Mexican sour gherkins subzi

Mexican sour gherkin are also known as mouse melon or melothria scabra. They are the size of large grapes, look like our kundru (miniature) or doll sized watermelons and taste like cucumber or kundru. This variety is not  genetically-modified hybrid developed in laboratories! It is heirloom that has been grown and eaten in Mexico for centuries. A long-lost heirloom, cucamelon has only recently been rediscovered. Now, they are grown in USA and are available in farmer's markets etc during summer. Mexican sour gherkin is mostly used in salads, pickles along with pearl onions etc.
If you are looking for seeds to plant in your garden, you may have to look for "melothria scabra"

  

Google search provided some information about its availability in India, though I wonder if it is the same vegetable. Kachri or kachari is a wild variety of cucumbers, and grows wildly in Rajasthani desert. It is supposed to be sour to taste and kachri powder is used in tenderizing meats etc.

Last year it was planted in our yard and the fruits were eaten raw from the plant as snack! It almost looks like kundru and also tastes very much like kundru or cucumber. I wanted to make use of this vegetable in making Indian subzi. This year we got quite a few of cucamelons and I got to experiment. You may use the same masala as in the recipe for dondakaya kothinira karam kura also. I am inserting some photos of the climber etc for more information.

Here is one recipe:

Mexican sour gherkin on the climber:





 Ready for cutting:                                                                           Cut only partially:

As compared to kundru you can see the size:

After microwaving and in the pan:

After adding besan and masalas:

 

Ready to be transferred:

Ingredients:

•      2 cups sour gherkin
•      2 to 3 tsp. oil
•      3 tbsp. besan (chickpea flour)
•      1 tsp. chili powder
•      1/4 tsp. jeera powder.
•      Salt to taste
•      1 tsp. jeera seeds (cumin)

Directions:

1.      Place sour gherkin in a microwave safe bowl.
2.      Sprinkle a little water.
3.      Cook covered in a microwave for 1 or 2 minutes.
4.      Melons must be parboiled and not mushy.
5.      Heat oil in a nonstick pan.
6.      Add jeera and stir for a minute.
7.      Add microwaved melons and keep stirring for a few minutes.
8.      Mix besan, salt, chili powder and jeera powder in a plate.
9.      Sprinkle the powder mixture to the melons.
10.      Keep cooking on medium heat and keep stirring.
11.      When besan gets golden brown in color, stop cooking.
12.      Transfer to a bowl and serve.
13.      A good side dish for rice, roti etc.