The bland landscape of a desert is a deeply punishing environment where few things survive, let alone flourish.
The inhabitants of Rajasthan have traditionally been a hardy tribe that has constantly innovated and adapted to make the desert their home, turning their challenges into opportunities, making happy discoveries because they sought to; bringing chromatism where there is little besides mounds and mounds of beige.
Their stories of survival and creative capacities are smeared across faces that rove their lands and desert sands, on foot and camelback.
In the company of a caravan, in the small district of Barmer, I sat down with a couple before their colourfully clad camel to hear the fascinating tale of the most cherished delicacy to ever come out of this State.
The man's mammoth moustache moved vehemently as he told this tale, while his wife beamed with pride in her people.
The greatness of this tangy vegetable preparation really lies in the fact that it does not in any way reflect the vibrancy but the inventiveness of a people in the face of a merciless Sun and scorched soil. Indeed that is what brings a sense of richness to their legacy and a flood of colour to their story.
Many years ago, at a time of famine (not a rare occurrence in many regions of Marwar), when all natural vegetation is dead, scarce or has withered away, the villagers chanced upon "ker", small radish-like pods closely resembling wild berries, and "sangri", longish beans, that grew unhindered despite the drought.
Delighted at their presence and intrigued by their appearance, the villagers carried these home to have something to cook and feed themselves. Given the paucity of water, they dried and cooked the berries and beans in vegetable oil along with simmering spices. It tasted like their dreams - the piquant, succulent things one craves especially when one is long deprived of them.
"Ker Sangri" is a victory of sorts. One the people of Marwar arrived at, undeterred by an unrelenting Sun. This vegetable is a celebration of survival and is incidentally, keenly desired the world over, drought or not.
When the zealous storyteller stopped for a sigh, his wife kindly went on to tell me exactly how plainly it is prepared. And the camel, suddenly alert, raised his neck to provide a multi-coloured backdrop to the concluding tale of a land that transformed its barrenness into a multi-hued triumph.
KER SANGRI
You would need:
One tablespoon of Ker
One cup of Sangri
Half a teaspoon of Haldi (turmeric powder)
Three teaspoons of Chilli powder
Two teaspoons of Dhania (coriander) powder
One and a half teaspoons of Aamchur (dry mango powder)
One teaspoon of Kismis (raisins)
Salt to taste.
For the tempering,
You will require:
Two Kashmiri Chillies
A quarter of a teaspoon of Ajwain (carom seeds)
A quarter of a teaspoon of Hing (asafoetida)
Three tablespoons of oil.
Two and a half cups of water are poured into the Ker, Sangri and salt, cooked in a pressure cooker upto 3 whistles. Once the water is drained out of the vegetables, Haldi, Chilli powder, Dhania powder, Aamchur and Kismis are added in and mixed well.
(A sprinkle of salt might be necessary here, to be added in and mixed as well.)
The tempering is then begun by heating the oil in a pan.
The Kashmiri Chilles, Ajwain and Hing are thrown into the oil.
When the seeds begin to crackle, this very tempering is poured over the mixture of Ker Sangri prepared and waiting.
All the contents are mixed well and cooked together for a few minutes before being served hot.
