Have you ever ever heard of tiny, melon-like fruits thriving within the sandy expanse of Rajasthan? These little orbs are kachri (Cucumis callosus), a wild cucumber native to the Thar Desert. Don’t be fooled by their small dimension – these mini marvels pack a punch of flavour and vitamin!
Nature’s sweet within the desert
In contrast to its bitter cousin, tumba, kachri presents a pleasing shock once you chunk into it. When ripe, it has a novel sweet-and-sour style with hints of melon and cucumber. At first look, kachri seems like a miniature watermelon, with its spherical form and infrequently striped or mottled pores and skin.
Picture Credit score: Freepik
However in contrast to watermelons, this desert fruit isn’t simply candy — it carries a punch of tangy, refreshing flavour. Its dimension ranges from that of a golf ball to a small apple, with a yellowish-brown exterior when mature.
How locals use it
Kachri isn’t only a snack in Rajasthan – it’s a culinary famous person. For hundreds of years, kachri has been a staple within the kitchens of desert communities, typically handed down by way of generations as a trusted ingredient in household recipes.
- Recent kachri is eaten uncooked, added to salads, or used as a crunchy topping.
- Dried and powdered kachri is a well-liked spice that provides a tangy kick to Rajasthani dishes like ker sangri and gatte ki sabzi.
- Kachri pickle (kachri ka achar) is a mouth-watering desert delicacy that lasts for months.
Secret ingredient in Rajasthani curries
Do you know that kachri powder is a pure meat tenderiser? For hundreds of years, desert communities have used it to melt powerful meat cuts.
Picture Credit score: Amazon
Only a pinch of dried kachri powder can remodel a primary curry, including a novel sour-sweet undertone.
Surviving the desert warmth
Kachri vegetation thrive in harsh circumstances the place water is scarce. Their sprawling vines develop near the bottom, serving to them endure scorching temperatures and sandy winds. The vegetation require virtually no care — they merely seem after transient desert rains and shortly produce fruit. Their cultivation requires minimal water, making them supreme for the arid soils of Rajasthan.
Dietary powerhouse
Regardless of its small dimension, kachri is full of nutritional vitamins and minerals. Desert dwellers worth it for its hydrating properties and excessive vitamin C content material. Through the summer season months, it offers important vitamin when different contemporary produce is scarce.
Discovering it right this moment
Whereas historically foraged from the wild, some farmers close to Jodhpur and Bikaner have began cultivating kachri on a small scale. Go to native markets in western Rajasthan between July and September, and also you’ll discover heaps of those little fruits being bought contemporary. In different seasons, search for the dried model or kachri powder in spice outlets.
So subsequent time you’re exploring Rajasthan, preserve an eye fixed out for this humble desert fruit. Attempt some kachri powder in your cooking or, should you’re fortunate sufficient to seek out them contemporary, take pleasure in them as nature’s excellent snack.
Edited by Khushi Arora
