Alternate Names :  Charooli, Chirolo, Chirongi and Charoli in Hindi and Saara paruppu in Tamil , Telugu. Right now I havent been able to find a precise English name. If you know for sure - pls do update. Will appreciate it. Its called ‘Chironji’ in English and the botanical name is ‘Buchanania Lanzan’. (thanks Bhuvaneshwari) What are they?:   They are kernels of a fruit ( I think its called as "Piyar pithor")  whose shell dries to a brittle hardness. The fruit is cracked open and these nuts are extracted. These are then further dried and distributed. Appearance: Chirongi nuts are small pale and speckled with dark patches. They are slightly flat and round in shape and are the size of lentils How do they taste? They have a slightly nutty aroma and a pronounced taste that is between nutty and musky. How to Use? Used primarily as a topping for sweets, they go especially well with sweet and creamy halwas (Indian puddings). They are also a must on top of a delightful dessert called shrikhand which is a tantalising combination of yoghurt, sugar, cardamom and saffron. They can also be used to sprinkle fruit salads, soups and kormas. Availability: They are supposedly mostly grows in East India and neighboring Burma. But these can be found in well stocked Indian grocery stores in the US where I got mine. How to Store? They keep well for upto 6 months in dry air tight containers. Health benefits: Like almonds chirongi nuts have been credited with the power to sharpen concentration improve eyesight and provide strength and vigor Related Recipes 1. Amrakhand 2. Hyderabadi Double Ka Meeta See All Resources

1. Tarla Dalal