Pickles

1.Tamarind-Ginger Pickle:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lemon sized balls of tamarind
6 inch piece ginger
10 green chillies
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
1/4 tsp asafoetida
salt to taste
10 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 red chillies whole
1 tsp jaggery.

Method:
Soak the tamarind in 2 cups warm water, remove the pulp, strain and keep aside. Wash, scrape and spread the ginger on an absorbent sheet to dry. Wash and chop the green chillies into 1/2 cm pieces. Roast the fenugreek seeds on a hot griddle to golden brown, powder and mix with the asafoetida and salt. Heat 4 tbsp of oil, add ginger and green chillies, saute for about 2 minutes and add the turmeric powder. Stir well and cook for a few minutes and remove. Heat the remaining oil, temper with mustard seeds, red chillies and pour the tamarind pulp. Bring it to a boil, add the powdered fenugreek mix and the jaggery. Simmer till it reduces by half and thickens well. Mix the chilli-ginger mixture, cook for a few minutes more, stirring continuously. Cool and store in a sterilized bottle. This pickle has a short shelf life of about 6-7 days only. Store in the refrigerator to prolong shelf life.

2.Avakai:

Ingredients:
1 kg raw mangoes
250g chilli powder
200g mustard seeds (roasted and powdered)
100g garlic flakes (peeled)
50g turmeric powder
2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
A handful of raw red bengal gram (chana-not kabuli chana)
250g salt
400 ml sesame Oil

Method:
Wash , dry and stone the mangoes. Cut into 2.5cm pieces. Put the mango pieces in a dry jar. Add salt, raw chana, turmeric, garlic, chiili powder, fenugreek seeds and mustard powder to the mango pieces. Mix well with a dry spoon. Heat oil on a low flame without letting it smoke and remove from heat. When cool, pour the oil over the seasoned mango pieces in the jar. Close the jar and cover with a dry muslin cloth. After a week open the jar and keep it in the sun for a week. Can be eaten after a fortnight. Avakai stays fresh for almost 2 years.

3.Methamba:

Ingredients:
10 medium raw mangoes
Salt to taste
6-8 cloves
3 inch stick cinnamon
1 cup oil
2 tsps mustard seeds split
1/4 tsp asafetida (hing)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
5-6 red chillies
1 1/2 cups grated jaggery

Method:
Peel de-seed the raw mangoes. Cut into 1 inch pieces, apply salt and set aside for 24 hours. The mangoes will let out water, remove the water, wash the chopped mangoes and drain. Roast and powder the cloves and cinnamon coarsely. Heat the oil. Add split mustard seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, mango pieces and jaggery. Add a little water and cook till the jaggery coats the mango pieces. Remove from heat and sprinkle cloves and cinnamon powder. Taste if salt is enough. Store in an airtight container.

4.Indian Plum Relish:

Ingredients:
250g Indian Plum (topa kool)
1 tsp mustard oil
2-3 whole dry red chillies
1/8 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 tbsp sugar
3-4 cups water
Salt to taste.

Method:
Remove stem from Indian Plum and de-seed. Wash, drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies and mustard seeds. Saute for a minute. Add the plum and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Stir in salt, water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20minutes.