Chikoo Barfi

There are several ways of consuming chikoo, from eating the fruit as is to making a milkshake and as desserts like halwa and barfi. Made with chikoos, milk, sugar, mava, cardamom, and chopped nuts, the chikoo barfi is a soft, delicious dessert made in India.

The fruit came to India in the late 18th century when Seth Dinshaw Petit visited the Amazon rainforest and came across the sapota tree. He loved collecting saplings and planting them in his Mumbai garden. However, since there was no space left there, he planted the sapling in his Gholvad orchard. Once it had borne fruit, teh chikoos were taken to be sold at Crawfor Market where it was sold very well. After that, Parsis in Gholvad and Dahanu started cultivating the fruit on a large scale.

Chikoo also boasts several health benefits, including being rich in fibre which helps with constipation and aids better digestion. Its tannins make it an important anti-inflammatory agent, reducing pain and swelling, and preventing IBS and other gut disorders. It hydrates the skin and prevents hair fall, leading to better hair quality. It also leads to healthier bones, and regulated blood pressure and circulation.

The chikoo barfi, although a dessert, comes packed with all these benefits and carries forward the fruit’s long and eventful history.