Pickles/Podis

Indians love pickles. We love the chatpata taste, the mind blowing sour taste, the fiery hot taste, and pickles come fully loaded with them, and you need to enjoy it bit by bit.
Podis (spicy coarse powders) are for instant food. You have to just mix Podi with hot rice along with 1 tsp of ghee/oil and enjoy it with raita or roasted papad.

Paruppu Podi
Karuvepilai Podi (Curry Leaves)
Poondu Podi (Garlic)
Idli Molagaa Podi
Cut Mango Pickle
Garlic Pickle
Lemon Pickle
Naarthangai Pickle
Kadaarangai Pickle
Nellikai Pickle (Amla)
Green Chilli Pickle
Ginger Pickle
Pachai Milagai Thokku (green chilly)
Thakkali Thokku (tomato)
Avakai Pickle
Mangai Thokku
Star Gooseberry Pickle(chinna nellikai)
Mix Veg Pickle





Paruppu Podi

Paruppu podi is a dry spicy powder. South Indians mix it with rice with little oil. Tastes best with dry roasted papad.

Ingredients :

Tuwar Dal : 100g
Urad dal : 2 tsp
Chana Dal (kadala paruppu) : 2 tsp
Pepper : 1 tsp
Red Chilli : 2-3 (small)
Salt : 1 tsp (or) as per taste
Asafoetida :1/8 tsp

Method :

1. Take tuwar,urad and chana dal in a pan. Add Red chilli and pepper.
2. Heat on sim (without oil).
3. Keep mixing it for 5 min till colour changes.
4. Add salt and asafoetida and mix well.
5. Now switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down.
6. Grind it to fine/coarse powder as you like it.
7. After transferring it to a dry container, again keep it open for 1 hour (this is to allow moisture to escape, thus increasing shelf life).

PARUPPU PODI IS READY!!!!

Idli Molagaa Podi

Molagaa podi goes default with idlis/dosas. This podi (powder) is mixed with oil and is relished with hot idlis/dosas. Try this!

Ingredients :

Urad dal : 3/4th of a medium glass

Chana dal (kadala paruppu) : 1/4th of medium glass

Red chillies - 15 (medium)

Solid Asafoetida : Big bean size 

Rai(mustard) : 1 tsp

Salt : 2 tsp or according to taste

Oil : 1 tsp
Sesame seeds : 2 tbsp (optional)

Method :

1. Take oil in a pan. Add rai, let it crackle.

2. Then add Urad dal, Chana dal, red chillies and asafoetida. Fry till golden brown.

3. Switch off flame and allow it to cool down.

4. Add salt.

5. Grind the mixture into a coarse powder (do not grind it finely) and transfer it in a dry container. Keep the container lid open for 1-2 hours (to allow moisture to escape).

Note : If you are including sesame seeds, then before step1, heat the pan well without oil and dry roast the sesame. Soon it will start crackling. Keep a plate ready beforehand, and transfer the sesame to the plate as soon it starts to crackle, and close the plate with a lid. It will continue to crackle for few seconds and stop. Then in step 5, add the sesame seeds to the mixture for grinding, but do not add it in the beginning itself, add it when you have ground the mixture for about 80%. The reason is if it is added in the beginning, then sesame will be ground well enough to release its oily content and that will turn the Molaga Podi little wet due to which it will start smelling and lose its fresh aroma in few days.

MOLAGAA PODI IS READY!!!!!

Karuvepilai Podi (Curry leaves)

Ingredients:
curry leaves : 1 big bunch

Oil : 2 tsp

Mustard seeds/Rai/Kadugu : 3/4th tsp

Urad dal : 3 tbsp

Chana dal/Kadala paruppu : 1.5 tbsp

Red chillies : 8-10

pepper : 1 tsp

Asafoetida/Hing : 0.5 tsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Clean the curry leaves very well and drain all the water. 

