थाइगिर (Thaigir)

Scientific name: Dillenia indica L.

Family: Dellineaceae

It is commonly known as elephant apple or Ou tenga (Assamese). It is hugely popular among the local wild elephants and is widely consumed by them therefore the name ‘elephant apple’ was derived. It is an evergreen shrub that grows extensively in the wilderness of South-East Asia, i.e, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The edible part is the fleshy calyx of the fruit which is eaten raw or cooked as vegetables. Both ripe and unripe fruits are used in traditional cuisine to prepare special curries, pickles, jams, jellies, and juice due to their distinct sweet and sour taste as well as their refreshing aroma. The fruit confers numerous excellent health benefits such as preventing kidney ailments, slowing down aging, and lowering blood pressure.