Instant Gooseberry pickle / Nellikkai Oorgai

Before going to the recipe, I am very happy to say that this blog turned 2 yesterday. I started blogging recipes from September 29, 2006 in the name Try This Recipe. Last december the blog got a new name and a new domain Paajaka recipes. I am glad that there were 164K visitors and approximately 350K page views in the last 2 years.

I am a very creative person and blogging has given me an opportunity to show out my talents and as well, has been a gateway for me to connect to the world and to interact with people who share the same interests. In the last two years, I made many many blogger buddies and non blogger friends as well. There is nothing in this world more precious and more inspirational than the sweet comments/feedback I get from friends like you. Thank you so much for your continued support and friendship. With best wishes from you all and with the grace of God, I shall continue posting many more recipes.

Coming to the recipe, here is a very simple instant gooseberry pickle or Nellikkai Oorgai/Urkai as it is called in Tamil. I used one packet, Big size gooseberry that is available in the frozen section in the Indian stores. Apart from the preserved pickles that are prepared in the Indian households, there are pickles that can be made and served immediately. Gooseberry pickle is one such pickle. Here is the reicpe.

Ingredients:

Big gooseberry - 5 numbers

(I used one packet of Big gooseberry in the frozen section in Indian stores)

Salt - 1 tablespoon

Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon

Cumin seeds - half teaspoon

Method:

If using the frozen gooseberries, thaw the gooseberry for a minute in the microwave.

Chop the gooseberries and discard the seeds. Keep it in a separate mixing bowl.

Mix in salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and lemon juice.

Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it pops, remove from heat and allow the oil to cool off completely.

Meanwhile, dry roast the fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds and grind it together.
Mix this ground powder and the cooled oil (with mustard) to the gooseberry and stir well.

Serve with curd rice.

This is my entry to AFAM - Gooseberry hosted by Illatharasi.

Instant mango pickle

A summer afternoon lunch is not complete without this delicious instant mango pickle in most of the households in south India. It is called maanga oorgai in tamil and maavinkai uppinkai in kannada. It takes hardly ten minutes to prepare this pickle. It is summer here and the groceries are filled with firm mangoes to ripe ones. I got a couple of mangoes to make my all time favorite pickle. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Raw mango - firm - 1 medium sized

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Red chilli powder - half teaspoon

Turmeric powder - little

Salt as required

Asafoetida powder - 2 pinches

Oil - preferably Gingily oil/Nallennai - 1 tablespoon

Method:

Wash the mango and pat it dry. Dice the mangoes carefully into fine cubes (one centimeter size). Do not peel the skin.

Transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Mix in red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.

Top it with asafoetida powder and keep it aside.

For the seasoning, heat oil and add mustard seeds.

When it pops, pour the seasoning carefully on the mango.

Mix well and the instant mango pickle is ready to go especially wtih curd rice.

Wrap it in-between a roti or make a bread sandwich with this pickle. Enjoy anyway you want it. It is such a delightful pickle indeed. The same recipe can be tried with apples too.

For variation, ground roasted fenugreek seeds can be added to this pickle. Just show a quarter teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in heat and dry grind the seeds and add it to the pickle before doing the seasoning. This pickle is my entry to Eating with the seasons - August.

Authentic South Indian Lemon Pickle / nimbekai uppinkai

Authentic Lemon Pickle is one spicy tangy pickle that is usually served with curd rice in south India. A pickle lover would have this pickle with dosa, iddli, curd rice or even rasam rice sometimes even chapathis. It is usually prepared once a year and is preserved in a dry porcelin jar or a glass jar. Please note that only dry spoon has to be used while taking the pickle from the jar. Do not use wet spoon. This pickle stays fresh for atlest a year. This is my mom's recipe and here is how she prepares in the most authentic way.

Ingredients:

Lemon (yellow) - 20 count

Salt as required

Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 3/4th cup

fenugreek seeds - 5 teaspoons

Oil - 1 cup

Mustard seeds - 3 teaspoons

Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Cut the lemon into 8 parts and trasfer it to a large dry porcelin jar/glass jar.

After cutting 4 lemons, add salt to coat the cut lemons.

Repeat this process until all the lemons are cut.

Mix in turmeric powder and keep it closed.

Shake the jar once everyday for one week to 10 days.

If the salt is less the lemons will decay due to fungus.

After this period the lemon will become soft.

Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind it.

Mix red chilli powder and ground fenugreek to the salted lemon.

Heat the oil and turn off the heat. Let the heat come down a little.

Then, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida powder and keep it aside until the oil comes to room temperature.

Gently mix the seasoned oil to the lemon.

Keep it closed in a jar. Be cautious not to get the pickle in contact with water. Use only clean dry spoon to scoop the pickle.

This pickle is very delicious specially with curd rice. Nothing can beat this combination. A south Indian will definitely agree to this.

This is my entry to 'Putting up' event hosted by Pixie and Rosie.

Instant Lemon Pickle

My friend gave me few lemons when I visited her a couple of weeks back. They were big sized yellow lemons that had a little hard skin. I never realized that they were very juicy until I turned one of them into my favorite pickle. The usual way for preparing lemon pickle is to mix salt to the cut lemons and keep in the sun for 15 days in the jar and shake it daily. I did not have the patience to wait for days (though I admit that it's taste is much more authentic). So, tried out some technique to prepare instant lemon pickle, that's tasty, hot and juicy. Here's how I prepared.