2. Now we need to dry these leaves, there should be no moisture at all. Dry them for sometime by spreading them on a plate. After few hours, once they are dry, roll these leaves in a newpaper or paper towel and keep it for 1 week or so. You will see that they become absolutely dry, on shaking these leaves on a plate or cup you would hear noise. (Note: if you sun dry them or dry saute them , then colour of theses leaves becomes dark, so try it the way mentioned in this step)

3. Take oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chillies, pepper and fry/saute them till dal turns golden brown, then switch off the flame.

4. Grind the curry leaves along with sauted red chillies first into fine powder. 

5. Then add salt and asafoetida and remaining all ingredients together  and grind into a coarse powder

6. Let it cool till it comes to  room temperature, then transfer it to air tight container. 

You can store it for 1 to 2 months if you make sure the container is dry and without any moisture.

You can mix this with cooked rice with 1 tsp of ghee or gingley oil and relish with cucumber raita or any raita (or also plain curd) and a roasted papad.

Poondu podi (Garlic)

Ingredients:
pottu kadala (Roasted Bengal gram) : 1 cup
red chillies - 4
garlic - 3 to 4 cloves
Note: No oil required

Procedure:
1. Heat a pan and dry saute the pottu kadalai/gram and red chillies till the kadalai/gram becomes well hot and releases all its hidden moisture.

2.Let it cool. Add salt and crushed garlic and grind  it into a fine powder. 

You can store it for 20 days in an air tight container.

You can mix this with cooked rice with 1 tsp of ghee or gingley oil and relish with a roasted papad.

Cut Mango Pickle

Ingredients: 

Raw Mango : 2-3 medium size (round and sour variety)

Turmeric  : 1 tsp

Salt : Little less than half a cup

Gingley oil : 12-15 tbsp

mustard seeds : 1.5 tsp

Red chilli powder : 75g

Fenugreek(methi/vendhayam) powder (dry roasted) : 1.5 tsp

Asafoetida(hing) : 1.5 tsp

Method:

Wash the raw mangoes well and pat them dry.

Cut them into little big pieces and put them into a dry vessel.  Add turmeric and salt to it, mix well.

Now we need to marinate this for one day. Hence close the vessel with a lid and allow it to marinate.

But, morning and evening, mix it once with a big dry spoon. (this is to ensure that all pieces marinate evenly).

Take gingley oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds. Switch off the flame once all the mustard seeds crackle. Add this to the marinated mango pieces.

Add red chilli powder, fenugreek powder , asafoetida to the mango mxiture. Mix very well and ensure its evenly spread. Add 8-10 tbsp oil and again  mix well.

Take a dry air-tight container and transfer the pickle into it.( i generally keep the container open under direct sunlight for few hours before transferring the pickle into it)

Wait for 2 days. Keep mixing the pickle morning and evening once with a big dry spoon.

After 2 days, start using the pickle.

This pickle can be stored for two months if refrigerated. Else for one month if kept out.

Note: Some like pickles with excess oil, some don't. Pls adjust the oil and salt proportion as required.

Garlic Pickle

Ingredients: 

Garlic peeled : 100g

Mustard/Rai : 1 tsp

Lemon : 4 medium

Fenugreek Powder : 0.5 tsp

Gingley Oil : 5-6 tbsp

Turmeric : 3/4th tsp

Salt : 5-7 tbsp 

Red Chilli powder : 5-7 tbsp

Asafoetida/Hing/Perungaayam : 1 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a kdhai/pan, add mustard. After mustard stops crackling, add garlic, turmeric, salt and saute for 5 min.

Add red chilli powder and saute for 3 min. Switch off the flame.

Add fenugreek powder, asafoetida and squeeze the lemons into the pan. Mix well.

Transfer it into a vessel and for 2-3 days, mix it well with a dry spoon morning and evening once. (this is to ensure that all pieces marinate evenly).

Transfer it into a clean and dry air tight container. (I generally keep the container open under direct sunlight for few hours before transferring the pickle into it).

This pickle can be stored for one month if refrigerated. Else for 10-15 days if kept out.

Note: Some like pickles with excess oil, some don't. Pls adjust the oil and salt proportion as required.

