back ruchi to taste buds / palate after an illness. Though it can be eaten anytime, I reserve it for those occasions when anyone of us seem to have lost appetite, since I bring it in small quantities from India.
Pack them in a moisture free bag / box and store them in a refrigerator for a longer shelf life.

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23 comments:

harini-jaya said...

Hey I think Alubukhara (as we know it) is useful in the initial months of pregnancy to alleviate morning sickness. Good to have in our pantry!

Unknown said...

I am hearing about this for the first, nice info on the. Shall looks for that next time I visit Bangalore.

Suma Gandlur said...

Harini - Jaya, you are right. I forgot to mention about that.

Sailaja Damodaran said...

I too love this.but we don't get it in USA.........

Kiran said...

Hi Suma,nice info on Albakara fruit.I remember that even we used to call it the same.When were little I remember my parents buying albakara pandu fresh from the street vendors when it was in season.It is nothing but the plums we eat here.In Andhra they are available in smaller sizes than here.It is a favorite fruit of mine.When it is dried it is called as Prune.Now only I came to know that it is alu-bhukara not albakara.I found some info in wiki too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune

Suma Gandlur said...

Kiran, I know they are referrred as dried prunes at some sites. Somehow I don't feel they resemble either prune or plums tastewise. what do you think?

harini-jaya said...

Suma, I sure do agree with u that the taste of prunes is way different than alubhukara. But we do get alubhukara here in the India stores.

notyet100 said...

looks delicious

Ms.Chitchat said...

Never heard of this,would like to try it sometime. Thanks for the info.

Unknown said...

Suma, it is called Alubukhara in Hindi and it is very well known in English world as Prune. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune

Yes, it is the same prune that we get and eat in USA.

Unknown said...

Suma, If you eat one of those sweetened or sun dried prunes, you will get a similar taste. I am guessing they might be the same fruit, but different variety (as you have various kinds of apples, so various kinds of prunes). Makes sense?

Finla said...

I have no idea what this fruit is.

PranisKitchen said...

good to know about this fruit.Is this same as prunes..

Life is beautiful !!! said...

I have never heard about it. How does it taste? Very curious to know about its taste...Looks like dates...Thanks for sharing this with us :)

Kalyani said...

never heard about this ... thanks for sharing .........

Priya Srinivasan - I Camp in My Kitchen said...

Nice infor Sumaji, is it also called alpakoda pazham??? Mom used to say something abt this which can be had during morning sickness.

Usha said...

I have never heard of this, sounds interesting !

Nammaruchi.blogspt.com said...

Nice info dear!!

Anonymous said...

Its Aaloo Bukhare ( as in Bukhara of uzbekistan). Its dried plums.

Nabeela said...

Those look like alu-bukharay to me....dried apricots!
The dried apricots we get here in USA are treated with sulphur, and hence the bright ornage color. If you don't use chemicals to preserve their color, they turn darking brown after they dry.

Priya said...

Hi,

We call this a alpakoda in tamil and this is nothing but dried plum.It can be eaten for morning sickness, especially during pregnancy.It is said to be rich in phosperous and calciam and some traces of vitamin c.

nareshjayaseelan said...

How can I buy online?

Unknown said...

Thanks for posting about alpakoda pazham (in tamil). My grandmother introduced this fruit to me at a time when I was down with illness. I immediately liked the taste and since then have become a regular consumer.

I would recommend this fruit to everyone. It has a very refreshing and healthy taste. Definitely helpful when you've lost your appetite due to some sickness.

Again, thanks for posting about this wonderful fruit.