Solkadhi


Solkadhi is a type of drink, an appetizer originating from the Indian subcontinent, usually eaten with rice or sometimes drunk after or along with the meals. Popular in Goa and the Maharashtra's coastal region, it is made from coconut milk and kokum, also known as Aamsol or Aamsul. It is the dried fleshy skin of a fruit called Garcinia indica, 'ratambe' in marathi, deep purple-pink in color, full of antioxidants that the pigment anthocyanins provide. Garcinia indica, or Kokum, owing to the presence of a high concentration of anthocyanins, is a great antioxidant that works like an anticarcinogenic and anti-aging agent. It is known for its digestive, refreshing, cleansing and cooling properties. It is a summer fruit. The fruit is deseeded and the juice extract and the skin is mixed with salt and sun dried. The salty sour deep pink color juice extract is known as 'agal' and it used to marinate fish. Agal mixed with sugar, cumin powder and water makes kokum sherbet. The dried salty sour black color skin is kokum. The dried seeds are used for oil extraction which has medicinal use.
Solkadhi is prepared with liquid extract of fresh coconut known as coconut milk; however, nowadays you can also get this extracted milk in TetraPak. The coconut milk so obtained is usually mixed with agal or kokum, a little bit of salt, mustard seeds and/or chili-garlic paste is added for taste and enhancing the probiotic contents.