Lemon Pickle

Ingredients: 

Lemon : 15

Turmeric  : 1 tsp

Salt : Little less than half a cup

Gingley oil : 12-15 tbsp

mustard seeds : 1.5 tsp

Red chilli powder : 75g

Asafoetida(hing) : 1.5 tsp

Method:

Wash the lemons well and pat them dry.

Cut them into little big pieces and put them into a dry vessel.  Add turmeric and salt to it, mix well.

Now we need to marinate this for one day. Hence close the vessel with a lid and allow it to marinate.

But, morning and evening, mix it once with a big dry spoon. (this is to ensure that all pieces marinate evenly).

Take gingley oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds. Switch off the flame once all the mustard seeds crackle. Add this to the marinated lemon pieces.

Add red chilli powder, asafoetida to the lemon mxiture. Mix very well and ensure its evenly spread. Add 8-10 tbsp oil and again  mix well.

Take a dry air-tight container and transfer the pickle into it.( i generally keep the container open under direct sunlight for few hours before transferring the pickle into it)

Wait for 3-4 days. Keep mixing the pickle morning and evening once with a big dry spoon.

After 3-4 days, start using the pickle.

This pickle can be stored for two months if refrigerated. Else for one month if kept out.

Note: Some like pickles with excess oil, some don't. Pls adjust the oil and salt proportion as required.




Naarthangai Pickle

Ingredients: 

Naarthangai :2-3 medium

Turmeric  : 1 tsp

Salt : Little less than half a cup

Gingley oil : 12-15 tbsp

mustard seeds : 1.5 tsp

Red chilli powder : 75g

Asafoetida(hing) : 1.5 tsp

Method:

Wash the Naarthangai well and pat them dry.

Cut them into little big pieces and put them into a dry vessel.  Add turmeric and salt to it, mix well.

Now we need to marinate this for one day. Hence close the vessel with a lid and allow it to marinate.

But, morning and evening, mix it once with a big dry spoon. (this is to ensure that all pieces marinate evenly).

Take gingley oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds. Switch off the flame once all the mustard seeds crackle. Add this to the marinated naarthangai pieces.

Add red chilli powder, asafoetida to the naarthangai mxiture. Mix very well and ensure its evenly spread. Add 8-10 tbsp oil and again  mix well.

Take a dry air-tight container and transfer the pickle into it.( i generally keep the container open under direct sunlight for few hours before transferring the pickle into it)

Wait for 3-4 days. Keep mixing the pickle morning and evening once with a big dry spoon.

After 3-4 days, start using the pickle.

This pickle can be stored for two months if refrigerated. Else for one month if kept out.

Note: Some like pickles with excess oil, some don't. Pls adjust the oil and salt proportion as required.

Kadaarangai Pickle

Ingredients: 

Kadaarangai :2-3 medium

Turmeric  : 1 tsp

Salt : Little less than half a cup

Gingley oil : 12-15 tbsp

mustard seeds : 1.5 tsp

Red chilli powder : 75g

Asafoetida(hing) : 1.5 tsp

Method:

Wash the kadaarangai well and pat them dry.

Cut them into little big pieces and put them into a dry vessel.  Add turmeric and salt to it, mix well.

Now we need to marinate this for one day. Hence close the vessel with a lid and allow it to marinate.

But, morning and evening, mix it once with a big dry spoon. (this is to ensure that all pieces marinate evenly).

Take gingley oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds. Switch off the flame once all the mustard seeds crackle. Add this to the marinated kadaarangai pieces.

Add red chilli powder, asafoetida to the kadaarangai mxiture. Mix very well and ensure its evenly spread. Add 8-10 tbsp oil and again  mix well.

Take a dry air-tight container and transfer the pickle into it.( i generally keep the container open under direct sunlight for few hours before transferring the pickle into it)

Wait for 3-4 days. Keep mixing the pickle morning and evening once with a big dry spoon.

After 3-4 days, start using the pickle.

This pickle can be stored for two months if refrigerated. Else for one month if kept out.

