Mango ginger pickle

Mango ginger or manga inji looks like ginger root but tastes and smells like raw mango.

Ingredients:

250 gm Mango ginger chopped

1/4 cup Gingelly oil

4 tbsp chilly powder

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4 cup tamarind juice

1/4 cup vinegar - 1/4 cup

4 green green chillies

2 sprig curry leaves

salt to taste

Method:

1.Roast and powder asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and keep aside.

2.Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped mango ginger.Drain and keep aside.

3.In the same oil fry chopped grren chillies and curry leaves.

4.Add chilly powder,asafoetida fenugreek powder and fry for a minute.

5.Pour in the vinegar and tamarind juice.Add salt.

6.Throw in the fried mango ginger and switch of the flame when the mixture comes to a boil.

Lime pickle

This recipe is for my friend George who is a "Naranga achar" lover.

Ingredients:

10 Limes

2 garlic pods

2 inch ginger

4 tbsp chilly powder

1 tbsp asafoetida

1/4 tbsp fenugreek seed powder

1/2 cup sesame oil

1/4 tsp jaggery

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

salt to taste

Method:

1.Steam the limes for one minute and cut them into 8 pieces each once they cool down.Add salt and keep aside.

2.Grind and make paste out of ginger and garlic.

3.Heat oil in a pan and saute ginger garlic paste until they turn light brown in color.Add the chilly powder,asafoetida and fenugreek powder and fry for one minute on low heat.

4.Pour in the vinegar and water.Add salt,jaggery and bring the mixture to a boil.Switch off the flame.

5.when the mixture cools down add the lime pieces to it and mix well.

Apple Pickle

We took amma to a farm for apple picking one evening. Apple picking was fun; but when we returned home and tasted the apples it was sour. We were sure we wouldnt be able to finish it.Ammas innovative skills came to our rescue once again.Next day when we returned back from work we were in for a surprise.She had prepared apple pickle.Though it sounded odd at first we loved it when we tasted it.

Ingredients:

2 medium apples
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped green chillies
1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
4 tbsp chilly powder
1 tbsp asafoetida(kayam)
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder(dry roasted and powdered)
4 tbsp vinegar
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:

1.Cut apple into small pieces.Apply salt to the pieces and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2.Heat oil in a pan and add ginger,green chillies,curry leaves and saute till golden brown.
3.Add chilly powder and saute on low flame.
4.Add asafoetida and fenugreek powder.
5.Add vinegar,salt and sugar.
6.When the mixture boils switch off the flame and add apples.Mix well.

Chemeen Achar

When I return to college after long vacations my bags used to be loaded with chemmeen achar. I would carry it all the way from Abu Dhabi to Salem to see it vanishing in front of my eyes in just seconds after reaching hostel.

Amma doesnt add fenugreek to fish pickles.Instead she adds tamarind paste to it.This makes her chemmeen achar unique and the best.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg prawns cleaned
25 cloves of garlic cut into half
3 tbsp chopped ginger
8 chopped green chillies
2 tbsp chopped curry leaves
1 tbsp Asafoetida(kaayam)
3 tbsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup tamarind pulp
1/4 cup vinegar
4 tbsp lime juice
6 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:

1.Marinate the prawns with 1 tbsp chilly powder,1 pinch turmeric powder,1/4 tbsp asafoetida,lime juice and salt.Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2.Fry the marinated prawns in oil and keep aside.
3.Add oil to a pan and saute ginger,green chillies and curry leaves till they are crispy.
4.Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute on low fire.
5.Add chilly powder,turmeric powder,asafoetida and mix well.Add the tamarind paste.
6.Add the vinegar, salt and let it boil.Add the fried prawns and swith off the flame when the mixture starts to boil.

PS: Please adjust the amount of chilly powder according to your taste.