A small wild melon (a Cucumis species) that grows in the arid zones of Rajasthan and north-western India. Tart and musky, the fresh fruit is cooked as a vegetable, while the dried fruit is ground into a powder prized as a natural souring agent and meat tenderiser.
Where it comes from
Arid Rajasthan and north-western India.
In the kitchen
Cooked fresh as a desert vegetable; dried and ground to sour and tenderise Rajasthani meat dishes.