Kachri Mirch: A Wild Melon Dish from Marwar
In Rajasthan, kachri or wild melon is a multitasker. It is used in chutneys and curries when fresh, and the dried powder acts as a natural meat tenderiser in kebabs. The sun-dried version is especially prized, and put to delicious use in dishes like kachri mirch, finds Sakshi Virmani.
The car dashed through NH-65 like a falcon under the blazing sun, flanked on either side by rocky landscape. Dotted with keekar and khejri trees, Marwar lived up to its name — there was hardly any other vegetation in sight. It was my first visit to my in-laws' home, and my throat felt as parched as the arid topography of Rajasthan. A train of camels rested near a village, while a herder puffed on a chillum, releasing slow, smoky clouds into the 42°C heat. All I wanted was to turn around and go back — a universal feeling common to every nervous bride standing at the altar of the saasraa (in-laws' house).
I came up with countless excuses to delay reaching Jodhpur, but none prevailed, my husband brushed them off as mere tantrums. In the Gen Z lexicon of Instagram, this plot would fall under “character development.” As it happens, I would eventually fall in love — with Jodhpur, its people, its laid-back rhythm, siestas, and most of all, its food.
As the new daughter-in-law, I was pampered and overfed by the women of the household — perhaps out of love, or maybe in the hopes that I’d fit into the poshaks that the local tailor had stitched one size too large. Or maybe it was just their way of introducing me to a cuisine so that my husband never misses the taste of home. An array of vegetarian bhujis and curries — gajar ka khaata, papad ri sabzi, mangodi, sangri mirch, kachri mirch chutney, and rabodi — soon became my favourites. These dishes didn’t take hours to prepare, and most of them came together in under 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients — chief among them being garlic and chilli. It completely changed my perception of Rajasthani vegetarian cuisine.
Among all, kachri mirch stood out — a staple my mother-in-law cooked almost every third day for Daata (my father-in-law). Kachri, also known as wild melon (Cucumis callosus), grows in abundance across the arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat. A close cousin of the cucumber, it’s a staple in Rajasthani kitchens and imparts a distinct tangy flavour to dishes. Until the 1980s, Rajasthan’s green vegetables came almost exclusively from native flora like khejri (for sangri), ker, and kachri vines.
Kachris are versatile but temperamental. When fresh, they can be tricky to cook with, as some turn bitter. The sun-dried version, however, is a kitchen essential found in almost every traditional Rajasthani home, and increasingly on e-commerce platforms. Grown primarily in Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Ajmer, kachri is a lucrative crop for farmers. It thrives in hot, water-stressed zones and is naturally drought-resistant, making it a sustainable and climate-resilient food source.
In the kitchen, kachri is a multitasker. Fresh kachri is used in chutneys and curries, while its dried powder acts as a natural meat tenderiser in kebabs. The sun-dried version is especially prized for its long shelf life and ease of use.
In our household, kachri mirch is often served with jau (barley flour) phulkis, and followed by a tall tumbler of chaas- a fool-proof recipe for great afternoon siesta. My husband’s Nanisa (maternal grandmother) Tej Kanwar called it a “cooling superfood” — a natural detox that also helped with minor skin ailments like itching and acne. Every summer, she would peel and sun-dry the seasonal kachri along with pappad on the front lawn, where it shimmered like rustic gold. An excellent cook, she made the dish with just a few ingredients: sun-dried kachri, garlic, and the fat green chilli peppers that were more flavourful than hot. I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law.
Sun-dried kachri is prized for its long shelf life and ease of use. Photos: Vrinda Rathore.
Sun-dried kachri is a kitchen essential found in almost every traditional Rajasthani home.
The author’s mother-in-law, Gajraj Kanwar, and sister-in-law, Neetu Shekhawat.
Kachri mirch is a simple recipe starring fat green chilli peppers that are more flavourful than hot.
TEJ KANWAR’S RECIPE FOR KACHRI MIRCH
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
250 gm sun-dried kachri
150 gm green chilli peppers
7-8 cloves, minced garlic
½ tsp Nigella seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1.5 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsp neutral oil
Optional garnish: leek greens or chopped coriander leaves
Method
Soak the sun-dried kachris in boiling water for 2–3 hours until hydrated. Drain and let them dry in a sieve or basket.
In a heavy-bottomed degchi, heat the oil. Add fenugreek and cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
Add fennel and nigella seeds, followed by minced garlic and chopped green chillies. Sauté until aromatic.
Lower the heat and add turmeric, salt, red chilli powder, and coriander powder. Mix well.
Add the hydrated kachris, stir gently, and cover the pot. Add a splash of water on top of the lid to create gentle steam. Let cook for 4–5 minutes.
Garnish with leek greens or coriander. Serve hot with barley flour rotis or bajra bhakris.
Sakshi Virmani is an avid reader, gardener, and wildlife enthusiast with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and a Master's degree in Journalism & Gender Studies. She has worked as a features writer for The Indian Express, Outlook Magazine, and The Times of India from 2014–2021.
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