Carissa and Karanda

carissa and karanda two closely related fruits of which the former is indigenous to S. Africa and the latter to S. Asia. Carissa is a botanical as well as a common name, referring to the genus of thorny, fruiting shrubs to which both fruits belong.

Carissa, the more popular of the two species, Carissa macrocarpa, is also known as Natal plum and amantungula. In its native S. Africa the fruit is gathered from wild trees but also cultivated on a small scale; and it has now been introduced elsewhere, e.g. Florida and Hawaii. Its fruits look like small scarlet plums, with dark red streaks on the skin, and red flesh inside, flecked with white. The whole fruit can be eaten out of hand, without peeling or deseeding. The texture is slightly granular, the flavour mildly sharp. In the semi-ripe stage the fruits are used for making jellies and jams. Ripe fruits are said to make a good filling for pies.