Have pickle and enjoy the kick…
Pickles have been a staple delicacy for many centuries and each cuisine has its own speciality pickles. Pickling is a process of preserving food in salt water, some times vinegar and oil are also added. The concept of pickling started many centuries ago, obviously to preserve food to consume during off seasons and was eaten a lot by sailors.
In India, pickle is very famous and is served as a side dish with almost all meals. When you are in an Indian grocery store, you could find one whole isle devoted just for pickles. There you will stand intrigued and perplexed by the different varieties of pickles. You will come across pickles made out of vegetables, meat and sea food. Most common vegetarian pickles are made using green mango and lemon as these are abundantly available in India. In fact, each state in India has its own way of making pickles and so you could find South Indian pickles and North Indian style pickles.
In my hometown, Kerala Rice porridge along with pickle has been a comfort food and is served in most of the houses. Pickle has both the spice and sour flavor which alone can enhance the taste of any food you eat. This is the sole reason why it is served with all kinds of meals, even if it is a non-veg dish.
If you serve a meal without pickle to your guests in Kerala, they will immediately raise the question ” Do you have any pickle???”
There are a few benefits of eating pickles, like it can increase your apetite, they are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, good source of iron, vitamin A and fibres. However, too much intake of pickle is not good for your health as it is high in sodium and acid. So, intake it in a moderate amount and enjoy the kick for many years…
Green Mango Pickle
Ingredients
- Green Mango, diced small- 4
Spices:
- Red chili powder- 1 1/2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
For sautéing:
- Vegetable oil- 1/3 cup
- Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
- Cumin seeds- 1 1/2 tsp
- Dry whole red chili- 4 (or add dried chili flakes 1 tsp)
- Garlic, chopped small- 5 cloves
- Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
- Asafetida- 2 pinches
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Vinegar- 1/4 cup
- Sesame oil- 1 tsp
Instruction
- Cut the green mangoes into small, discard the seed.
- In a bowl, combine red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt, keep aside. If you want the pickle to be less spicy add Kashmiri chili powder instead of regular hot chili powder.
- Place a non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat and add oil.
- Let oil turn hot, add mustard seeds, and let it splutter.
- Add cumin seeds, dry red chili, and saute for a few seconds.
- Immediately add the chopped garlic and stir fry till golden in color.
- As soon as the garlic starts to turn light golden in color, add fenugreek seeds and saute for a few seconds.
- If fenugreek seeds turn brown it will impart a bitter taste, do not let it brown.
- Now, add asafetida and curry leaves, fry for a few seconds.
- Add the spices: chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Combine well and don’t let the spices burn.
- Immediately, add the diced mangoes and combine everything well.
- Stir fry the mangoes for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, combine well & cook for 2 minutes.
- Taste the pickle, add more salt if needed.
- Finish it off with sesame oil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool down.
- Sterilize your canning jars and dry them well before storing the pickle.
- When the pickle has cooled down, store it in the jar and close it airtight.
- The pickle should stand for at least 24 hours before serving so that all the flavors will get into the pickle.
- After a couple of days, it will taste better.
- Store it in the refrigerator for longer shelf life, will be good for a month.
Tips:
- I have reduced the amount of oil used for frying, if you want you could add more oil.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder and salt according to your needs.
- Pickles are supposed to be spicy and salty.
- Green Mango, diced small- 4
- Regular chili powder- 1½ tbsp
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Coconut or Vegetable oil- ⅓ cup
- Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
- Cumin seeds- 1½ tsp
- Dry whole Red chili- 4 (or add dried chili flakes- 1 tsp)
- Garlic, chopped small- 5 cloves
- Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
- Asafetida- 2 pinches
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Vinegar- ¼ cup
- Sesame oil- 1 tsp
- Cut the green mangoes into small, discard the seed.
- In a bowl, combine red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt, keep aside. If you want the pickle to be less spicy add Kashmiri chili powder instead of regular hot chili powder.
- Place a non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat and add oil.
- Let oil turn hot, add mustard seeds, and let it splutter.
- Add cumin seeds, dry red chili, and saute for a few seconds.
- Immediately, add the chopped garlic and stir fry till golden in color.
- As soon as the garlic starts to turn light golden in color, add fenugreek seeds and saute for a few seconds.
- If fenugreek seeds turn brown it will impart a bitter taste, do not let it brown.
- Now, add asafetida and curry leaves, fry for a few seconds.
- Add the spices: chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Combine well and don't let the spices burn.
- Immediately, add the diced mangoes and combine everything well.
- Stir fry the mangoes for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, combine well & cook for 2 minutes.
- Taste the pickle, add more salt if needed.
- Finish it off with sesame oil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool down.
- Sterilize your canning jars and dry them well before storing the pickle.
- When the pickle has cooled down, store it in the jar and close it airtight.
- The pickle should stand for at least 24 hours before serving so that all the flavors will get into the pickle.
- After a couple of days, it will taste better.
- Store it in the refrigerator for longer shelf life, will be good for a month.
Adjust the amount of chili powder and salt according to your needs.
Pickles are supposed to be spicy and salty.
