LFC Ahmedabad | August 2025
Prutha: I got some unripe Karvanda from the local market, which is a walkable distance from my home in Ahmedabad. I think I’m going to make a chutney with these.
We call it Karamda in Gujarati. Here, we get two types of Karvanda: one that becomes fully red upon ripening, and is more sour, and another that turns a dark purple as it ripens, and is sweeter; it can be eaten as it is. These are native to India.
Prutha: They are also growing at the botanical garden in my neighbourhood. It is the fruiting season for Karvanda! In Ahmedabad, most pickles are made during summers, but Karvanda pickle is a rare one prepared during the monsoons.
Candied Karvanda fruit was also used as cherries on cakes, when fresh cherries were not easily available.
Aastha: It is such a lovely coincidence that we are talking about Karonda, because I just witnessed my parents pickling Karonda and homegrown chillies the day before, here in Dehradun.
Karonda pickle with mustard oil, set aside to rest. Photos by Aastha.