Ker Sangri is a traditional Rajasthani dish made with dried ker berry and sangri beans. Here is a tried and tested authentic recipe to make it at home (vegetarian).
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About Ker Sangri
Ker Sangri is a Rajasthani delicacy made using dried Ker berries and Sangri beans. Very simple to make and delicious to eat, it is made in almost all Rajasthani households, especially in the Marwad region of the state.
The berries and beans are washed very well to remove any dirt and then soaked to rehydrate them. They are then cooked in a yogurt bases spicy masala.
Every household has its way of making this sabji. While some add yogurt (curd, dahi) to it, some stir fry it with everyday spices.
Ker Sangri is a great dish when you are out of vegetables. It is also a great sabji to make for travel as it says well at room temperature for 2-3 days.
You can easily double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
Here are a few more popular Rajasthani recipes
- Rajasthani Makki Ka Dhokla
- Panchmel Dal
- Rajasthani Haldi Ki Sabzi
- Namkeen Oliya
- Rajasthani Sev Tamatar Ki Sabzi
Ingredients
Ker & Sangri – Ker and Sangri are two dry ingredients that are often used in Rajasthani households. A combination of these two makes a great sabzi, that can be eaten with Poori, Paratha, or Phulka.
Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – Yogurt adds a little tanginess to this dish. If using homemade curd, make sure it is not sour.
Spices – This Rajasthani sabzi uses everyday Indian spices such as coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, dry mango powder (amchoor), and salt.
These spices add a spicy and tangy taste to the dish, which makes it even more delicious.
Raisins – Raisins are added to the sabzi, which makes it rich and also adds a light sweetness to this spicy tangy dish.
Oil – You can use any vegetable oil to make this dish. Some households in Rajasthan make it in ghee.
Others – You will also need asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, fennel seeds (saunf), dry red chilies, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
You can also add Kumathiya (another berry) along with ker sangri to this sabji.
To make the dish, skip adding asafetida.
How To Make Ker Sangri
Prepare Ker And Sangri
Wash ½ cup dried Ker and 1 and ½ cup dried Sangri separately 2-3 times to remove all the dirt.
Soak separately in 4-5 cups of water for 8-10 hours.
Wash again 2-3 times.
Note – Both ker and sangri grow in the deserts of Rajasthan and have a lot of dirt on them. So washing them very well is very important.
Sometimes sangri have stalks still attached to them. Make sure to remove them before cooking.
Add the soaked Ker and Sangri to a pressure cooker.
Add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and stir gently.
Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Remove the cooker from the heat.
Let the pressure release naturally, and then open the cooker.
Drain the water and wash ker sangri once more. Keep them aside.
Make The Sabji
Heat 5 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
and saute for 3-4 seconds.
Add 4-5 dry red chilies and fry for 4-5 seconds.
Now add
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoon dry mango powder
and saute for 10-12 seconds.
Add the cooked ker and sangri and mix well.
Add
- 2 tablespoon whisked plain yogurt
- ¼ cup of raisins
- 1 teaspoon salt
and mix well.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you ever travel to Rajasthan, don’t forget to stock on these dried Ker berries and Sangri beans. These are easily available at any local grocery store in Rajasthan.
You can find them in Rajasthani stores in your city, or you can even try them at nearby Indian grocery stores.
You can always order them online too. Many online grocery portals sell dried Ker Berries and Sangri Beans, including Amazon.
To make it vegan, You can skip adding yogurt to this sabzi. Just follow the same steps and avoid adding yogurt. You can add some grated tomatoes to replace it.
To make it with buttermilk, Ker and Sangri are soaked in buttermilk for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Once done, they are washed under running water and then cooked with yogurt and spices. They soak up the buttermilk while soaking and taste delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, Ker Sangri Sabzi is served with Makki Ki Roti or Bajre Ki Roti.
But you can also serve it with Phulka, Tawa Paratha, Missi Roti, and Puri.
You can also serve it as a side dish along with Dal, Phulka, and Rice for everyday Indian-style meals.
Storage Suggestions
Rajasthani Ker Sangri lasts 2-3 days at room temperature and 10 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
If you make it in large quantities, only heat the amount of sabzi you want to serve. Reheating, again and again, can decrease the shelf life.
You can reheat it in the microwave or a pan until nice and warm. If you feel it has become dry, sprinkle a little water and give it a nice mix while reheating.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
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Recipe Card
Rajasthani Ker Sangri Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried Ker berries
- 1 and ½ cups dried Sangri beans
- 2 teaspoons salt (divided, or to taste)
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 4-5 whole dry red chilies
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- ¼ cup raisins (kishmish)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
Prepare Ker And Sangri
- Wash Ker and Sangri separately 2-3 times to remove all the dirt.
- Soak separately in 4-5 cups of water for 8-10 hours.
- Wash again 2-3 times.
- Note – Both ker and sangri grow in the deserts of Rajasthan and have a lot of dirt on them. So washing them very well is very important.
- Note – Sometimes sangri have stalks still attached to them. Make sure to remove them before cooking.
- Add the soaked Ker and Sangri to a pressure cooker.
- Add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and stir gently.
- Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Remove the cooker from the heat.
- Let the pressure release naturally and then open the cooker.
- Drain the water and wash ker and sangri once more. Keep them aside.
Make The Sabji
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add asafetida, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and saute for 3-4 seconds.
- Add dry red chilies and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Now add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and dry mango powder and saute for 10-12 seconds.
- Add the cooked ker and sangri and mix well.
- Add yogurt, raisins, and 1 teaspoon salt and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Rakesh Kumar
It is definitely delicious. I just had today at lunch. We in Thar of Pakistan has an abundance of it. The idea of selling packaged in market is wonderful. Someone outside Thar wanted a guide. You explained very well. Thanks, Neha.
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Anthony Lee
This look amaizng. Cant wait to do this with my gf xD
Neha Mathur
Do try 🙂
ratna
I heard about Ker Sangri in the Masterchef show recently, and always wondered what that was. Thanks Neha. I’m putting it in my to do list for my Rajasthan trip later in the year.
msnehamathur
Thnx Ratna
Prash@YummilyYours
I have never had this but the photos are screaming out to me.. YUMMY!!
msnehamathur
Thnx Prash