"Flavours of Delhi"

[Guest nimki]

Hi

I just finished reading Flavours of Delhi. It was an interesting concept, though I found the descriptions too sketchy.

Two points of note in the book -

1) Connaught Place persistently spelt as Connuaght Place

2) Description of Kachri as a dried melon, being used as a souring agent.

To the best of my knowledge, and I do know about Kachris, they are small fruits (about the size of a large ber) that grow on climbers, in Haryana and Rajasthan. Both the fresh and dried kachri are eaten in different forms. The most delicious cooked chutney is made out of dried kachris and it is very popular in Haryana, though I haven't heard of it being eaten outside of the state. (It is also a bit of an acquired taste).

Another thing I've heard described as kachri is by Punjabis. They refer to slices of baingan, dipped in a besan paste and deep fried, as Kachri.

My question is, has anyone heard of a wild /dried or any other kind of melon called kachri?

Or was it a factual error?

[whippy]

i became interested in kachri after reading more about delhi food. seems like a rare ingredient, even dried, to come by in my whereabouts.

latin seems to be cucumis pubescens. which is funny.

since it's a member of the melon genus, i wonder if the description of kachri as a melon is taxonomical in nature?

anybody seen the dried stuff in the u.s.?

[Episure]

It is a small sub species from the melon family. If you cannought( ) find a recipe here is one that I had posted some time back

kachri Scroll down the page to find my post.

Pubescens? If allowed I'll post a pic.

[Rushina]

Hi Episure!

FYI Tarla Dalals Gujerati cookbook mentions a kachri of baigan.

Thought you like to know.

Rushina

[Episure]

Hi Episure!

FYI Tarla Dalals Gujerati cookbook mentions a kachri of baigan.

Thought you like to know.

Rushina

Hi Rushina,

What does it say in her book?

[Guest nimki]

ok episure i read your other post and the taste of kachri was described exactly right. it's sour. the way my mother, aunts make it is - to cook dry kachri powder with dahi and then they give it a chonk of sorts. I don't remember exactly what went into the tarka but the whole thing is cooked to a very thick paste consistency. This is really good as well....though your garlic version sounds deadlier (the sort of thing my grandmother used to make).

it does look like a mini mini melon of sorts actually.

[Rushina]

Okie I checked, its actually a recipe for kachri of baigan and aloo.

In fact now that I think about it, I remembered your thread on kachri when I read it that is how I connected it.

Rushina

[Episure]

Rushina,

Does the recipe use Kachri at all or is Mrs. Dalal referring to the same word denoting some other process.

Kachri is also a general term for dehydrated and salted vegetables.

[Episure]

I'm just bumping up this topic since we have a senior plant expert - v. gautam on the forums now. Before he dissapears again ( I hope not) for a long time, let's lean on his knowledge.

[v. gautam]

I am unfamiliar with this fruit. The one sour Rajasthani/Haryanvi sour fruit i do know is 'teent' or 'phog' usually found in panchranga pickles, Capparis dioica, a relative of the caper.

gautam

[Episure]

I think that one is called Karvanda also.

Kachri come in a salted dried form which can be deep fried. It resembles the profile of a cowrie shell, say about an inch long.