Awala

Awala (आवळा) or Indian Gooseberry, is a is nearly spherical, yellow-green coloured, hard fruit with precisely six segments that surround a stone inside.The fruit is quite fibrous with a sour-bitter-astringent taste.It's common to eat awale (आवळे), plural for awala, steeped in salt water and turmeric to make the sour fruits palatable.

Maharashtra is the largest producer of this fruit, and a number of pickles, juices, candies and squashes are made using this fruit. Sometimes, the fruit is dried in the sun to be preserved and used all year round. I remember my grandmother having a large jar of candied awale in her pantry that we would eat after meals.

The fruit has a number of health benefits and is hence, probably, believed to cure a number of ailements across traditions.Various schools of medicine use almost all the parts of this tree. Awala has a high fibre content which aids digestion and keeps constipation at bay.Being a rich source of vitamin C, it enables calcium absorption, which is essential for bone and tooth development. Awala also has a number of minerals and vitamins. It's carotene content helps maintain good eyesight. It is a good source of iron and hence is believed to be a brain tonic, while it's anti oxidant property prevents brain degeneration and aids the growth of healthy hair. Awala oil is applied to hair for healthy hair growth and improved hair pigmentation. This in turn keeps the greys at bay. The fruit also strenthens the immune system due to it's anti-bacterial properties and keeps infections away.