#36 DELICIOUS TESTY PICKLE

1. GOAN PICKLE
(Caterer para (Dry fish pickle)

Ingredients-

• Surmai or mackerel (dry)-20 pieces
• Red chilies (dry)-50
• Ginger cloves-45-50
• Cumin seeds-1 tbsp
• Pepper-1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1 tbsp
• Goan vinegar-375 ml

Method-

• Wash  the dry fish with some vinegar and place it in an air tight jar.. In a blender, grind all the other ingredients and pour the mix on the fish. Drizzle more vinegar to completely cover the pickle. Let the pickle rest for a month before use. To serve, take one piece out and fry it on a slow flame.

2.TAMILIAN PICKLE

(oil-free spicy lime pickle)

Ingredients-

• Lemons (chopped and deseeded)-6 cups
• Rock salt (pounded to a coarse powder)-1 cup
• Red chilli powder-2 to 3 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds-1 tbsp
• Asafoetida-1 tsp

Method-

• Roast fenugreek seeds and asafoetida, separately, Grind them into a fine powder and keep aside. In a mixing bowl, combone lemons, salt, red chilli powder and one teaspoon of the asafoetida-fenugreek powder. Mix them in a way that all the lime lieces are evenly coated with the masala. Put this in an air tight container and let it rest until the lime wedges have softened it should take around 10 days. Over time, the lemon release a liquid that makes the pickle juicy and chunky.

3.SINDHI PICKLE

(Onions in mustard water)

Ingredients-

• Baby onions (red or white)-500 gm
• Turmeric powder-2 heaped tsp
• Red chili powder-2 tsp
• Yellow mustard seeds-3 tbsp
• Salt-2 tsp
• Fresh garlic-25 gm
• Boiled and cooled-water

Method-

• Peel onions and rinse well. Coarsely pound yellow mustard seeds and keep aside. Slit the onions vertically and horizontally around the top-end to make a plus sign. Chop fresh garlic along with green stalks and keep aside. In a sterilised, airtight jar, tip in all the dry ingredients. Pour the water from top and ensure that it covers the onions evenly. keep this jar in sunlight or a warm place for two to three days.

4.SIMPLE MANGO PICKLE

Ingredients-

• Big green mango-1
• Gingelly oil-2 tsp
• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
• A few curry leaves 
• dried red chilies-2
• Fenugreek powder-1/2 tsp
• Heeng-1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method-

• Chop the mango finely. In a frying pan, add gingelly oil
• Then mustard seeds
• Curry leaves and whole red chilles. Switch off the flame and add chili powder
• Hing and fenugreek powder, Add the chopped mango and mix well.

5.THE NAWAABI SHOUK-THE ANDHRA SWING (NON-VEG)

Ingredients-

• Boneless chicken-1 kg
• Turmeric powder-5 gm
• Salt-20 gm

For masala-

• Ginger-garlic paste-200 gm
• Red chili powder-50 gm
• Fenugreek seeds-25 gm
• Garam masala-50 gm
• Garlic cloves-6
• Cinnamon stick-2
• Cardamom piece-1
• star anise-1
• Oil-300 gm

For Tadka-

• Curry leaves-30
• Kashmiri chilies-3 to 4
• Garlic paste-25 gm
• Oil-100 ml
• Vinegar-120 ml

Method-

For the chicken-

• Marinate the chicken with the turmeric and salt and keep aside for an hour.

For the masala-

• Heat the oil and fry the cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek seeds, star anise and cardamom.Add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, and garam masala.
• Add the chicken pieces and continue to cook till the oil separates.Keep stirring. Fry on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Make sure there is no water content.

For the Tadka-

• Heat the oil and add curry leaves,dry red chillis garlic and saute for a minute. Add the cooked chicken pieces along with any leftover gravy and oil. Combine well. Add the ground spices and cook on medium heat for around 15 minutes, continuously stirring.
• Add the vinegar, stir well and turn off heat. Cool and store in airtight bottles and refrigerate.
• The Vinegar is required for the preservation of the pickle. The shelf life should be approximately three months.