Karonda

 Karonda is a hardy, evergreen, spiny and indigenous shrub. Widely grown in India, it is found wild in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and South India. It is grown commonly as a hedge plant. Regular plantations of Karonda are very common in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. Fruits are sour and astringent in taste, rich source of iron and good amount of vitamin 'C'. There are no well established varieties of Karonda. Raw or mature fruits are most suitable for making and excellent quality pickles, jelly and candy. Ripe fruits can be processed into Ready-to-Serve (RTS) squash and syrup.