Aliv / अळीव / Muyna / Meyna laxiflora

  • Local Name: Aliv / अळीव
  • Common Name: Muyna
  • Botanical Name: Meyna laxiflora

Status & Habitat

  • Habitat: Thorny Herb

  • Occurrence: Forests, Roadside, Farm Bunds, Mountainous Region

  • Season of Availability: May - Aug

  • Geography: Asia and Africa

  • Method of Propagation: Seed propagation

  • Part used for Propagation: Seeds

Edible Parts

  • Edible Parts: Fruits

  • Can be Eaten Raw: No

Method of Consumption

  • Raw: No

  • Ripe: No

  • Both Raw & Ripe: No

  • Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A

  • As Food: Fruits sundried and made into pickle.

  • As Medicine: Used medicinally to treat Kidney Stones, Goiter and Swellings

  • Cooking Method: - Fresh Aliv fruits are collected, washed and dried.
    - They are hen cut into 8 halves and seeds are removed.
    - Fruit pieces are mixed with approx 3% salt and sundried for 2-3 days.
    - These fruit pieces can be then used for preparing pickles
    after rehydration with water.

  • Preservation / Curing Technique: Pickling, Preserved with Salt.

  • Does Require Another Plants to be cooked together: No

  • Souring Agents Required: No


Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

  • Nutritional Benefit: Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

  • Medicinal Benefit: Helps treat kidney stones, swelling.

Tribal Wisdom

  • Tribal Wisdom: - Used medicinally to treat Kidney Stones, Goiter and Swellings.
    - Ripe Aliv fruits are sundried and mixed with salt to be had as a snack.
    - Pickle is made from mature Aliv fruits.

Recipes / Usage

  • Tribal Recipe / Usage: Pickle Preparation:
    - Rehydrate 1 kg dried fruits with water.
    - Apply 2 tsps turmeric and some salt and keep it in sunlight for 5-6 hours.
    - Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan and add 1 tbsp of coarsely ground mix of cloves, black pepper and fennel seeds.
    - Add 15 gms of turmeric powder and 40 gms of red chilli powder to the oil and spice mix to prepare the seasoning.
    - Remove from heat and pour over the sundried Aliv fruits.
    - Heat another 1/2 cup oil till the fruit-oil mix is cooling down
    - Once everything cools down, mix the fruits and oil in a clean and sterilized glass jar. Make sure to cover the fruits with enough oil to avoid spoilage.
    - Keep jar in a dry and cool place away from sunlight.