Garlic Pickle

It was that time of the year when Chaturmaas the four month sacred period was going to start. I had some garlic bulbs that were unused and I was not ready to use garlic in anything and everything I cooked. So decided to make a pickle. This year I had already made 4 other preserves hence didn't want to go about making the masala myself. Also there was a packet of Bedekar's Pickle masala lying around that I wanted to use. Here is what I did.

Ingredients

3 bulbs garlic
1 table spoon Bedekar's pickle masala
1/2 lime juice
1/2 cup oil

Peeled the pods and cleaned to get the garlic pods. Fried them in oil for 2 mins. Let it cool for 5 mins added masala, lime juice and mixed. Cooled completely through the day. Before going to bed transfered the pickle into a dry jar. It gave me about 300 ml jar pickle. Generally we start using pickles as soon as they are made even if they haven't aged yet. This pickle was fortunate it aged for 4 months.

Kadipatta Til Chutney

Ingredients


1 cup Curry leaves/ Kadipatta
4 teaspoons Sesame seeds/ Til
1 inch of tamarind
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry coconut grated
2 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon Poppy seeds /Khus Khus
1 pinch asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds


First in a non stick pan add oil. Crackle the mustard seeds. Add in a pinch of asafoetida. Fry the curry leaves until crisp it will turn a darker shade of green. Add in the sesame seeds mix, then the Poppy seeds mix. Fry till aromatic. Now add in the grated dry coconut brown it a bit but watch out not to burn it. Put off the heat and let is cool completely. Then pound it in the mortar and pestle for coarse powder along with tamarind, salt and sugar.

We like this chutney powder to be textured with a peek of all its ingredients. But if you are the type who don't like textures then grind it to a fine powder. Serve with any type of Bhakari or rice and ghee like they would in the south.

Mint Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Grind together into paste with minimum water.

Baby Onions and Chilies in Vinegar

Some time ago I had pjavascript:void(0)ut some baby onions (sambar onions) in vinegar and forgotten about it. Then yesterday I bought these chilies for Mirch ka Salan that I want to try out. I removed the baby onions to check the taste. I flipped completely.

I knew I would not need more than 6 chilies for the two of us so had to do something with the rest of the chilies. They went into the vinegar. That was the easiest way to enhance my fantasies of jalapenos in vinegar. I washed and pat dried them. One slit in each chili to ensure pickling inside out. I let the chilies swim in the onion pink vinegar and let the already pickled onions in the same jar sit atop the green chilies.

Thecha

Thecha is Marathi means some thing that is smashed. Well then this is the chutney that needs mashing up and it just smashes your taste buds. Let me warn you upfront this is not for people with mild tummies. Even if you gulp a glass of butter milk after it you will remain ablaze for the next 24hrs.

Now after that you still want to take the challenge then here is the recipe of a tame version compared to the village version with loads of green chilies.

Ingredients

2 green chilies
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
few drops of oil

In a non stick wok after heating it add a few drops of oil. Slit the green chilies to avoid bursting them follow up with garlic cloves. Roast for a while till both the green chilies and garlic is stained.

Cool a bit and then mash up in a mortar and pestle with the salt. Leave it coarse.

This Thecha goes as an accompaniment with Bhakri says tradition but let me tell you a secret , warmed baguettes with Thecha smeared on it is awesome or spread it on a pizza for the Indian fusion.

Green Chili Pickle

Ingredients

250 gms Green chilies
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup oil
4 tablespoons of lemon juice


Lets get the powders done first. To start, dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Grind them in a dry grinder to powder. Add the mustard seeds to the same grinder and powder coarsely. Though most pickles ask for mustard dal or split yellow mustard, ground whole mustard too does no harm. I keep the skin of the mustard seeds too.

Then cut the green chilies into tiny pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle on it the ground mix of fenugreek seeds and mustard. Add the turmeric, salt and asafoetida. Mix well. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a kadhai/ wok to smoking point. Put off the heat. Let it cool completely.

Now mix the chilies and spices in the oil. Follow in with the lemon juice. Mix well. Store in clean container. This pickle is ready to eat in a weeks time.

Pudina (Mint) Chutney

Ingredients:
2 bunches mint leaves
2 small mangoes
1½ table spoon sugar
5-6 green chillies
½ tea spoon mustard
salt to taste

Method :
Wash mangoes, peel it off and grate it nicely. Wash mint leaves and mix it
with grated mango. Mix all ingredients to it and grind without water. If needed,
add grated dry coconut for taste

Green Chili Pickle (Mirch Ka Achar)

Delicious and Spicy green chili pickle/achar.

Serves:
As per consumption.
Preparation Time:
20 Min .
Directions...

