Appearance:  Mahua fruits are fleshy, ovoid, and green, turning reddish-yellow when they ripen. Each fruit contains between one and four shiny, brown seeds that are flattened on one side.

Composition:  The kernels are known for their high oil content, which can range from 35% to over 50% by weight, depending on the extraction method. This oil is a pale yellow, semi-solid fat, which resembles cocoa butter when refined. The seed also contains protein, carbohydrates, and saponins.

Collection: The seeds mature between May and July. Tribal people typically collect the fruits after they fall from the tree, manually press the pulp to separate the seeds, and then dry the seeds in the sun.

Oil and butter

The primary use of Mahua seeds is for extracting oil, also known as "Mowrah butter." This oil has a variety of applications:

Food: Processed Mahua oil is used by some tribal communities for cooking. After further refining, it is used as a substitute for cocoa butter in confectionery.

Medicinal: The oil is used topically to treat skin diseases, rheumatism, and headaches.

Industrial: Due to its composition, the oil is suitable for manufacturing soaps, detergents, and candles.

Biodiesel: The oil is also recognized as a potential renewable resource for producing biodiesel.

The residual cake left after oil extraction is repurposed for several uses:

Fertilizer: The high saponin content in the leftover cake makes it a useful organic manure and a natural pesticide, particularly for controlling nematodes.

Insecticide: Tribal communities also use the seed cake as an insecticide.

Animal feed: The detoxified flour from the seed cake is a potential source of protein for livestock, though it is toxic if not properly processed.

Fish stupefiant: The saponins in the seed cake have a stupefying effect on fish, so it has been traditionally used to collect fish in ponds.