Genus: Averrhoa Carambola
Common name: Star fruit / Kamrak / Carombola / Five corner
I was on a tree walk in the Sundar nursery when our tree guide led us to this amazing tree. At first I couldnt believe what was there on this tree. Little bunches of fruits seemed to be sprouting directly on the trunk of the tree, almost like the wild fig. What on earth was this? Then he motioned us to see the fallen fruits below the tree. That’s when the Eureka moment happened.
This was the extremely sour and tangy Star Fruit that we also called Kamrak in Hindi. Its favored a lot by the street food vendors selling chaat in any form and can be found decorating their wares. I have seen this mostly in winters when the sweet potato is in abundance on the Delhi streets.
I have eaten this fruit several times with some sugar, salt and red chilli spice mix. Have you tried it out?
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The purplish pink flowers are bell shaped and soon metamorphosize into the star fruit slowly. I was amazed to see a mix of flowers and fruits in the same cluster. The fruits are green when raw and slowly turn yellow on ripening. When you cut a cross section of it, its star shaped which is how its gotten its name.
I must check out this tree again in summers to see what it looks like. I am hoping to get some more fruits from it when I go next.
Thursday Tree Love is a fabulous tree hop by the lovely Parul K Thakur who opens the blog hop every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. So if you have a gorgeous tree to share with us, please link up on her post.
Meantime you can have a look at the tree I shared last fortnight here
I’ve seen this fruit in the market but always imagined it to be an imported fruit !
Ah the perceptions we develop Sunita 😉 I have eaten so much of it in my bachpan with salt and chilli.
I haven’t tried this but have seen this in the street selling market. Its amazing to see flowers and fruits in one cluster.
Oh I hope you do try it out. Its tanginess is perfect to be replaced with raw mango or gooseberry or tamarind in the chutneys we make at home. Other wise too its perfect to eat raw with salt chilli and some sugar.
I have had this as a child and found it to be too tangy. I love the research you put behind your trees Shalz. Everything about you is so awesome <3
Love!
Aww soumya you are too too good for my ego- you do know that na!! Love you right back babes. And am happy to research the trees as I am very fascinated by them 🙂
Wow! Love this!! I’d never seen the tree though the fruit was commonly seen with fruit vendors in Mysore.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yeah it was my first time discovering the tree too- never thought it looks so awesome growing on the trees 🙂
Your post left my mouth watering, Shalz! I so love this fruit and it is seen very rarely around our part of the country. I’ve seen it’s tree and flowers for the first time here. How interesting!
Ah fist bump on that Vinodini. I had picked up a few from the ground to eat at home but they were too rotten on the inside when I managed to open them. Very disappointed in that.
This is so beautiful. I don’t think I have seen (or atleast noticed) this tree in my real life.
It was my first time for me too D; never thought the tree would be so pretty!
I remember having lot of Kamrak in childhood and having a bitter sweet, tangy taste melting on the tongue. So much fun it was and thanks Shalz for refreshing the memory of growing up.
Yeah I can relate to that memory Vishal as I have the same one. Glad you enjoyed this post 🙂
Haven’t tried this fruit. Good to know about this tree.
Thanks Ramya. I hope you do get the opportunity to try this fruit out someday
How lovely. I know the fruit, but I’ve never seen the tree. Thank yoU!
Thanks so much Mali 🙂
I have never seen it grow on a tree before. Looks fascinating.
Yeah first time for me too and I was truly enchanted to see it grow like this 🙂
I have never seen Kamrak like this. So cool and I love how cute the flower and the fruit look. Also, love your research about the tree. You know a lot, Shalini.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. take care!
Yeah Parul- it was a first for me too. I was so thrilled to see this tree. The flowers and fruits growing like that on the trunk was fascinating for me.
I guess I love researching the trees as they make me so happy. Said it before and saying it again – this is an awesome bloghop and I am so happy to be a part of it 🙂
This tree doesn’t grow where I live in the Northern part of the United States (not hardy) but it can be found in our state of Florida. I had the pleasure of being offered one fresh from a tree in Florida and it was so good. The ones I’ve had from stores have been more disappointing. To me, a good one would say “exotic”.
wow it grows in Florida too? Thats so awesome to hear as I didnt think it adapted beyond the South east Asian continent. Great to hear about that. Fresh off the tree sounds amazing – yup exotic is just the perfect word for it.
I have not seen this tree, looks interesting, great click
Thanks so much Angela 🙂