Amla ka achar / Gooseberry pickle

 

 Seasons come; seasons go.
Year after year. Time after expendable time.
We stand aside and watch.  And marvel at this wondrous thing called nature.
And the changes in it.
Every year.
We marvel at the leaves turning brown and they way they shower down.
We marvel at the beautiful rain.
We wonder at the sun's change ... from the loving warm to the angry heat.
And its move from north to south and again from south to north; twice a year.
We watch the bare trees bathe in green again.
We plan our days and nights and months in accordance to it.
Every single year.
And never tire of it. Ever.

Birthdays come; birthdays go.
We sit back and watch.
At ourselves.
And wonder.
What if we had taken that trodden path instead of the smooth highway?
Through the sunny woods and brown leaves laden trees?
What if we had opened up our faces to the sun and our hair to the wind?
What if we had stepped into that puddle instead of walking around it?
And let the rain in on us instead of hiding under that umbrella?
What would we have got had we walked through that stream and not taken the little bridge?
And what have we missed by not hugging that old person instead of just smiling and standing aside?

So many questions flood the mind.
So many 'what if?'s.
After seeing life upfront and close the past few years, this is what I have started to do.
Make a promise to myself.
That I will live in the moment more and plan less.
That I will let go of the obsession of staying organised and let myself be; at least for some time.
That I will take up things that I love to do ... more.
That it is ok to read a few more pages of that book and not leaving it for chores.
That I will learn to understand that everybody will be fine if I do not enquire after them.
That I do not have the sole responsibility of worrying about people and their well being.
That I will soak in nature more .... just like I watch Bapi's 'dwitiya'r chaand' every month, diligently.

That I will step into the rain next time, without that umbrella; for sure.

Speaking of seasons, winter is tip toeing out.
Very reluctantly; very lingeringly.
While we did travel a lot this January, I took out time to make some boris and stock up for summer and its dose of Paanto bhaat.
I also made some achaars / pickles.

The Kacche haldi ka achar and this Amla / Indian gooseberry ka achar is a must make during winters.
While I prefer to eat a whole Amla raw ... for its healthy properties to work better on us, I also make this achar so that we can have it with our food, on the side, too.

This achaar goes very well with some dal and rice. Or even parathas.
I am not much in favour of dousing things with loads of sugar ... so never make the murabba.
And neither do I boil the amlas ... all the nutrients get drained away that way.
I just keep them very small in size ... they get done quickly, in the sun, that way.
You can grate them too.

Need :

Amla / Indian gooseberries - 250 gms
Sarson / Black mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Saunf / Fennel seeds - 2 tbsp
Kalonji / Nigella seeds - 2 tbsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
Whole dry red chillies - 6 pieces
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Sea salt - 1 tbsp
Hing / Asaefoetida - 1 tsp
Mustard oil - Enough to soak the pickle ( around 2 tea cups )

How to:

Cut amla into bite sized pieces.

Coarsely grind mustard seeds + red chillies + saunf + kalonji + methi seeds.
Just one or two pulses in the mixie works.

Mix the amla with salt and the above mix + haldi powder.

Put into a dry sterilised bottle.

Heat mustard oil to smoking point.

Switch off flame and wait for a while .... till the temperature drops a little.

Add hing ... the oil should be only that much hot that the hing will sizzle and cook but not burn.

Cool the oil.

Pour it into the bottle.

Sun for four to five days ... without cover.
Here are my bottles of the Tel Kopi and Kacche Haldi ka achar along with the Amla, soaking up the winter sun.

Your Amla ka achar is ready to eat now.
Do not balk at the amount of oil ... it is just to preserve the pickle.
Over time, the oil takes in the flavours of the spices and the tang of the amla and turns delicious.
Just a few drops on some plain rice or muri / puffed rice will take you straight to food heaven.

I had made some Mooli Methi theplas that paired very well with this awle ka achar.

Enjoy!!

On another note, I finally managed to make a post on my New York trip, after ages.
Do hop over.

Kacche Haldi ka Achar / Raw Turmeric pickle

Just read the line "The weather outside is so frightful!" in one of my knitting groups on face book and my heart went "No, no, you are wrong! The weather outside is so delightful!"

That's right.
The weather outside is absolutely delightful.
The mornings are very cold ... but not the cold of like four degrees or such. They are a beautiful, lightly foggy nine degrees. The air is so clean and sharp that if you step out  and take a deep breathe, you will feel you have inhaled something sharp yet very refreshing.

