Amra Pods

Botanical Name: Mangifera indica
Common Names: Amra, Mango, Mank, Thayet, Karino
Regions: North East India, South and South East Asia, Burma

The mango tree is an evergreen tropical tree with a dense overhanging canopy. The trunk is greyish brown, rough with many branches. The leaves are dark green and shiny. Tiny, five petalled cream to pink flowers occur on branchlets. The flowers open at night and in the early morning. The fruits are sweet with thickish green to orange flesh around a large flat stone.

The main constituent of amra is citric acid and related compounds which gives a sour taste. The most commonly used part of the plant is the unripe fruit. Several terpenes, aldehydes and esters have been found in the dried unripe fruits. Further more unripe mango contain proteolytic enzymes.

Pod Description
Amra pods are also known as Easter Nuts. These veined pods are an average of 11/2 inches long. They are light brown in color with a rough surface. They offer a slightly sweet and acidic flavor. These are particularly good for fruit or nut mixes.

Uses
Amra pod is widely used in Indian cookery, where it is used as an acid flavoring in curries, soups, chutneys, marinades and as a condiment. The dried slices add a piquancy to curries and the powder acts as a sourcing agent akin to tamarind. It also has some tenderizing qualities as lemon or lime juice. Chicken and fish are enhanced by powdered amra. It is also used as a mild laxative and an expectorant. The dried powder is consumed for diarrhoea and sugar complaints.