Note: Some like pickles with excess oil, some don't. Pls adjust the oil and salt proportion as required.

Green chilly Pickle

Ingredients:

Green Chillies : 150g (the light green ones. Dark green will be very hot)
Salt : 5-6 tbsp
Gingley Oil : 5-7 tbsp (you can also use Mustard oil if you like)
Turmeric : 1 tsp
Dhaniya powder : 2 tsp
Jeera powder (dry roasted) : 1 tsp
Saunf powder (fennel seeds) : 0.5 tsp
Mustard powder : 3 tbsp
Asafoetida : 1 tsp

Method:

Except the green chillies and oil, mix all other ingredients together.
Wash and pat dry the green chillies . If they are small just slit them, else if long and big then chop
 them lengthwise.
Add the dry ingredients mixture to these chillies and mix well.
Then add oil and mix well again. Allow this to marinate for 4-5 days, but keep mixing the pickle with a dry spoon 2-3 times a day.
This pickle goes very well with chappathis.



Thakkali Thokku (tomato)

Ingredients :

Tomato : 10-12 big (the sour variety)
Tamarind : 3/4th of 1 small amla size
[Note : if you do not get the sour variety tomatoes, take tamarind equal to 1 small amla size]
Gingeley oil : 6-7 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1.5 tsp
Red Chilli powder : 50 to 75 g
Salt : 5-6 tbsp
turmeric : 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder/hing : 2 tsp
Fenugreekpowder (dry roasted) : 1.5 tsp
jaggery : 5g

Method:

Clean the tamarind. Wash the tomatoes and pat them dry.
Grind tamarind and the tomatoes (roughly chopped or quartered) very well without any lumps.
Heat oil in a thick bottom pan/kadhai, add mustard seeds. Once it crackles pour the ground mixture into it.
Mix well and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling close the pan with a lid (else it will splash around out of the pan). Allow it to boil till it reduces to half of its quantity. Stir often to avoid burning.
Add red chilly powder, salt, turmeric, 1 tsp asafoetida and again allow it to boil with closed lid till quantity again reduces to half. Stir often to avoid burning.
Oil will ooze out into the sides of the pan.
Add jaggery. Mix well for a minute andswitchoff the flame.
Add 1 tsp asafoetida and fenugreek powder. Mixwell. Allow it to cool.
Store in air tight container.

You can store this pickle for 15-20 days in a refrigerator. If stored outside, it will last for 2-3 days only.

You can have this pickle with Bonda or as topping with bread or bun. Also with chappathi or curd rice.









Nellikai Pickle (Amla)

Ingredients:

Amla : 500g
Red chilli powder : 75g
Salt : 1/2 cup
Fenugreek/Vendhayam powder (dry roasted) : 1.5 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida : 1.5 tsp
Mustard : 1.5 tsp
Gingley oil : 100ml
Turmeric powder : 0.5 tsp


Method:

Wash the amla well. Boil water (enough to immerse the amlas), add little salt and turmeric, then add the amla. Let it boil for a minute and then switch off the flame. Close it with a lid.
After 1 hour or so, drain the excess water, take out the amlas, and take out the seeds by gently crushing them between fingers.
Take 50ml oil in a kadhai/pan, add mustard seeds, add amla pulps, saute for 2-3 min. Then add salt, turmeric powder and saute for 2 min.
Add red chilli powder and remaining oil. Saute for 3-5 min in low to medium flame.
Switch off the flame. Add Fenugreek powder and asafoetida and mix well. Allow it to cool.
Take any dry air tight container  ( I personally keep the container open under sun for sometime before transferring any pickle into it) and transfer the pickle into it.

You can store this pickle in fridge for 1-2 months and for 10 days if kept outside.
Keep mixing this pickle with a dry spoon once in 2 days or so.

You can have this pickle with curd rice, chappathi or sambhar rice.

Note : Add more oil if required.
For pickles, salt and red chilli powder can be little more or less in quantity.

