Syzygium cumini, commonly called jamun or Java plum, is a tropical fruit native to the Indian subcontinent, now grown across South and Southeast Asia. The oval fruit ranges from dark purple to nearly black when ripe, with a thin edible skin and juicy flesh around a single large seed; the flavor combines sweetness, tartness, and astringency, firm when unripe and softer as it ripens.
In Indian cooking, unripe green jamuns are pickled or made into chutneys and relishes for a sour note, while ripe purple jamuns go into jams, jellies, and juices, or are eaten fresh as a dessert fruit. The seeds are sometimes roasted and eaten as a snack, and the leaves are used to flavor curries, stews, and teas.
Jamun also holds cultural and Ayurvedic significance in India, associated with the Hindu deity Krishna.