Ker Sangri Recipe – Rajasthani Desert Beans and Berries Sabzi

What ker and sangri actually are

Ker is a small, tart berry from the Capparis decidua shrub; sangri is the long, thin bean pod of the Prosopis cineraria (khejri) tree — both grow wild in the Thar desert and are traditionally sun-dried for year-round use, since nothing fresh survives the dry months.

Why it needs a long soak

Dried ker and sangri are hard and need a proper overnight soak, sometimes with a change of water, to rehydrate and soften, plus a boil before they ever reach the pan — skipping this step leaves them tough and overly bitter.

A dish that travels well

Because its core ingredients are dried, ker sangri historically kept for long journeys across the desert — closer in spirit to a pickle than a typical fresh-vegetable sabzi, which is part of why it's so intensely tangy and spiced.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the overnight soak, or cutting it short — the dried pods and berries stay tough and bitter no matter how long you cook them afterward.
• Not boiling the soaked ker and sangri before adding them to the tempering — raw, under-cooked pods carry an unpleasant bitterness that boiling removes.
• Going light on the amchur (dried mango powder) — the tang is a defining part of this dish; too little leaves it tasting flat.

Storage and reheating

Once cooked, it keeps 5-7 days refrigerated — it's a dry, almost pickle-like sabzi, so it keeps notably longer than a typical gravy dish. Many households make a big batch specifically because it keeps so well.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy dried ker and sangri if I don't live in Rajasthan?
They're sold dried in Indian or Rajasthani specialty grocery stores and online, often packaged together and labelled "ker sangri."

Can I substitute fresh green beans for sangri?
Not really — the flavour and texture of dried sangri is distinct from fresh beans. This dish specifically depends on the dried, desert-grown version.

Is ker sangri very spicy?
It's more tangy than fiercely spicy — red chilli adds heat, but the dominant flavour note is the sourness from amchur and the berries themselves.

Watch how it's made

Watch the full method step by step in the video below.