Tendu fruit

What it is

Tendu is Diospyros melanoxylon, a member of the ebony family. The fruit measures about 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) across. Its yellow pulp surrounds flattened, oblong, shiny seeds. Four is the usual number, though a fruit can hold from one to eight. The soft pulp is the edible part.

Where it comes from

The tree is native to India and Sri Lanka. In India it grows widely through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Kendu is a name used in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal; in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh it is also called temburini.

How it's eaten where it grows

In India’s forest communities, tendu is gathered in summer and its pulp dried for eating after the season. Fresh ripe fruit offers its soft texture, sweetness and mild aroma.

The pulp can also become nectar, jam or a chewy fruit bar: mixed with sugar syrup for nectar, boiled with pectin for jam, or dried until leathery and cut into pieces. In India, wine made from tendu is well liked.

How it's grown

Tendu can reach 25 m (82 ft). It tolerates drought and frost but is sensitive to waterlogged soil. Trees briefly shed their leaves in dry places and stay evergreen in moist ones. Most forest trees start naturally from seedlings; budding and grafting can also be done from January to March.

When and where you'll find it

In central India, ripe tendu usually arrives in May and June. Local fruit markets are a place to find it, including Rourkela in Odisha’s Sundergarh district, where it is called kendu. Fresh fruit keeps for less than a week, while dried pulp carries the harvest beyond summer.