Edible gum is a hardened, crystalline resin tapped from acacia and related trees. Pale amber lumps are deep-fried in ghee until they puff into light, crisp nuggets, prized as a warming, energy-rich ingredient in winter sweets and postpartum tonics.
Where it comes from
Used across the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Punjabi and Rajasthani winter cooking.
In the kitchen
Fried in ghee and folded into laddu and rich winter confections for a crunchy, warming character; also used as a natural binder and thickener.