Green Chilly Pickle

Spicy Yummy Green chilli pickle. Just have a try.

Ingredients :-

• Short and fat green chillies - 2 cups
• Pickle masala powder – 2-3 t. sp.
• Oil – 1 cup
• Vinegar - 1 cup
• Brine – ½ cup

Preparation Method :

1. Wet the masala powder with brine and vinegar.
2. Slit the chillies and stuff them with the masala.
3. Pack in a bottle.
4. Warm the oil and pour over it.
5. Add the rest of the vinegar and brine.
6. Use after a week.

Kadumaanga Achar

Ingredients :-

• Small pulimanga - 1kg
• Ground Mustard seeds 100 gms
• Chilli powder    250 gms
• Salt

Preparation Method :

1. Clean the mangoes and wipe it dry. Add salt and keep in a porcelain container for two weeks.
2. After two weeks open and add chilli and mustard powder.
3. This will stay for a year.

Salt Mango Pickle

A very simple & tasty Mango preparation.

Ingredients :-

• Medium size salt mango - 100 nos 
• Gingelly oil - 1 cup 
• Mustard - 1/4 cup 
• Fenugreek - 2 dsp 
• Turmeric powder - 1 dsp 
• Dry chilli split into 2 pieces - 25 nos (without seeds) 
• Red chilli powder - 3/4 cup 
• Asafoetida sauted in  gingelly oil and powdered - 3 dsp
• Salt - 1/2 kg

Preparation Method :

1. Heat 1cup gingelly oil and season the mustard and fenugreek.
2. Add turmeric powder and dry chillies and saute in a low flame.
3. Remove from fire and add all the other ingredients, except mango.
4. When cool, apply the masala on the mangoes and store them one above the other in a dry mud vessel.
5. Pour boiled and cooled water.
6. The water level should be above the mangoes.
7. This pickle can be used after 4 or 5 days.

Nellikka Achar

Gooseberry pickle in Kerala style

Ingredients :-

• Gooseberry - 3 lb

• Chilli powder - 3/4 lb
• Fried fenugreek powder - 4 dsp
• Asafoetida powder - 2dsp
• Mustard - 1 1/2 dsp
• Curry leaves
• Salt - 1 dsp
• Gingelly oil - 1 bottle

Preparation Method :

1. In a thava, fry thegooseberries each time in 4 oz. Of the oil.
2. When they are soft to the touch, remove from fire.
3. Mix all the ingredients along with salt.
4. Heat the remaining oil, crackle the mustard and curry leaves and pour into the gooseberries.
5. Put them in jars.
6. Those who like the masala to be sour, can add a cup of vinegar also.

Inji/Ginger Curry

Ingredients :-

• Inji/Ginger - 3/4 lb chopped into small slices
• Shallots - 8 chopped fine (Optional. You do not need to use them if you are making it for sadya )
• Green chillies - 4 - 5 chopped fine
• Chilly powder - 3 - 4 tsp (adjust it according to your spice tolerance)
• Fenugreek powder/uluva podi - 1/2 tsp
• Hing/Asafoetida - A pinch
• Tamarind/puli - lemon-sized or to taste
• Jaggery - 2 tbsp or to taste

Preparation Method :

1.  Chop the ginger and fry in oil until brown and crispy.  When it cools down, grind or crush in a mixer.
2.  Soak the tamarind in warm water(around 2 cups) and extract its juice. 
3. Heat oil in a deep pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chillies, shallots (if you are using them) and saute until the shallots turn brown. Now add the green chillies, curry leaves and saute for a few more minutes.
 4. Pour the strained tamarind extract to it. Bring it to a boil and add chilly powder, fenugreek powder and hing. Now add the ground ginger and jaggery. Mix well. Check for salt. Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes stirring in between and switch off. Adjust the gravy according to your consistency. I like to have a medium-thick consistency. You can store it in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. Use it like a pickle though I have it like a curry .

Tips:

1) You could also grate ginger instead of chopping it. Squeeze out the juice, fry and crush them in a mixer.

2) Add more green chillies, if you wish to avoid using chilly powder.

Puli Inji

Inji puli is a pickle that is a must in a Kerala Sadya. As all of you know, most of the Kerala dishes are influenced by regional variations. As far as I know, this dish has two major variations and is called by two different names in the Southern and Northern part of Kerala – Inji Curry and Puli Inji. As we both are from the South, we have already posted the recipe for inji curry here. Inji curry is usually spicier than puli inji and the taste of ginger predominates the sweet and sour taste of jaggery and tamarind . But in the case of puli inji there is a balance of sweet and sour elements and the taste of ginger does not dominate them and it is way sweeter than our inji curry.The main ingredients of this dish are ginger, green chillies, tamarind and jaggery. The traditional method doesn’t call for frying the ginger but you can fry it if you want. The other recipe, Inji Thayir, is not a part of traditional Kerala feast but is usually served during pirannal sadya and “sraddham”. Hope you like both the recipes!!