Ginger Pickle

Ingredients:


Ginger : 100g
Tamarind : Big lemon size
Salt : 4 tbsp
Gingley oil : 7tbsp
Jaggery : 1 small amla/nellikai size
Turmeric : 1 tsp
Mustard : 1 tsp
Fenugreek powder (dry roasted) : 1 tsp
Asafoetida/hing : 2 tsp
Red chillies : 10
Green chillies : 10 (optional), green chillies (chop green chillies into half inch pieces)

Method:

Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract 1.5 tumblers of juice out of it.
Finely chop the ginger. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and saute the chopped ginger for 3-4 min.Switch off the flame.
Heat the remaining oil in another pan, add mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add broken red chillies, green chillies, saute for few seconds. Add the tamarind juice, salt, turmeric, 1 tsp of asafoetida and bring it to boil.
Add sauted ginger and mix well. Allow it boil till quantity reduces to half. You can see oil will ooze and float on the top. Add jaggery. Mix and saute for a minute. Switch off the flame.
Add fenugreek powder and 1 tsp asafoetida powder. Mix well. Allow the mixture to cool.
Store  in an air tight container. You can store this pickle in fridge for 1 month, else for 10 days if kept outside.



Pachai Milagai Thokku (green chilly)

Ingredients:

Green chillies : 150g
Tamarind : small lemon size
Fenugreek Powder : 1.5 to 2 tsp
Asafoetida : 2 to 2.5 tsp
Gingley oil : 5-6 tbsp
Jaggery : small amla size
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric : 0.5 tsp


Method:

Wash the green chillies and pat them dry. Roughly chop them. Soak Tamarind in warm water.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and saute the green chillies for 3 minutes. Stir continuously to avoid burning then switch off the flame.
Clean the tamarind (remove seeds if any, remove the hard coatings if any).
Grind the green chillies, tamarind and salt into smooth paste.
Heat 4-5 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add the ground chilly paste, turmeric and allow it to boil on medium flame. Stir often to avoid burning. Gradually oil will ooze onto the top.
Add jaggery, mix well for a minute. Switch off the flame.
Add asafoetida and fenugreek powder. Mix well.

You can store this pickle for 15-20 days in a refrigerator. If stored outside, it will last for 2-3 days only.

You can have this pickle with Bonda or as topping with bread or bun. Also with chappathi or curd rice.


Avakai Pickle

Avalu in Telugu means 'mustard' and the key ingredients of this pickle are mustard and mango (mankai) and hence the pickle is named avakai. This is the best mango pickle southside. This pickle originated from Andhra region, but it is also prepared in the households of Tamilnadu. Let's see how to make this pickle.

(avakai pickle)

(the full/unbroken yellow mustard)

 

(ingredients)

(the marinated mango pieces and others)

(all ingredients mixed)

Ingredients:

Raw Mango (avakai variety)  : 4 to 5 depending on the size
Fenugreek seeds(methi/Vendhayam): 50g
Yellow Mustard seeds : 100g
Red chilli powder: 150g apprx
Salt : 150g apprx
Black chana (kala chana/karuppu kothu kadalai) : 100g
Asafoetida(hing/perungayam): 2 tbsp
Turmeric : 1.5 tsp
Seasame oil (til oil/nalla yennai): 500ml apprx

NOTE 1: Red chilli powder/salt/oil can be adjusted as required.
NOTE 2: There are two variants of yellow mustard seeds available, one is the broken/half mustard seeds and the other one is full/unbroken seeds. The broken/half mustard seeds is preferable. But if you get the full/unbroken variety then just grind it for a second or two in mixi jar (just to break it) and then use it for the preparation.



Method:

1. There are many varieties of raw mango available in market. But we get 'avakai' raw mango variety which is specially used for preparing this pickle. In this mango variety, the shell in which the seed resides is hard and thick. We need to remove the seed and cut the mango into big pieces along with the hard shell. It is very difficult to cut this mango due to its hard shell inside with the household knife, hence generally the shopkeeper cuts it with a special cutting equipment and sells it to the buyers.
2. Add turmeric and salt to the mango pieces and mix well and allow it to marinate for a day.
3. After one day, mix all the remaining ingredients (Black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil) with the marinated mango pieces. If required adjust the oil quantity accordingly. If you like pickles spicy hot, then you can add little more red chilli powder also.

