Malabar Tamarind Vinegar / Kachampuli / Kudampuli / Fish Tamarind

Kachampuli AKA Malabar Tamarind Vinegar : The Kodava Vinegar

What it is:

• Kachampuli is a dark, sour vinegar.

• It is made from the ripe fruit of the Garcinia gummi-gutta tree, also known as Malabar Tamarind or Kudam Puli.

• The fruit is part of the mangosteen family.

• In the Kodava language, the fruit is known as panapuli, while the boiled extract is called kachampuli.

How it's made:

• The fruit is gathered in baskets and allowed to break down, releasing juice.

• The juice is collected and simmered gently in a clay pot until reduced and thickened.

• The liquid changes from a honey yellow to a purplish pink, and eventually to a deep purple-red.

• The resulting vinegar is a potent, concentrated, souring agent with a long shelf life.

• The vinegar can be stored in bottles for 5-6 years without spoiling.

• It may thicken further after cooling and in storage [5]. Sometimes a sediment settles at the bottom.

Taste and Usage:

• Kachampuli has a distinct sharp sour taste with a unique lingering aftertaste.

• It has fruity overtones.

• It is a signature ingredient in Kodava cuisine.

• It is essential for cooking meat, especially pork, as it contains amylase enzymes that break down proteins.

• It is also used in fish and vegetarian dishes.

• It is typically used in the final stages of cooking.

• The vinegar is used to emulsify fat, add flavour and improve taste.

• For generations in Kodagu, it has been used at a rate of half a teaspoon per 1 kg of meat.

• The reddish colour of pork after cooking with the vinegar will turn to brownish-black.

Other characteristics:

• Kachampuli has digestive properties.

• It is thought to be an appetite suppressant and weight loss aid.

• It contains Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which is believed to boost metabolic rates and combat lipid peroxidation, thereby maintaining liver health.

The Malabar tamarind (Garcinia gummi-gutta) has a variety of regional names across India and other parts of the world, reflecting its diverse uses and cultural significance.

• English Names:

  • Malabar tamarind.

  • Bitter kola.

  • Brindle berry.

  • Gamboge.

  • Garcinia kola.

  • Fish tamarind

• Regional Names in India

  • Kannada: Murugalu, Uppage, Aradala, Karkahuli, Mantuli, Kachampuli

  • Hindi: Goraka, Velaitiimli.

  • Telugu: Kodampuli.

  • Tamil: Gorakkapuli, Kottukkappuli, Panampuli,kattachapuli

  • Malayalam: Kodakkapuli, Kotappuli, Kutappuli,Kodampuli

  • Sanskrit: Vrikshmala.

  • Tamil: Goraka/kattachapuli

Substitutes:

• If kachampuli is unavailable, substitutes include:

• Dried kudampuli (also called fish tamarind) soaked in hot water.

• Lime juice .

• Tamarind extract.

• Malt or cane vinegar.

• Kokum, either soaked and ground to a paste or whole.

• A thick black paste made by simmering a liquid of ground, strained, softened, dried kudampuli.

• Dried kudampuli can come close to the taste of kachampuli.

Additional Notes:

• Kachampuli is not always easy to find and some consider it a "mysterious" ingredient.

• Even experienced cooks may not know much about it.

• A little goes a long way, and it is easy to ruin a dish with too much.

• The vinegar can vary in colour from a plum-purple to treacly brown-black with age.

• The colour can be considered an important addition to the dark masala used in Coorg pork curry.

• A smoky flavour can be imparted to the vinegar by boiling it down over wood fires.