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Goraka (Garcinia cambogia)

Spices & seasonings · Souring agents

Goraka (Garcinia cambogia)

Dried, smoked segments of a Garcinia fruit that give Sri Lankan fish ambul thiyal its dark, sour tang.

Also called: garcinia cambogia, gamboge, malabar tamarind, kudampuli, fish tamarind

Around the world: ගොරකා (si) · kudampuli (ml) · kodampuli (ta)

A kind of kokum

1 recipe with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Vssun at ml.wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Segments of the fruit of Garcinia gummi-gutta, dried and smoked until black and leathery. Known as kudampuli in Kerala, it is related to kokum. Soaked and ground to a paste, it sours fish curries and helps preserve them.

Garcinia gummi-gutta

How it’s used

  • Ground with pepper into fish ambul thiyal
  • Added to Kerala fish curries (meen curry)
  • Simmered with meat and vegetable curries

Characteristics

Taste
Sour and slightly smoky.
Texture
Leathery when dry; soft after soaking.
Sold as
dried, whole
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in an airtight jar for a year or more.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

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

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
239 kcal
Protein
2.8 g
Carbohydrate
62.5 g
Fat
0.6 g
Fibre
5.1 g
Sugars
38.8 g

USDA FoodData Central: Tamarinds, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Tamarind paste — About 2 tbsp per 600 g fish; the dish loses its smoky darkness.
  • Kokum — Soak and use the same number of pieces.

Related ingredients

Recipes with goraka (garcinia cambogia)