Page 21 - My FlipBook

Chikoo

When round, brown chikoos grow on trees, they remind us of

soft, brown balls. The skin is a bit fuzzy, and the brownish flesh
within is very sweet and has a grainy texture. The chikoo has

shiny, long, black seeds inside. The leaves of the tree are longish

and glossy. The tree can reach a height of about 10 metres.

This tree was brought from South America many years ago
where the Aztec Indians called the tree Chicle. They tapped the

bark for the rubbery gum that oozes out of it and made an
ancient chewing gum from it. This is how the idea of making

chewing gum came to people's minds in modern times. The

word chikoo comes from chicle.
Chikoos grow best in warm and humid places. The best chikoos

come from Maharashtra and central India. In some parts of the

world, the chikoo is known as the Sapodilla.

This fruit has a very high sugar content. It also has a good
amount of vitamin C. In some places, the seeds are made into a

paste to cure insect bites and stings. Chikoo ice cream is
delicious. Have you tried it?

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