It takes all of my mental strength to step out from the comforting warmth of the room heater. And yet, love doing it every single day. I hesitantly touch the iron grill door ... it is sharp cold ... and push it open.
And step out.
The bright sunlight from the east has already overtaken the building and has reached the trees ... my balcony is on the west. The parrots are already flying around with great energy .... they have been up from day break and hence 7 o'clock is pretty late for them .... screeching their voices out. Their long tails draw green streaks all over the tree tops and the skyline.
I glance to check if the bird bath is full. It isn't.
As usual there is a splatter of water all over ... the plants below it are wet. The birds have had their bath and won't be coming over for a drink till late afternoon.

I sit in my blue cane swing and watch the world below go by. The green grocer's van has just come in ... yet  there are a few ladies already waiting. The old man at the tea shop shanty near the temple already has the stove running. I can see the smoke wafting from a big pan.
School buses make a line, surprisingly calm ... no honking at each other.
I turn the swing back .... towards the trees and the small jungle. The leaves are quivering in the early morning breeze. The haze hangs on the still existing small piece of Jowar field.
And the small stream has a couple of white herons standing sleepily on one leg ... waiting for their next catch.
I don't think there is any other place on earth where winter can be so beautiful.
Yes, I love Pune in the winters.

The sun turns warm.
The couple staying in the hut just below the stream have started their makeshift fire .... the smoke of dry woods burning fills the air.
I love that smell ... every morning and evening.
Time to make some tea for myself.
I get up and step in ... for the day. And the chores waiting.

 Today's recipe takes me back to my childhood, often.
When I was young, back home, Thamma made sure we had our proper doses of different kinds of things to keep different kinds of illnesses that the change of seasons brought along, away.
On some days, it was the Neem on our plates, on some days it would be the raw papaya juice and on other days it would be the Kancha Holud er rosh or the juice of raw turmeric.
Raw turmeric is easily available in winters and is very good for the body.
So along with the daily masalas to be made, the house help had this chore of making the juice of raw turmeric for the children. Also, she needed to take care to use only the shil nora (mortar and pestle ) meant for this and not the usual one in which she might have ground the chillies or ginger.

I got respite from this only after I left home for studies.
But after I got married, raw turmeric entered my life again. In the form of pickles.
B got a big batch of them home once after we got married and I stared at him in dismay.
Till he said "I will ask Mummy when I call tonight how she makes Haldi ka achar."
!!!!
 I had never thought of making pickles before that.
And I did not even eat achar!
But later, the recipe turned out to be an easy one ... almost like a cooked sabzi.
So I made it.
And have been making it ever since.
My only condition was .... somebody else peels and cuts the raw haldi.
I hate to see my fingers turn such an adamant yellow that it refuses to leave for even a week.
Of course, now I have the kitchen gloves.

So, here is Ma in law's recipe of the Haldi ka achar.
Pretty easy to make. And quite tasty too, not to mention healthy.
You can grate the haldi too ... I just cut it into thin strips. I also threw in a few green chillies ... you may or may not.

Need :

Raw Turmeric / Kacche Haldi - cut into thin strips, 2 cupsful
Mustard oil - 4 tbsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Fresh green chillies - a few, broken
Black mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Saunf / Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur / dry mango powder - 1 tsp (or more if you like it sour )
Salt - to taste

How to :

Heat mustard oil in a thick bottomed kadahi or pan.

Add hing.
Add haldi and fresh green chillies and fry.

Add salt and cover and fry till done.

Run the mustard seeds + saunf seeds in a mixer to grind coarsely.

Add to the haldi and add red chilli powder.

Fry well till all water dries up.

Add amchur powder.

Mix together.

Cool. 

Store in an airtight bottle.

Enjoy with parathas or with plain dal and rice.

Kancha aamer tok jhal mishti achar

Or raw mangoes cooked with spices and sugar.
I was at a loss when it came to giving this a name.
We can call it the Kancha aamer mishti achar. Or kairi ki launji.
Or plain aam ka meetha achar.

Whatever the name,this is one quick achar that is absolutely lip smacking ... if you will forgive me the extra enthusiasm for this.
I had some raw mangoes in the fridge that I had initially bought to make the Aam Panha or Aamer sharbat. 
But then, when I took out one to cut for the Tauker dal, I saw they had already formed firm stones.
The thought of chewing on the stones made me think of achar.