1. Wash Chilies properly and keep aside to dry.
2. From one side mark a cut on chilies and remove seeds.
3. Grind Anise Seed, Carom Seeds roughly. Mix Mango Powder, Turmeric Powder, salt.
4. Now add ½ tbsp of mustard oil in spices mixture.
5. Fill spices mixture in all the green chilies properly.
6. Now put all the filled green chilies in a glass jar and spread mustard oil all over them.
7. Chilies should soak in oil completely.
8. Keep the pickle jar in sun light for 2-3 days daily for about 4hrs.
9. You can serve green chili pickle with parantha or with any other Indian dish.

Tomato sauce

Ingredients
1 kg. tomatoes ripe, red, flat small variety
50 gms. Onion chopped
25 gms. Ginger peeled
10 gms. Garlic peeled
2 tsp. chilli powder
3 tsp. salt
100 gms. sugar
3 tbsp. vinegar
1/5 tsp. Citric acid dissolved in vinegar
1/5 tsp. sodium benzoate dissolved in 2 tsp. warm water

Tied in a pouch (of muslin cloth):
5 cloves
2" cinnamon stick broken
1 bay leaf
2 cardamoms
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

Method:


Wipe tomatoes clean, nip off base scar.
Chop onion, tomatoes roughly.
Crush garlic, ginger and mix with tomatoes and onions.
Put in a large, heavy pan, drop in spice pouch.
Heat while stirring frequently.
Do not allow to burn at the bottom.
When the tomatoes are very soft, take off fire.
Remove pouch, blend smooth, sieve to remove skins, seeds, etc.
Add chilli powder,salt and sugar.
Boil till consistency achieve plate test.
Add vinegar, boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from stove, add sodium benzoate immediately.
Stir and fill in sterilized bottles while still hot.
Cap immediately.

PICKLE's............

WILD MUSHROOM PICKLE

This recipe was modified from a recipe of a famous Finnish actress Marjatta Leppänen, who is also known as a keen mushroom picker.

very tiny, young and fresh wild mushrooms: funnel chanterelles, chanterelles and/or boletes

pickling brine:

100 ml spirit vinegar
100 ml white or red wine vinegar
300 - 400 ml water
500 g sugar
10 whole cloves
1 - 2 cinnamon sticks
¼ salt

You may use funnel chanterelles (Cantharellus tubaeformis) only, or mix them with yellow chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) and various boletes. If you only can find large mushrooms, cut them in smaller pieces.

Pour all the pickling brine ingredients in a saucepan. Stir and bring the mixture to the boil. Add the cleaned mushrooms in the liquid so that they are entirely covered in it. Reduce the amount of pickling brine if you only have a small amount of mushrooms at hand.

Bring the mixture to the boil again and cook on medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, until it has thickened a bit. Note: the less water you use, and the longer you cook the pickle, the thicker it will be. Pour the hot mixture in small, sterilized jars and seal with lids. Store the jars in a cool place.

This pickle is a wonderful accompaniment

Pickled Mushrooms

1 lb. mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth
1/2 C chopped onion
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Makes 1 Pint

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring all of the ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Pack the mushrooms and their liquid into a pint jar. Let the jar cool.

2. Cap the jar. Store it in the refrigerator for several days before eating the mushrooms. Refrigerated, the mushrooms will keep about 3 weeks.

sabz mirchon ka achaar

1/2 kg fresh green chillies bharne wali
125 grm fresh ginger
125 garlic
2teaspon zeera
2 teaspoon saunf
2 teaspoon kalonji
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 cups lemonjuice

wash chillies and let dry, then slit them on one side.
peel ginger and garlic, wash and dry.
then put garlic ,ginger , saunf, zeera, kalonji, pepper flakes in food processor and crush till it resembles bread crumbs. add salt as per taste.
open green chillies and sstuff with this masala. put in jar.
when you finish stuffing chillies, heat lemon juice and pou over chillies. keep it covered for a 3-4 days . and test. should be ready. though the aroma will make u impatient .
then its advisable to refrigerate for a longer life. though it always finishes too fast in our house.

Tomato Ketch up

• Ingredients :
• Tomato - 500 gms
• Onion - 50 gms
• Ginger - 10 gms
• Garlic - 25 gms
• Cloves - 3
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Cardamom - 4
• Sugar - 50 gms
• Salt - 10 gms
• Glacial Acetic Acid - 2 ml
• Sodium Benzoiate - 100 mg
•
• Method :
• Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and cut into small pieces.
• Chop ginger, garlic and onion. Pressure cook all these for 2 to 3 whistles or 25 minutes..
• Blend the mixture and strain through a strainer..
• Add red chili powder and half amount of sugar.
• Tie all the whole spices in a muslin cloth and put this bag in the mixture.
• Cook the mixture first on high flame for 10-15 minutes and then on medium flame till it reduces to half the quantity.
• Add remaining sugar and acetic acid to the sauce. Stir well and cook for another 10 minutes and put off the flame.
• Cool it and add sodium benzoiate when lukewarm.
• Let it cool completely.
• Fill in sterilized bottle and preserve.

