3 Rare Rajasthani Pickles Your Pantry Is Missing

Open most Indian pantries and you'll find the usual suspects: mango pickle, garlic pickle, maybe a jar of red chilli achar. But travel into the villages of the Thar desert and Marwar region, and you'll find a whole other category of pickles — made from fruits and beans that barely grow anywhere else in the country. They don't show up on restaurant menus or in most kitchens outside Rajasthan, which is exactly what makes them worth trying.

What Makes Desert Pickles Different

Rajasthan's arid climate means very few vegetables grow reliably, so cooks there learned to pickle whatever the desert did offer — wild berries, hardy beans, and sharply sour fruits that can survive weeks of sun-drying. The result is a style of achaar that's earthier, more textured, and often more intensely flavoured than the pickles most of us grew up with.

Ker Sangri: Beans and Berries, Sun-Dried the Traditional Way

Our Ker Sangri Achar combines two desert staples — ker (small wild berries) and sangri (slender beans) — both sun-dried before being pickled in a masala of mustard oil and traditional spices. It's tangy, a little chewy, and has a flavour you genuinely won't find outside this region. Spoon it alongside plain dal-chawal or bajre ki roti, and it does most of the seasoning work for you.

Gunda (Lesua): The Round Fruit Most of India Has Never Tasted

Ask someone from Mumbai or Chennai what gunda is, and you'll likely get a blank look. Also called lesua or lasoda depending on the region, this small round fruit is a genuine Marwari specialty. Our Gunda Pickle has a distinct, slightly mucilaginous texture (similar to okra) that pickle lovers either adore immediately or grow into — and once it clicks, it's hard to go back to only the usual jars. Try it as a side with khichdi or stirred into plain curd for a quick raita with a kick.

Karonda: A Sour Fruit Built for Pickling

Karonda, or Bengal currants, are sharply sour on their own — almost too sour to eat plain — which is exactly what makes them ideal for pickling. Our Karonda Achaar mellows that sourness just enough with mustard oil and spice, leaving a pickle that cuts through rich, heavy meals like parathas or pulao beautifully.

How to Serve Them

• With dal-chawal: Ker Sangri's chewy texture and tang pairs perfectly with simple dal and rice.
• With parathas: Karonda's sourness cuts through ghee-laden parathas without overwhelming them.
• With khichdi or curd: Gunda's texture works well folded into a simple raita or served alongside khichdi.
• As a gifting box: All three make a distinctive gift for anyone who thinks they've "tried every Indian pickle already."

Storing Them Right

Like most traditional achaar, all three are preserved in mustard oil, which means they keep well at room temperature in a cool, dry spot for several months once opened, as long as you always use a clean, dry spoon. A thin layer of oil settling on top isn't a flaw — it's what keeps the pickle fresh, so give the jar a stir before serving rather than draining it off.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If you'd rather sample before committing to a full jar of each, our Pickle Trial Pack is a good low-risk way to explore a few of our best-selling flavours side by side. But if it's the rare, hard-to-find pickles you're after, Ker Sangri, Gunda, and Karonda are the three worth seeking out first — each one a small, edible piece of Rajasthan's desert kitchens.