Of Ker and Sangri - not as food, but in nature.

This tiny flower, nestled amidst thorns, is so pretty, that I brave the thorns (and the others' warnings) to try and get a decent photo....

It is only later that I learn that this is the flower of the 'Ker' tree... We have tried the Ker berries at Suryagarh, in different dishes, and I know that it is much used locally, especially as pickles. The shrub is thorny, and resembles a cactus. It retains water, and thus thrives in the desert, even during drought. 

A bigger Ker tree.. with flowers as well as berries

Its popular accompaniment is Sangri, the beans of the Khejri tree, and here, they both grow together, giving each other company in nature as well! 

The big tree is the Khejri, and on both sides are the Ker shrubs. These two are flowering too, but the flowers are so tiny, you cant see them here 

These trees and shrubs must be incredibly old, for a full grown Khejri tree is usually a short one, the roots going deep into the earth, longer than the height of the tree over the ground!