Bamboo Shoot Pickle

Ingredients :
• Bamboo shoots - ½ can (cut into thin long strands)
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Green Chili - 1 (cut into 2-3 pieces)
• Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Method :
• Wash the bamboo strands well.
• Add lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder, chili and mustard oil. Mix well and keep it in a sterilized jar.
• Keep it in the sun everyday for 14-15 days.
• You can have it with rice or chapati.

Sauce/Chutney.....of differnt types..

TOMATO KETCHUP RECIPE
Ingredients:


1 1/2 kgs Tomatoes
1 tsps chilli powder
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 Cloves
1 Cardamom
1/4" piece Cinnamon
2 tsps chopped Ginger
4 cloves Garlic
1 cup Vinegar
2 tsps Salt
1/2 tsp glacial acetic acid
2 tsps sodium benzoate

How to make tomato ketchup:

* Chop the tomatoes, garlic and ginger and put in a degchi and cook on a low fire till tender and thick.
* Pass through a sieve.
* Add vinegar, sugar and chilli powder and cook until thick.
* Add acetic acid and sodium benzoate mixed in 1/4 cup boiling water.
* Pour the ketchup in bottles and cork tightly.
* Use after one week. This tomato ketchup can be kept for one year.


CORIANDER LEAVES CHUTNEY
1 bunch coriander leaves (25 4 Tbsp. urad dhal
pieces) 1/3 c. coconut (shredded)
2 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. tamarind,(paste)
6 red chilies 1 tsp. salt
1/4 x 1/4 inch asafoetida 1/4 c. water
(small piece)
Wash and clean coriander leaves and cut them into small pieces after removing
the roots. Saute chilies, asafoetida and urad dhal in oil until golden brown. Grind
coconut, red chilies, asafoetida, nely, rst. Then add tamarind paste, salt, coriander
leaves and urad dhal (fried) and grind coarsely. (Urad dhal should not be ground

ne.) This chutney goes well with dosai and adai. Can keep in the refrigerator for
many days. Note: If using asafoetida powder. (instead of whole asafoetida), use 1/4
teaspoon, but do not fry. Add it while grinding other ingredients.

COCONUT CHUTNEY
1 coconut 2 c. water
38 6 VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES
3 hot green peppers 2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 Tbsp. coriander leaves 1/2 tsp. urad dhal
1/4 tsp. fresh ginger (chopped) 1 tsp. curry leaves
1 clove garlic
Scrape coconut or cut coconut into small pieces. In a blender grind rst 6 ingredients
with 2 cups of water into a coarse paste. In a fry pan, heat oil over medium
heat. Saute mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. When mustard seeds crack
and urad dhal turns into golden color, remove fry pan from heat and pour the sauteed
mixture into the ground paste of coconut Stir the whole mixture. Goes well with idli
and dosai .

ONION CHUTNEY
4 onions preferably red 1/2 tsp. salt
onions 1 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. oil 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
3 red chilies 1/2 tsp. urad dhal
1/4 tsp. tamarind (extract)
Cut onions into small pieces and saute them in 2 tablespoons of oil for 5 minutes.
Keep stirring. A minute before removing from re, add the red chilies. Remove from
heat and grind them in blender with tamarind, salt and water into a ne paste. Heat
1 tablespoon of oil over medium re in a fry pan. Saute mustard seeds and urad dhal.
When mustard seeds crack, add the paste into it. Mix well and remove from heat.
Goes well with dosai.

SESAME CHUTNEY (Type I)
1/4 c. sesame seeds 1 clove garlic
3 tsp. oil 1 tsp. salt
2-3 red chilies 2 c. water
1/2 coconut 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. tamarind (paste) 1/2 tsp. urad dhal
Brown sesame seeds in a skillet over low heat until most of them crack. Saute chilies
in 1 teaspoon of oil in a skillet until golden brown. Then grind them in a blender with
coconut, tamarind, garlic, salt and water into a coarse paste. Then add the sesame
seeds and grind the whole mixture into a ne paste. Over medium heat, saute mustard
seeds and urad dhal in 2 teaspoons of oil until golden brown. Remove from heat and
pour the sauteed mixture into the above ground paste. Tastes good when eaten with
dosai.