I wanted to make the masala one but realised I had run out of mustard oil.
So made this sweet one .... keeping in mind the coming monsoons and all the parathas that I will be making.
( I did make the masala one too ... will try to make a post later. )

This achar tastes best when made with gur or jagerry.
But is just as good with sugar.
I did not have jagerry too ... so used sugar.

Yes, I do get these urgent "need to make this now!" pushes exactly when the right ingredients are not at hand.
But that does not deter me. 

So here is the quick Amer mishti achar.
Do use tart mangoes. The sweetness of the sugar gives a perfect balance to the sourness.
And the flavours of the roasted paanch phoron takes it to a new high.
I added a good dose of crushed red chillies to make it spicy. Do go easy on it if you cannot handle spice.

Need :


Raw mangoes - 6, medium sized
Sugar - 1 cup
Paanch phoron - 1 tsp of kalonji+fennel+mustard +coriander seeds + ½ tsp methi seeds
Red chilli flakes or powder - 1 tsp (preferable home made )
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp


 How to :

Peel and cut the raw mangoes into small sized cubes.
Spread them on an absorbent kitchen napkin or some paper napkins.

Let them dry for around 2 hours.
Since I live in a dry climate, I just let them sit under a fan and they dry up promptly.
You can also sun them.

Dry roast the paanch phoron in a heavy bottomed karahi or pan.
Cool and grind coarsely.

Heat oil.
Add the mangoes and stir fry, cover and cook till done.

Remove cover and add the sugar.
It will release water.
Let it cook uncovered till all water dries up.

Sprinkle the paanch phoron powder and the red chilli powder and give a good mix.
Remove from heat and cool.

Store in clean, dry, air tight glass bottles.

If you make a big batch and want to store, then do keep them in the fridge ... especially since the monsoons are coming. They will stay well for months.

Is this piece tempting enough?

Enjoy!!


If interested, you can check out my other achars here. 

Aam kasundi or Instant kasundi or Not Kasundi

Who cares?
Why bother when you have this wonderfully pungent, spicy mixture of fresh mangoes and mustard seeds and garlic, redolent with that zing of raw mustard oil, right in front of you?

When you hold your mixie in front of you, just after you have zapped all of the above, bring your nose closer and take a whiff, you are sure to go back home in a second ... numerous memories nudging each other to get a space in your thoughts ... while your eyes will water a little and your nose will tingle a little ... and that will not be only because of memories.

While I have seen Thamma make numerous kinds of achaars back home ( here is a glimpse of those hilarious memories), I have never seen her make kasundi.
Neither have I seen Dida making it, ever.
It is said that making the real, authentic Kasundi takes a lot of dos and don'ts. So not many people ventured into making it other than the older generation of grandmas.
And today, even they have moved away from it. Especially due to availability off the shelves. 

 When I had made this instant kasundi long, long back when I was a new blogger, ... eight years ago to be precise,  I was floored by the taste.
And every year, when new mangoes appeared in the markets, I would first make this kasundi and then move on to other chaatnis or achars. And then, just before the raw mangoes disappeared, I would make a big batch and store it in the fridge for the rainy days ahead.
Yes, literally.
Because this is the perfect accompaniment to all those fried sinful stuff that we associate rainy days with.

But have never made a blog post on this.
Every year, I have the most honest intentions of making one. But that never happened.

So this time I decided I would make a post after all.
Though I know I am 8 years too late.
At the time I made this for the first time, Kasundi was not available anywhere outside of Bengal.
At least I did not get it in Pune.
But today, it is available everywhere ... off the shelves.
But somehow, while I do have a bottle of Kasundi in my fridge always these days, the freshness and tang of this freshly made instant kasundi touches my heart as well as taste buds with a different kind of love.

This post has this instant kasundi mentioned when I made it for the first time, after learning it from another blogger friend. 

I have used less garlic because it can easily overwhelm the flavours of the raw mango as well as the mustard.
Also, I always add the mustard oil only after grinding is done.

Do not skimp on the mustard oil if you plan to store it in the fridge. Better if there is a layer of oil on the top to stop it from spoiling.

This is one of the easiest condiments with the minimum of ingredients.

Need :

Raw mango - 1 medium
Black mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Yellow mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 4 cloves
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Salt - to taste
Mustard oil - around 5 tbsp or more if you are storing

How to :

Run everything in the mixer to make a paste.

Add the mustard oil and give a light mix.

Ready!!

While it is perfect on the side with snacks, my favourite, however is a dollop of this tangy, spicy stuff on plain, warm rice.
Try it.

