Raw turmeric lemon pickle

Raw turmeric has a lot of health benefit. No wonder that it is used widely in Indian cooking. It is considered to have antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in aiding digestion, regulating blood sugar besides curing various skin problems. Preserving them in pickle form not only makes it palatable but also helps in consuming it regularly. Along with lemon the health benefit of this pickle increases further.

                                          raw turmeric 

Ingredients:
Raw turmeric -100 gms
Lemon - 5 
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida powder -1/2 tsp
Sesame oil -4 tsps
Chilly powder - 8 tsps
Salt to taste

                               Chopped raw turmeric and lemon

Method:
Wash and scrap the outer skin of the raw turmeric. Cut it into small pieces. Cut the lemon also into small pieces. Add the required salt and chilly powder. Set it aside for five or six days. Keep stirring it daily during this period.  On the sixth day, temper mustard seeds and asofoetida in sesame oil and add to the pickle. Stir well and store it in airtight jars. 

Tender mango pickle (Maavadu)

Tender mangoes flood the market during the month of April and everything gets sold out in a week or less. So it is important to look out for these mangoes in the market when summer arrives. They are small button sized mangoes that come with stalks. Pickles made of tender mangoes are famous in the southern states of India. It is known as maavadu or vadu manga in Tamilnadu and Kadugu manga in Kerala. It is very easy to make and stays for over a year if preserved properly. 

Ingredients:
1. Tender mangoes -250gms
2. Chilli powder -1/2cup
3. Salt -1/2cup
4. Mustard powder -1tsp
5. Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
6. Castor oil -1tsp (optional)

                                     Tender mangoes

Method:
Select mangoes with the stalk. Wash and dry them. Take care to retain a little bit of the stalk. This helps to prevent the pickle from getting spoilt. Rub castor oil and turmeric to it. Then, add salt and close it. Stir once every day for six days. The mangoes would have oozed out water during that period. On the seventh day, add the chilli powder and mustard powder. Adjust the salt. Store it in air tight glass jars. It will stay for over a year.

Avakkai pickle

Come summer and the market is flooded with mangoes in various shapes and colours. Ripe mangoes are undoubtedly the most sought after.  However, raw green mangoes are the ones that can be preserved for the whole year in the form of pickles. Here is a mango pickle known as avakkai, which famous in the southern states of  India.

Ingredients:
Big raw green mangoes -1kg
Turmeric powder -5tsps
Chilli powder -100ms
Rock salt -100gms
Yellow mustard -50gms
Sesame oil -200ml
Salt powder -5tsps

Method:
Grind the mustard to a smooth powder. Combine it with the chilli powder and set it aside. Wash and wipe the mangoes. Cut it into big chunks. Smear salt and turmeric powder to it. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. By then, it would have released good amount of water. Drain them and spread it over a neat cloth. Keep it in the sun to dry. By evening it would have become very dry and its colour would have changed slightly. (The mangoes can also be dried indoors for about 2 to 3 three days). Mix the chilli powder mixture with the mangoes. Add the salt powder and half the oil. Keep it aside for 2 to 3 days, while giving a one stir everyday. After few days, the mangoes would have blended well with the chilli mixture. On the fourth day add the balance oil. stir well and store in a dry glass jar. Press down the mango pieces such that the oil is at the top. Do not refrigerate it. It will stay for one whole year.

Note: Asafoetida powder and fenugreek powder are also added to this pickle. But, I usually avoid them to keep the pungency of the pickle for a long period and thereby increase its shelf life. Black chick pea can also be added to this pickle. But it should be soaked in water, drained and then dried under fan to remove all its  moisture. 

Spicy sweet mango pickle (chunda)

There are many types of sweet pickles, which are in Guajarati households. There are sweet pickles made from lemon, citron, Indian gooseberry and ginger besides mango. Some are hot and sweet, while others are just sweet. Some pickles are sweetened with brown sugar and some with white sugar. Each one is unique in its taste and can be preserved for the whole year.

Spicy sweet mango pickle is known as chundo or chunda in Guajarati language. Traditionally, this pickle is prepared by sun drying the sweetened grated mango to a syrupy consistency. However, it can also be prepared without the sun. Here, I am presenting the second method of preparing chunda.


Ingredients:
Raw green mango -250gm
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Salt -1tsp
Sugar -150gms
Chilli powder -2tsps
Cumin powder -1tsp

Method:
Wash and grate the mango along with the skin. Rub turmeric powder and salt to it. Set it aside for 10 minutes. The mango would have released lot of water by then. Cook the mango along with the liquid for few seconds till it turns slightly soft. Then add the sugar. Keep cooking it over high flame till all the water is absorbed. Remove from the flame and add chilli and cumin powder.
 
Note:
The mangoes must green and raw without even a tinge of yellow.

Mango carrot pickle

Mango and carrot can be had in raw form, but when both are combined to make pickle, it tastes great. This easy to make sweet and sour pickle is mildly spiced to retain the flavours of both the vegetable. 

Ingredients:
Raw mango -100gms
Carrot -100gms
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Asafoetida powder -1/2tsp
Sesame oil -4tsps
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chilli powder -3tsps
Salt to taste

Method:
Grate the mangoes and carrot. Rub little salt to the grated mango and set it aside for ten minutes.
The mango would have released some water by then. Squeeze out the water from the mangoes. Mix the mango chunk with the grated carrot. (Use the liquid to make mango drink).
In a frying pan temper mustard seeds in little oil. When it stops crackling, add the asafoetida powder. Stir for few seconds. Then add the grated vegetables, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Stir fry for another few seconds or till it is well blended. Switch of the flame. Allow it to cool down. Store in air tight jars in a refrigerator.

Mango ginger pickle

Mango ginger resembles ginger in appearance, but imparts a mango flavour. This rhizome has lot of medicinal properties and is widely used in Ayurveda and unani medicines. It is also used in making pickles, chutneys and other culinary preparations.


Ingredients:
Mango ginger -100gms
Lemon juice -1/2 cup (50ml)
Salt -2tsps
Red chilli powder -25gms

Method:

Skin and chop the mango ginger into fine pieces. Add all the other ingredients. Mix well and store it under refrigeration.

Indian gooseberry pickle

           

         Indian gooseberry has lot of health benefits.  Consuming them regularly, stabilizes blood sugar. It is rich in calcium and Vitamin C, hence, it is used in abundance during winter season when it is available in plenty. Not to mention that it is used in many Ayurvedic preparations like chavanaprash.

      Ingredients:

1. Indian gooseberry -2 cups
2. Chilly powder -2 tblsps
3. Asafoetida powder -1/2 tsp
4. Mustard seeds -1 tsp
5. Salt -4 tblsps
6. sesame oil -2 tsps

Method:

Steam the gooseberries in a steamer or rice cooker, till it is soft. Remove the seeds and break it into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds. When it finishes crackling, add the asafoetida powder and remove from the flame. Then mix the salt and chilli powder. Store it in a dry container and refrigerate it.

Garlic chutney powder

Ingredients:

1.  Garlic Cloves - 16
2.  Grated Dry Coconut -1cup
3.  Sesame Seeds -2tblsps
4.  Peanuts - 2tsp
5.  Red Chillies - 15tsp
6.  Coriander seeds -2 tsp
7.  Tamarind Paste - 1tsp
8.  Sugar -1tsp
9.  Salt and oil - as required

Method:

Fry ingredients 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in little oil. Grind it along with sugar and tamarind paste in a blender without adding water. Store it in a dry jar. It will stay fresh for one month if stored in fridge.