There is no doubt that India is known for its diverse food. It doesn't matter where you live in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa or Sikkim, you will find a variety of region-specific vegetables and spices that are unique in taste and health benefits. The kachri or wild melon, scientifically known as Cucumis Pubescens, is one of these vegetables that is also used as a spice in Rajasthani and Gujarati cuisine. Dried kachar is another name for it, as are chibar and kachri gol.
Cucumis callosus/pubescens, often known as the bitter cucumber, is a small, green melon that grows in many Indian states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Haryana. It is sometimes confused with fruits and is frequently mistaken for a vegetable.
India's native melon species, kachri, has caught the interest of muskmelon breeders because it is said to have features that make it resistant to pests like fruit- and leaf-eating caterpillars as well as genes that make it resistant to drought.
The vegetable is a staple of Rajasthani cuisine and gives the dishes a distinctive flavour. When sand dunes predominated the region decades ago, the only sources of greens were trees that could endure the extreme weather, such as Khejri (for Sangri), Ker, and the proliferating vines that produced these wild melons. Despite their versatility and deliciousness, kachris can be challenging to make. They can become blatantly bitter if you're unfortunate. You want kachri that tastes little acidic and slightly sweet.
On rich, locally productive soil that also yields crops like bajra, mung, or moth, wild melons naturally thrive. These can be purchased starting in the rainy season and last until October. They are primarily found in the western districts of the state, specifically in Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Barmer. Along with the sun-dried form of the wild vegetable that is frequently found in every traditional kitchen in Rajasthan, kachris are also used to produce pickles (with red chilli powder) and chutneys in many homes.
Video credit: Samina's Kitchen Tips
Rajasthani cuisine uses the kachri in a variety of ways. Dehydrated variants of kachris are used as souring agents in chutneys and curries instead of yoghurt. Additionally, it is utilised in regional cuisines like Panchkuta ki sabzi, which calls for five distinct ingredients. Many people also consume the vegetable uncooked. Brown kachri powder is regarded as an effective natural meat tenderizer. The meat becomes more succulent when kachri powder is combined with minced lamb, garlic, ginger, and fresh herbs and cooked for half a day.
It has the added advantages of being a stimulant, tonic, and cooling.
Regular application of kachri Powder may aid in the treatment of minor skin conditions like as boils, bed sores, lice, warts, prickly heat, itching, and earaches.
It is best to store crushed kachri powder in a glass container with a tight seal in a cool, dry location. The shelf life of whole dried kachri is almost unlimited, but the shelf life of kachri powder is only around three months.