And this is how I spent this hot, summer afternoon.

And this one is for all those wonderful women, balancing homes and work and children and relatives.
Even if you do have a store bought kasundi in your fridge, do go ahead and make this one day.
You will make a happy you. 

I am sure I made Thamma happy.

Mirchi ka Achar / Green chilli pickle - 2

In every moment, hour or day, in our life, there is a lesson hidden. Every person, every animal, every change in nature teaches you something. You are vigilant enough, quiet enough inside .... you get to learn.
Like I am doing these days.
I am learning what 'class' is ... all over again.

Life has doled out to me my share of bullies ... and more. And to tell the truth, I have never been one to handle them well. I'd rather stay back and let them do all they can to get attention. I had learnt early that bullies want attention. To feel important. To feel they are in control.
Starting in school, where I had to face this bully of a girl who had slid down two classes and landed with us and her little sister, who was my friend.
Her idea of superiority lay in scaring us, just before exams, with numerous ideas of what could go wrong and how we could either have to hand over a blank paper or write every answer wrong and end up with a zero.
Cruel.
My getting good marks was not enough to instill even a little courage, or wipe away the fear this caused, in me.
It has stayed on as a terrifying memory always.

Later in life, there have been other bullies too.
But what I had noticed most was their pattern and motive was always the same.
To create fear. To subdue. To feel superior. To grab attention.

Ma had always tried to drill it into me, "Never give in to insolent might" ... quoting a line from one of Rabindranath Tagore's poetries, that we often sang at our school assembly along with other hymns.
"And always remember your class. "

I often wondered how difficult it must have been for Ma, a spunky and educated lady, belonging to a prominent family, brought up in a city like Delhi and later married into an equally prominent but very traditional family, to bring up a quiet, shy, sensitive and introvert daughter like me.
She did make sure that I took part in everything ... and excelled too. School dramas, debates, singing competitions, good marks ... every possible thing.
And I loved them too.
However, while this made me every teacher's pet, it made matters worse when it came to the bullies.
Thankfully, my growing up in a joint family hugely helped in not turning me into an unsocial person.

When I left home to come to this city for further studies, things started to change.
My friends here brought me out of my shell. Family instilled values and Ma's constant encouraging voice was already inside me. Coupled with my friends encouragement, I started to open up.
Learnt to express my thought and feelings ... to a certain extent albeit.
Bullies were around in college life too ... but they very few. And very subtle.
My achievements would draw a couple of cold shoulders ... that is all.
But with wonderful friends, they were happily ignored.

Ignore.
That is when I started to learn how to deal with the bullies.
Ignore them.
They wanted the attention they could not get by their usual activities ... which were hardly of any worth, not surprisingly. Hence the aggression.
Slowly, I learnt. Later in life, there have been different kinds of bullies in every turn.
Some love to hurt with words. Some love to show aggression.
But they were all the same. To me.

And I learnt to ignore. To keep my head high. To stay quiet and move to the back of the crowd.
To not stoop and retaliate.
To remember what 'class' is. 
And to do the best in whatever I am doing.
That, eventually, would shut them up.

It is difficult to develope a thick skin, but in the end you learn to dust the hurt off your shoulders with, if not a flick, a good two or three hard pats, and resume on with life.
There would be tears for a while, but as I grew older I realised not everyone had the patience to deal with them.
Life is a teacher. And a good teacher too.
And last night, something happened to remind me of bullies .... that eventually led to this writeup.

On the streets just outside our housing complex, roams an abandoned dog, since last monsoon, when he was still a growing puppy. He is healthy, his black coat has a shine and walks with a grace unseen in other strays.
Clearly, he belongs to a good breed.

Our watchmen and other people of the society adopted him when food was concerned. He sleeps under the watchmen's table. But he needs company.
Bouncing with energy, he approaches anyone nearby to play with him.
While the humans often respond with love and attention, the street mongrels are not so friendly.
In fact, they refuse to allow him to be anywhere near them.
We watch with hope that he would be able to mingle with them eventually and learn the ways of surviving on the streets.

Last night, I watched as he tried to approach and befriend a group of street dogs, who reside in this area, again. Futilely.
The dogs started to growl and bark at him. Some, who were on the opposite side of the road, rushed in too.
And jumped on him, all the while barking furiously.
But all he did was keep stepping back. Neither once did he growl back, bark or show any kind of aggression. Which is surprising for a fully grown dog.
But no. Not once did he retaliate.
I have seen this happening a lot of times, and as always, he quietly stepped back and slowly walked away. Head high, nary a sign of defeat in his stance.
The rest of the mongrels kept barking at him till he turned around the corner and disappeared.

