If you ever had a guava tree, then you must be used to the sticky gum. Caterpillars? And a profusion of birds in your garden. In my childhood in Vellore and Chennai, Tamil Nadu, every garden had a guava tree. In that arid climate, it never died and managed to bear fruit. . Even in Mumbai, and now in Bandra, I've lived in two houses which have had guava trees. Once time, aeons ago I spotted an owl near it. That was in Borivli, and it is close to the National Park. Now, in Bandra too, I have a sprawling guava tree in this old building where I stay, and parrots are regular feeders on the plant's bounty.
Last season too I remember buying a large guava and marveling at the size. As big as a grapefruit. .Today, I stumbled on one more. And here, its pricing matched its size.At Rs 200 for a kg. The one you see here 550 gms. And the shopkeeper gave a ten-rupee discount because it seems I was is first customer. It is always pleasant to me, that when I do not bargain, somebody will give me a discount.. feels like a lottery:)
The large guavas come from UP, I just learnt. Sardar and Safeda are the popular varieties.
I was scouting for info on guavas and just learnt that they are anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, soothe the skin, soothe the digestive tract (in vomiting, diarrhea and other upsets), soothe the throat and settle a cough, and hey, help with serious weight loss. It's the poor man's apple, in its humble avatar.
This one, was less seeded, had a firm skin, a tarty-sweet flavor. Interesting taste!
And of course, one has had the Goa guava sweet. But did you even know there is a guava curry?! Check it out, here http://www.tarladalal.com/recipes-using-guava-463!!
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