World of Nature
Gond Katira (Tragacanth Gum)
₹210
Gond Katira is the natural gum of the Astragalus shrub, collected as crystals that look like pale amber shards. Left dry it is hard and glassy; soaked in water overnight it swells many times over into a soft, translucent jelly with no flavour of its own. That cooling, neutral jelly is why it has been a fixture of Indian summers for generations — folded into falooda, sherbet, thandai and cold milk drinks, where it adds body and a distinctive slippery texture without changing the taste.
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Product Details
Origin
Our Gond Katira is collected as natural exudate from Astragalus shrubs, then cleaned and hand-sorted under controlled conditions to remove bark and debris. It is graded for clarity and size and packed dry, with no processing beyond sorting.
Composition
| Ingredients | 100% Natural Gond Katira (Tragacanth Gum) — Astragalus gummifer. No additives, preservatives, colours or flavours. |
|---|---|
| Taste Profile | Virtually tasteless and odourless. Its character is textural rather than flavoursome — hard and glassy when dry, soft, cool and gently slippery once soaked. |
| Category | Superfoods |
How to Use
- Soaked and stirred into falooda, sherbet and thandai
- Added to cold milk, rose milk and summer coolers
- Set into traditional puddings, jellies and desserts
- Stirred into lemon water or nimbu paani through the hot months
- Used as a natural thickener in cold preparations
- A long-standing element of traditional Indian summer cooling drinks
Directions of Use
- Soak 1/2 teaspoon (about 2 g) in a cup of water for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
- It expands dramatically — up to 15 to 20 times its dry volume — so use far less than looks right.
- Once fully swollen, whisk lightly and add to cold drinks or desserts.
- Always use it soaked and never dry, and drink plenty of water alongside.
- Discard any batch that has not fully softened after soaking.
- Store the dry crystals in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
- Traditionally taken in summer; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication, consult a qualified practitioner first.
Benefits
- Traditionally valued across India as a cooling food for the hot season
- Expands 15–20 times its dry volume, so a small pack goes a very long way
- Naturally high in soluble fibre
- Completely neutral in taste, so it never interferes with a recipe
- A natural, single-ingredient thickener for cold preparations
- No additives, preservatives, colours or flavours