And all that came to my mind was " That is 'class'."

A few days back I got these very fresh Kashmiri green chillies and wanted to make something new with them.  Did not feel like cooking them the usual way and see them wilt.
So chopped them up and made this quick Mirchi ka achar or pickle.
The fresh crunchiness stayed. And mixed with the pickle masala and vinegar, tasted beautiful.
I did not have hing/asafoetida at home ... so this is a no hing achar.

Need :

Fresh, green Kashmiri chillies - 6 pieces, chopped into big pieces
Paanch Phoron - 1 tsp ( Saunf+Sarson+Kalonji+Methi+Jeera)
White/Yellow mustard powder - 2 tbsp (I just gave a pulse in the grinder)
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tbsp (I had chilli vinegar)
Mustard oil - 6 tbsp

How to:

Heat the mustard oil in a kadahi, till it smokes.
Remove from heat and cool slightly ... so that the Paanch phoron does not burn.

Add the Paanch phoron and return to heat.
When it starts to splutter, add the chopped chillies and toss well.
Add salt + red chilli powder.
Fry well, till the chillies are a little cooked. Do not cover.

Add the mustard powder and the vinegar and toss well on high heat.

Lower heat and give a good stir and remove.

Cool before serving.

This stays well in the fridge,covered, for a week.
You can add half a teaspoon of sugar too ... if you want it slightly sweetish.

Goes great with a meal of hot rotis and sabzis.
 Or on the side of a rice meal too.
I often dunk in the masala and a little oil in a simple dal ... takes the dal to a different level.

Here is a snap of my lunch plate with his pickle ... Rice, Bhaja mooger dal, Aloo Borboti fry, Salad and Mirchi ka achar.

Enjoy folks !!

My other Mirchi ka Achar, made with small green chillies is here 
... with an equally long, but hilarious, write.
Coincidence!!

Mirchi Ka Achar / Pickled Green Chillies

 I have been noticing in the last few months that the post on Kuler achar / Ber ka achar has been getting the most hits. People from Indonesia to Japan to the UK  to our good ole Kolkata, even Chattisgarh, have landed on the page searching for "how to make kuler achar". I have no idea if the recipe has helped anybody at all ... nobody bothers to leave a line these days ... but that is understandable.
I must confess that I have never been a fan of achar/pickles. And that one post was done one an impulsive,  self congratulatory mode ... the intention more of a record of my achievement than to actually help anybody with the directions of making achar.

As a child, I remember the uthon/courtyard  filled with different kinds of jars and earthen wares filled with numerous kinds of achars, all made by Thamma. I was never interested in them, tart and spicy things that made your mouth burn and made you gulp down glasses of water to return to normalcy.
And since they did not interest me much, the fragrance of those mysterious looking pots would be enough to make me turn back into the house if I ever ventured towards the uthon in the afternoons.

It was a different story altogether for the rest of the brood ... read cousins.
When the huge house went quiet in the afternoons, and Thamma and the rest of the Kakimas had retired to their respective rooms, and the helps would doze off in different corners of the house, the children would quietly get up and tip toe out ... but only after making sure their mothers were in deep sleep.
Very quietly, they would open the door to the dining room and then the one that led out to the uthon .... hushing each other, stiffling giggles and making sure that the squeaks from the door hinges made very,very little noise.
And then, they would raid the achar pots.

Run the mustard and nigella seeds in the mixer

The bhaarar ghor / store room and the kitchen stood adjacent to each other, on the long verandah above the uthon. The whole room smelled of different kind of spices and oils and achars. Numerous things were stored there. Among them were two huge tables that were joined together just to keep the jars of achars. The room was dark and cool. And a good hiding place too.

Didi was the gang leader and gave all the directions. The cousins would break up into pairs and each pair was alloted a day.  One would keep watch while the other raided the bharar ghor, pick up fistfuls of achar from which ever pot was nearest at hand and quietly make an escape. This scheme worked well with all the pairs except for the youngest lot ... the pair of  S and L.
And it was this pair that brought the downfall of the brilliant plan of achar chori.

It was just another weekday and the family had retired for the post lunch siesta. It was a hot, summer afternoon  and there was a quiet all over. S and L went quietly downstairs to do their job, with strict instructions from Didi.
L was younger, so was given the job of the lookout. She was to call out "Meeow", if she happened to see anybody approaching. And by anybody ... all they had expected was one or two house helps.

