Baking essentials · Thickeners & gums

Almond gum (badam pisin)

Amber resin from almond trees, soaked overnight into a soft clear jelly for badam pisin drinks, falooda and desserts.

Also called: badam pisin, badam gond, almond resin

What it is

A natural gum that oozes from almond (and related) trees and hardens into irregular amber or golden crystals. Soaked in water for 8–12 hours, a small amount swells many times into a soft, translucent, wobbly jelly. It is often confused with gond katira (tragacanth gum), which looks whiter and swells similarly, and with edible gum (gond) used fried in laddoos.

How it’s used

Soaked and added to rose milk, nannari sarbath and jigarthanda
In falooda and fruit desserts
Stirred into payasam or cold milk drinks

Characteristics

Taste: Neutral.
Texture: Soft, slippery, jelly-like after soaking.
Appearance: Dry: hard amber crystals. Soaked: clear, pale gel lumps.
When cooked: Swells hugely in water; does not dissolve or set liquid like gelatin.
Sold as: whole
Cooking uses: Usually eaten raw
Common in: South Indian, Indian

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep dry crystals in an airtight jar; they keep for a long time. Refrigerate soaked gum and use within a couple of days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Despite the name it is not a nut kernel; people with tree-nut allergy should still check with care, as sourcing and processing vary.
Use only a little dry gum; it expands a lot. Soak fully before eating.