Give your taste bud a tangy twist with Shatkora

Shatkora is a citrus fruit, like an orange. It grows widely in the Sylhet division and has been used in cooking for ages.

Shatkora is cultivated in the hilly areas of the Sylhet region, including Moulvibazar and Habiganj.

In some parts of India Shatkora is widely cultivated as well. People have different names for it such as hatkhora, satkara, shatkora or satxora in West Bengal.

The fruit adds a distinctive flavour to any dish and is ideal for cooking mouth-watering meat dishes as well as fish curries.  Shatkora is also used in making achar (pickles).

Shatkora has many health benefits as it contains Vitamin C, Calcium, and Phosphorus.  It can treat hypertension, stomach pain, elementary disorders as well as common fever.

The beef or meat cooked with Shatkora delivers a tangy, savoury taste for which the dish has gained popularity outside of Sylhet.

When shatkora is boiled with daal (lentil) along with other spices, it adds a unique flavour. Boiled peels are delicious to chew on, though many prefer to discard it just the way they do with curry leaves or whole spices from foods. 

The peel makes meat and fish tender. It also adds an exceptional smell to the dishes.

Here is a healthy recipe involving Shatkora:

Masoor daal with Shatkora

Ingredients

Masoor daal (red lentils) 100g (washed and soaked in water overnight)

One finely chopped onion 1 small

Bay leaf

Shatkora cut into small pieces

2tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Turmeric ½ tsp

Chilli powder ¼ tsp

Directions

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Then, add bay leaf, onion.  Fry the onions until it turns brown. Put ginger, daal, turmeric, chilli powder, shatkora and salt.

Add water and pressure cook to 2-3 whistles.  Remove lid of the pressure cooker. The daal is ready to serve.