NOTE: Method to mix all ingredients -  first mix black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil. Take a dry vessel and put one layer of this oil-spice mixture. Then put the marinated mango pieces on top of it. Then again put the remaining oil-spice mixture on top of the mango pieces. You can make 3 layers or more like this. But the oil-spice mixture should form the bottom most and top most layer. This helps in better marination of the mango pieces. Leave it like this for one day. Then keep mixing it once in a day for the following 10-15 days.

4. Let it marinate for 10-15 days, but mix it well once in a day. While mixing, make sure the spatula or spoon you are using for mixing is totally dry, else if any moisture is present then that will reduce the shelf life of the pickle and it will spoil sooner. Also try to invert the spatula or spoon (i.e. hold it ulta) and then mix so that it doesn't mash the mango pieces. If you feel the oil has been absorbed, you can add some more oil accordingly.

Store this pickle in a big glass container or the traditional ceramic pickle jar. Adjust oil such that some oil floats on top of the pickle, this increases the shelf life of the pickle and stops it from spoiling soon. For daily use, rather than opening and closing this jar everyday, transfer some portion of it into a small dry container and use that small one for daily use. This again helps in increasing the shelf life of the pickle. This way it can be stored upto 6 months without refrigeration.

Mahalikazhangu pickle

Mangai Thokku

There are many varieties of mango pickle. Thokku is a type of pickle wherein the ingredients look mashed and blended, like a thick paste. Try Mango thokku and you will love it, you can have it with idli/dosa or chappathi and of course curd rice. Also if mixed little with hot rice with one spoon of gingelly oil, it tastes mmmmmmm...

 

Ingredients:

Raw & sour variety mango medium size : 2 (500g apprx)

Dry roasted fenugreek powder : 1 tbsp
Turmeric : 1/2 to 3/4th tsp
Asafoetida/Hing : 3/4th tsp
Salt : 100g apprx
Red chilli powder : 1/2 cup
Mustard : 1 tbsp
Gingley oil : 125 ml

Note : For fenugreek powder, dry roast the fenugreek till it turns reddish, then let it cool and grind it into powder.

Method:

1. Wash the mangoes well and pat them dry. Grate the mangoes. (No need to peel skin). Keep all ingredients ready nearby.

2. Take a thick bottom kadhai. Heat all the oil, add mustard seeds, let it crackle. Then add the grated mangoes, turmeric and saute well on medium flame. Keep mixing it well (down to up..down to up), else mangoes may tend to burn. Saute till quantity reduces to half approximately.

3. Add salt and saute for 3 min (on adding salt, mangoes will lose some water, so saute for 3 min), then add red chilli powder. Mix well. Check if oil is required, if you feel all the oil is absorbed and no oil is to be seen then add some oil.
4. Saute well till quantity reduces to 1/4th (1/4th of the initial quantity). The mango will look mashed and blended with all other ingredients.

Note: But make sure you dont saute too much also. The mangoes should have little moisture left too. It should not look very dry and fried.

5. Add fenugreek powder and asafoetida, immediately switch off flame and mix well.

6. Dont close with lid until it cools down. (Once you switch off the flame and mix well...let it cool for sometime...Then close it half with a lid because it takes hours together for it to actually come down to room temperature. If you close it with lid when hot, then moisture will stick on to the lid and soon water will drip into the pickle which will spoil it soon. So perform this step carefully.)

7. Take any dry air tight container  ( I personally prefer to keep the container open under sun for sometime before transferring any pickle into it), and transfer the pickle into it. If required, you can adjust oil/salt/asafoetida.

You can store it in fridge upto 6 months apprx.

Star Gooseberry Pickle(chinna nellikai)

These berries are from the amla (nellikai) family, their shape is star like or flower like, and they differ a bit in taste, they taste more sour. And that's how it stands apart from the normal Amla pickle. This pickle is very easy to make, you just need 15 to 20 min but tastes mind blowing.