Ingredients:

1 Big sized lemon

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tablespoon

Salt as required

Asafoetida Powder

Roasted and ground fenugreek seeds (metha) less than 1/4 teaspoon

1 tablespoon Oil for seasoning

Mustard Seeds

Method:

Dice the lemon and pressure cook (without adding water) for just few minutes. Set aside (with all the oozed out juice) in a mixing bowl.

When it cools completely, mix in the Salt, Red chilli powder, Asafoetida powder and Fenugreek powder. Mix well.

Heat Oil and spatter the Mustard seeds. Pour this over the pickle and mix well. Instant lemon pickle is ready.

Serve with curd rice. Goes well with rotis or even bread. store in air tight glass container and refrigerate.

Strawberry Pickle

Being a great lover of Strawberries, I wanted to try some new recipe out of this colorful delicious fruit. I wanted to add some spice to it with a touch of sourness and …..came the recipe “ Strawberry Pickle”. Sounds peculiar, but worth the try. The first time I tasted the pickle, I swear, it did not impress me much. But I never knew that, it would take sometime to acquire the new taste. I started loving this yummy pickle especially with curd rice, a combination never heard of. Dear Strawberry lovers, I present to you the recipe for the tasty “Strawberry Pickle”.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1-tablespoon limejuice
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Jeera (cumin) – 1 teaspoon
Aniseeds (sonf) – 1 teaspoon

Dhania powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil – 2 teaspoons

Method:

Put the chopped Strawberries in a bowl, add the lime juice, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt and mix gently. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when it sputters, add the Jeera, dhania powder and Aniseeds. Now add this to the prepared Strawberries and mix well. Remains fresh for 1 day when refrigerated in an airtight container.

Pavakka (bitter gourd) Pickle

bitter gourd pickle / Hagalkai uppinkai:

Definitely an acquired taste, bitter gourd is also called Balsam pear or bitter melon. Young immature bitter gourds are the best for cooking: the skin is bright green in color, the flesh inside is white, and the seeds are small and tender. The vegetable is ridged, and the skin is pebbly in texture. Do not use mature bitter gourds, and do not eat bitter gourd if you are pregnant or nursing.

Bitter gourd contains vitamin A, B1, B2, and C. It also contains minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium. From the ayurvedic perspective, bitter gourd is excellent for balancing Kappa. It helps purify blood tissue, enhances digestion, and stimulates the liver.

Below is a recipe for Pavakka pickle.

Ingredients:

4 to 5 medium size pavakka (bitter gourd)

To prepare bitter gourd for cooking, wash thoroughly, then cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a sharp spoon or corer and discard. Dice the bitter gourd and add ¾ tea spoon turmeric powder and ¾ tea spoon salt and mix well Keep in a closed container for about 2 hrs. After two hrs, take the mixture and squeeze out water using a towel and pat dry. This process will take away most of the bitterness.

3 table spoon - Oil – preferably Gingili (nalla ennai)
Little Asafoetida
1 teaspoon Fenugreek powder – roast the fenugreek (menthya) seeds (do not roast too much) and powder it.
¼ teaspoon tamarind concentrate
½ teaspoon red chillie powder
2-tablespoon jaggery/brown sugar
Salt if required.

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy kadai and add asafoetida, to it add the bitter gourd and sauté well until it becomes crisp. Add the fenugreek powder, tamarind, and red chillie and blend it with the gourd. Add the jaggery/brown sugar to it and mix well. Stir for sometime. Taste for salt. Add a little if needed.

This can be cooled completely and has a shelf life of 3 to 4 days when kept in fridge in an airtight container.

Goes well with curd rice.

This is my entry to Pooja's 'Vegetable of the Week' round up for Bitter gourd.

Instant Apple Pickle

Wondering how in the an Apple pickle would taste. I felt the same when a friend of mine told me this recipe. I just loved it the first time I tasted. I bet you will too. Its got the juicy, spicy taste. If you are an Apple lover, you sure will love this delicious pickle. It goes very well with Curd rice. If you really liked the pickle, you would sure substitute as a curry for your main course. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Apple - 1
Turmeric - 1/4 spoon
Red chille powder- 1/4 spoon
salt - a little less than 1/4 spoon
lime juice -1/2 spoon - optional - add it if you want it a little sour
oil - 1 table spoon - preferrably gingily oil ( Nalla ennai )
Asafoetida powder - little
mustard seeds - 1/4 spoon

Method:

Dice apple into very small cubes. Add the lime juice (optional). Add the turmeric, red chille powders. stir and add salt. Heat the oil and add mustard seeds, after it pops, take it off the heat and add asafoetida to it. Now, pour the seasoning to the diced apple and mix well. A healthy pickle is ready in an instant. Lasts for a day when kept in the fridge.

Note:

1. If the apple is too sweet, add more red chillie powder and/or one teaspoon lemon juice.

2. It is not necessary to peel out the skin.

3. You can add green chillie seasoning instead of red chillie powder.

4. Add jeera too in the seasoning, if you like the taste of it.

My relative tried this pickle and sent me a photo of how she displayed it. Here is the photo. She is very creative.