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Brrrr! We're trying to stay warm here in New Jersey. We hope you're staying warm wherever you are, too! We recently added a new organic produc called "Gond" aka Edible Gum Arabic, which is used during the cold winters in Northern India, as it is considered "warming."
It is made from the hardened sap of acacia trees and is used for both its warming and stabilizing properties in food.
Gond is used in India for use in various beverages, as well as sweet and savory treats. Our family loves to use it fried in ghee and then added to Gond Laddoos. A few other favorite Indian treats featuring Gond include Panjiri, Jaripalla Churma, Gond ka Sheera and Kankari Ajwain (aka Mukhwas).
Gond is incredible versatile as a thickener, emulsifier, and stabilizer, and has been used in a variety of ways that you may already be familiar with---such as the lick-able adhesive on envelopes, or in marshmallows, M&Ms, and chewing gum. Its ability to increase viscosity makes it popular for use in wine-making, as well as soft drink syrups.
It is useful in non-food applications, as well. It is a key ingredient in traditional lithography and it is used in printing, paint production, glue, cosmetics, watercolors, postage stamps, ceramic glazes, pyrotechnics, and fuel charcoal.
While this little ingredient may be new to your kitchen, it's definitely not new in your life, and it's been around for centuries in India. I'm sure if you dig a little, you'll start to notice it everywhere! I've included my family's recipe for Gond Laddoos below to help you give this amazing little ingredient a try.
By the way, happy new year! 2022 marks 133 years we've been making ghee! Believe me, we can't believe it either! Time flies when you're having fun. :)
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