Ingredients:

Note : The below quantities are approximate values. You can adjust as per your taste.

Star gooseberry (chinna nellikai) : 150g
Gingley oil : 150 ml
Red chilli powder : 50g
Salt : 3 to 4 tbsp
Dry roasted Fenugreek powder: 0.5 to 0.75 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Turmeric : 1/4th tsp

Method:

1. Wash the gooseberries well and pat them dry. Make sure there is no moisture.
2. With a knife, slit the gooseberry from four sides. Do not cut them into pieces, this slit is just to make the berries absorb the spices well.
3. Heat 75ml oil (or half the quantity) in a pan/kadhai, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the gooseberries, salt and turmeric. Mix well and saute them for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Gradually the skin will starts to wrinkle. Now add red chilly powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and the remaining oil. Mix well and saute for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Allow it to cool and come down to room temperature. Store it in a small pickle jar or any air tight container.

You can store this pickle for 15-20 days, else for up to 2 months if refrigerated. 

Mix Veg Pickle

During Pongal festival (celebrated in TamilNadu in Jan during Sankranti), lot of fresh turmeric gets accumulated in the households. We use it for the following festivals & also during bathing as a natural antiseptic. This time try using it for pickles. Also during this harvest season we get fresh carrot, ginger, mango-ginger (called 'mangai inji' in Tamil - it tastes like a hybrid of raw mango and ginger) and other vegetables. Let's make an awesome pickle with fresh turmeric, ginger, mango-ginger, lemon and carrot. Raw mango is optional, but it is included in the pickle pics attached. This pickle tastes great with chappathi, sambhar rice and curd rice.

Ingredients:
Ginger : 100g
Fresh turmeric finger : 4-5
Mango-Ginger (mangai Inji) : 100g
Carrot : 1 medium
Lemon : upto 4 or 5
Fresh raw mango : 1 small (optional)
Green chillies : 100-150g (adjust as per your taste)
Vinegar : 100ml
Turmeric powder : 0.5 tsp
Crystal salt : 100 to 150g apprx
Red chilli powder : 50 to 75 g apprx (adjust as per taste & green chillies added)
Asafoetida : 1 to 2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1+1 tsp
Dhaniya seeds : 2 tbsp
Saunf/Sombu (fennel seeds) : 1 tsp
Jeera : 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp
Gingley oil : 200 ml



Method:

1. Chop the ginger, turmeric fingers, mango-ginger, carrot, raw mango and green chillies into juliennes (short thin strips). Chop the lemon into small pieces (remove the seeds). Add salt and turmeric powder to it, mix well and let it marinate for 2 days. But keep mixing it often for 2 days.
2. You need to dry roast Mustard seeds (1 tsp), Dhaniya seeds, fennel seeds and jeera and make a coarse powder. But dry roast them separately as each of them take different time to heat up and release fragrance.  We perform this step so that these ingredients release their fragrance and it adds to the taste, and secondly they leave moisture and thus helps in longer shelf life of the pickle. Also dry roast Fenugreek seeds and make a fine powder.
3. Now add the spice powders prepared in step2 (except for dry roasted fenugreek powder) and red chilli powder to the marinated veg juliennes. Then heat 100ml oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds (1 tsp), let it crackle. Switch off the flame, wait for few seconds and add it to the veg juliennes.
4. Add asafoetida, dry roasted fenugreek powder, vinegar and mix well.
5. Add the remaining oil also and mix well. (If you do not like the raw flavour of oil, you can heat the oil till it is warm, then cool it and add it).
6. Now that we have added all our ingredients, mix it very well and let it marinate for 2 to 3 days. But you have to mix it well 3 times a day (i.e. morning, afternoon, evening) with a dry spoon/spatula.
7. You can adjust salt/oil/red chilli powder if required as per your taste. Transfer it into a dry pickle jar or dry air tight container.

You can store this pickle in fridge for upto 4 or 5 months.


Vadu Maanga