Imli Chutney

Ingredients
1 Dried tamarind [imli] pulp 3 tablespoons
2 Brown sugar or jaggery 2 teaspoons
3 Roasted cumin powder 1 teaspoon
4 Fennel seed powder 1/2 teaspoon
5 Ginger, peeled and grated 2 teaspoons
6 Red chili powder 1/2 teaspoon
7 Garam masala 1/2 teaspoon
8 Salt 1/2 teaspoon
9 Hot water 1 cup
10 Lemon juice to taste
Method
If you use whole dried tamarind with seeds, then soak it in hot water for 20 mins and then squeeze and strain it. Now add all the ingredients to the tamarind, mix well and heat it to dissolve sugar.
Servings -depends on you

Green Coconut Chutney

Ingredients
1 Desiccated coconut 1 cup
2 Roasted chana [bhuna chana] 2 tablespoons
3 Garlic 4 cloves
4 Green chilies 4
5 Salt to taste
For tadka-
6 Mustard seeds [sarson dana] 1 teaspoon
7 Curry leaves 5
8 Whole dry red chilies 2
9 Oil 1 teaspoon
Method
Blend in together the coconut, chana, garlic, green chilies and salt with 2 tablespoons of water to a thick paste. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter, now add red chilies, curry leaves and drizzle it over the chutney.
Servings -depends on you

Sweet Mango Chutney-1

Ingredients
1 Mangoes [slightly ripened], peeled and chopped 3
2 Dates [khajur] 5
3 Jaggery [gud] 1 tablespoon
4 Roasted cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
5 Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
6 Oil 2 teaspoons
7 Whole coriander seeds, roasted 1/2 teaspoon
8 Salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add mangoes and cook until soft, mash them well and set aside. Now add all the ingredients together with mangoes and blend. Cool and store.

Thai Peanut sauce
Ingredients
1 Roasted unsalted peanuts
blend in a blender to a powder 150 grams
2 Unsweetened coconut milk 4 cups
3 Red curry paste 2 tablespoons
4 Sugar 2 tablespoons
5 Lemon juice 3 tablespoons
6 Fish sauce [soy sauce for Vegetarians] 3 tablespoons
Method
Heat 2 cups of coconut milk and red curry paste in a pan over high, continue to cook until oil from the coconut comes out. Now lower the heat to medium add peanut powder and the remaining coconut milk, bring to a boil, lower the heat, add sugar, lemon juice and fish sauce, stir and simmer for 20 mins until thickens and oil comes on the surface. Cool and blend it until thickens as the cream.If it is very thick, add coconut milk or water to thin it out.

Thai Lemon Coriander sauce
Ingredients
1 Fresh coriander leaves
finely chopped 1+ 1/2 cups
2 Red pepper, finely chopped 1
3 Red onion, finely chopped 1
4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped 4
5 Roasted unsalted peanuts
blended to fine powder 2 tablespoons
6 soy sauce 4 tablespoons
7 Vegetable oil 1 tablespoon
8 Lemon juice 3 tablespoons
9 Sugar 1 tablespoon
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, set aside for 30 mins, so that all the flavors combine together, then serve.


Thai Sweet n sour sauce
Ingredients
1 Rice or white vinegar 1 cup
2 Chili-garlic sauce 2 tablespoons
3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped 3
4 soy sauce 2 tablespoons
5 Salt 1/4 tablespoon
6 Sugar 1 cup
Method
Heat the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan on high heat for 4 minutes, until the sugar dissolved. Add soy sauce and salt and stir. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the fire. Add chili-garlic sauce and the garlic, stir and let it cool.

Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
1 Creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup
2 Sesame oil 2 tablespoons
3 Red cayenne pepper 1/4 tablespoon
4 soy sauce 2 tablespoons
5 Orange peel, grated 1 teaspoon
6 Granulated Sugar 2 teaspoons
7 Hot water 1/4 cup
8 Apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, whisk to combine to a smooth sauce.

Thai Satay sauce
Ingredients
1 Onion , chopped 1
2 Dried red chilies or chili powder [1 teaspoon] 3
3 Garlic 3 cloves
4 Lemon grass , peeled and chopped the tender parts only 1 tablespoon
5 Shrimp paste 1/2 teaspoon
6 Coriander seeds powder 1/2 teaspoon
7 Vegetable oil 1 teaspoon
8 Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
9 Roasted peanut powder Or
Crunchy peanut butter 1 cup
10 Coconut milk 1 cup
11 Coriander root, chopped 2
12 Tamarind juice 2 tablespoons
13 Sugar 2 tablespoons
14 Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Method
Put onion, lemongrass, shrimp paste, chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander, coriander roots and coconut milk in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan, add the blended mixture gently and cook until lightly browned. Now add the remaining coconut milk and whisk over low heat. Now add the peanuts [ or peanut butter], sugar, tamarind juice and salt, stir well. If it is too thick add coconut milk to thin it out. If it is thin, simmer more until thickens.