Gond katira, a crystalline herb, could be easily found in most Indian kitchens until a few decades ago. The present generation would have heard the name from their grandmothers in the passing, but would not really know much about it.
Also known as Tragacanth gum, it is obtained from the sap of plants also found in India called gond or locoweed. It naturally emanates from the root and the stem from where it is collected and dried to form crystals. It has amazing dual properties of cooling the body in the summer and heating it during the winter.
