Gum mastic or mastiha is a popular ingredient in North African and Mediterranean cuisine. The yellow gum mastic crystals are a natural resin from the Chia tree, grown only on the Aegean Island of Chios in Greece. The Island became Internationally famous for its gum mastic trees in the early 13th Century. Gum mastic crystals have delicate pine-resin and balsamic aromas, and are used in both sweet and savoury cooking. The crystals are also famous for their health benefits, thought to freshen breath, and have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. A recipe for chicken roasted in gum mastic or mastiha and pomegranate molasses is a favourite of Stevie Parle, from the Dock Kitchen. He also uses gum mastic to bring Eastern flavours to a milk ice cream recipe. And in Sam & Sam Clark's Moro cookbook, the rosewater and cardamom ice cream recipe includes a few crystals of gum mastic crushed together with caster sugar, and stirred into when the cream/milk mixture is cool, just before churning. Pack contains 30-50 medium crystals