Ingredients :-

• Ginger - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
• Puli - large lemon-sized
• Green chillies - 5 - 6, sliced to rounds
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery -  4 cubes or to taste
• Salt - To taste

To season :-

• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1

Preparation Method :-

1. Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for a few minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and pour the extract into a deep saucepan. Add a cup of water, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder. Bring it to a boil (do not cover with lid). Reduce to simmer. Add the chopped ginger (You can add fried ginger if you want. Heat a little oil in a pan and saute the chopped ginger until brown), jaggery cubes and let it simmer until it reaches a thick consistency, stirring occasionally. It would take more than an hour to achieve this consistency. Adjust the tamarind and jaggery according to your taste preference.   
2. Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Fry the dry red chillies and curry leaves. Pour over the prepared puli inji. Serve with rice.

Inji Thayiru

Ingredients :-

• Ginger - 2 tbsp, grated
• Green chillies or birds’ eye chillies -1 - 2, finely chopped
• Pearl onion - 2 - 3, chopped (You can avoid this if you are preparing it for sadya)
• Yoghurt - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
• Curry leaves - 1-2 , chopped (optional)
• Salt  - To taste

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Taste-check for salt. Serve with rice.

Naranga Curry

Naranga curry is a pickle that is usually served  in a traditional Kerala sadya during Onam. It is made using curry naranga / vadukapuli naranga that looks like a large lemon but is comparatively very sour and juicy. This pickle tastes best when fresh and will not keep for more than 2 - 3 weeks in a refrigerator.

Ingredients :-

• Karinaran ga / vadukapuli  - 1 small, cubed
• Green chillies - 4 - 5 , sliced to rounds
• Garlic - 10 - 15, small cloves
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Chilly powder - 4 - 5 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hing / asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Gingelly oil (nallenna) - 1.5 tbsp

Preparation Method :-

Heat gingelly oil in a pan and splutter mustards. Add the garlic cloves and saute until they turn light brown. Now add the cubed lemon pieces, green chillies and curry leaves. Give it a stir and add around 1 cup water. Bring it to a boil and add the chilly powder, fenugreek powder, salt and hing. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off when the gravy thickens. Cool down and store in a bottle. You can use it right away but remember to use a dry spoon while serving. It will keep for 2 - 3 weeks in a refrigerator.

Lemon Pickle/Naranga Achar

Ingredients :-

• Lemon - 6 (Wash and pat dry)
• Garlic - 6 - 8 small cloves
• Chilly powder - 1.5  - 2 tbsp
• Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida/hing - 1 - 2 pinches
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 2
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Gingely/sesame oil/Nallenna - 1 tbsp
• Salt - To taste

Preparation Method :-

1. Steam the lemon for around 10 mts. The lemons should not break.
2.   When it cools down, cut each lemon to around  8 pieces.
3.  In a pan heat gingely oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add dry red chillies, garlic and curry leaves.  Saute until the garlic turns brown.  Lower the heat.
4.   Now add chilly powder, fenugreek powder and hing.  Saute for a few seconds and add 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil. When the gravy is thick, switch off. 
5.   When it cools down, add the lemon pieces.  Mix well. Check for salt.  Keep the pickle intact in an airtight jar at least 2 weeks for the flavor to set in.

Tips:

1)  You can add more chilly powder to this pickle if you wish. I usually add less chilly powder to my pickles since I consume them daily  in huge quantities.  Even if you add more chilly powder it wont be spicy since the sourness of the lemon will compensate its heat. Same is the case with salt.  

2) You can also opt not to cook the lemons but the lemons available here are thick-skinned than the ones available in India so it would be better if you steam or cook them. You can also add ginger if you wish.

3) Adding water is optional. If you do not want a gravy just add the spice powders, stir for a few seconds and switch off. Cool down this mixture and add the lemon pieces.

Kaduku Manga Achar / Mango Pickle

Ingredients :-

• Raw mango – 1
• Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek powder – ½ tsp                                     
• Hing – ¼ tsp
• Salt – To taste
• Sesame oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chillies – 1
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Preparation Method :-

1. Chop the mango into small pieces. Mix the chopped mango pieces with chilly powder, fenugreek powder, hing and salt in a bowl. Keep it aside for a few hours. In a pan heat sesame oil, splutter mustards, fry dry red chillies and add curry leaves. Add the mango pieces and mix well. Alternatively, you can pour this tadka over the pickle that’s kept aside and mix well. Cool and store in an airtight container.
2. You could add around 2 tbsp yoghurt to 3 tbsp or so of this pickle for an extra taste but consume it within 1-2 days. Add extra salt if needed.