After S entered the store room  and was going about picking fistfuls of achars, she heard footsteps  outside.
Quickly she ducked under the huge table and went very quiet. Someone came up to the door and stopped. And she heard a muttering ... "The helps are no good ... have left the bhaarar ghor open. What if a cat comes in?"
Jethu!!
Our eldest uncle had not gone to office that day! But as usual, we children were oblivious of  everything. So ... with some more mutterings, Jethu reached out and shut the huge doors of the store room and walked away.

Mix the chillies + masala + salt

S sat trembling under the table, inside the huge, dark room. Filled with numerous things of all shapes and sizes, it was a terrifying place to be all alone. And that too with the burden of guilt.
L, who had scampered away the moment she had heard Jethu, was meanwhile explaining to a furious Didi , who kept on repeating that all she had to do was to meeeeooow! , just how life threatening it was for her to stand by S.The house helps, she could have managed; but Jethu was a different case altogether.

Now came the point of how to rescue S. The store room was not opened in the evenings at all ... unless it was to get rice or coconuts out.
Hence trying to convince the elders to open it was a huge task.
So they decided to convince Thamma to open it.
"But why?"
"Because there is cat inside."
"A cat?! In my bharar ghor?!"
"Yes, Thamma, a big cat. What if it destroys your achar pots?"
"Tobey re ... awww Suro, aan toh jhaata ta!!"

Add some vinegar

The very thought of swiping poor S with the broom was even more distressing to the already upset gang.
But no ... that is the only way Thamma would open the room.
So ... armed with the biggest coconut stick broom, Suro, our house help, stood guard while our four feet high Thamma reached up to open the store room, signalling Suro, to give a big thwack as soon as the cat runs out.

As soon as the door opened, the cousins started to scream of "Don't run, don't run!" ... meaning to save S from a tremendous thwack. But on hearing the screams, Thamma jumps back, the door swings open and Suro keeps on beating the ground with the broom ... thwack, thwack, thwack.
And poor S ... in all the commotion, jumps up and scoots out, banging head on into Thamma.
"Orey chor, chor,chor!!!" ... Thamma screams.

Jethu, who, along with the rest of the family, had reached the uthon, to see what all the noise was about, reaches out and grabs S in one hand and holds her up to see the chor.
Seeing S dangling from Jethu's arm, the cousins break up and scramble away in all directions. 
And Thamma keeps on screaming "Chor,chor,chor!" and Suro, in his attempt to get the cat out,  kept on banging the broom ... thwack!, thwack!, thwack!, ...

Pour in the mustard oil

I don't remember any more achar chori stints after this episode.
But the story has stayed on to bring out the loudest laughter at every family gathering henceforth.


I made this Mirchi ka achar a few months back. A call out on FB and Soma, Sayantani ,and Anjali gave me the links to their versions. I took all their versions and made mine.
 
It is way too easy. Just ensure that you have the spiciest of the chillies ... they lend a beautiful fragrance to the achar.

Set in the sun for a week

Need :

Green chillies - cut into small pieces
Mustard oil - enough to drown the whole lot of chilles
Mustard seeds
Kalonji / Nigella seeds
Hing / Asaefotida
Salt
Vinegar

How to:

Run the mustard seeds and the nigella seends in a mixer ... just a couple of spurts ... and make a coarse powder.
Mix the chillies with this powder, salt and vinegar.
Heat the mustard oil ... the quantity depends on the consistency you want ... I wanted more of the fragrant oil so used a lot.
When it reaches smoking point, remove from heat and add the hing.
Cool.
Pour into the chilli mix.
Let it stand in the sun for around a week.

Done!!

I enjoyed the oil on hot steamed rice. And the achar goes great with any kind of parathas.
Enjoy!!


Some other Achars / Pickles that I have, successfully, tried my hands on  : - 

Aam Ka Achar  

Ber Ka Achar / Kuler Achar

Tel Kopi / Pickled Cauliflower  

Kanji Vada ( not exactly a pickle, but equally tangy and tasty )

Tel Kopi / Cauliflower preserved in Mustard Oil

The pleasure of food blogging is getting to know about different kinds of recipes being prepared all over the world. And this pleasure is magnified when we come across recipes that have been in a family for years ... passed on from generation to worthy generation. What make these recipes very special is the love, warmth and nostalgia that is associated with them.

I recently came across one such recipe in a fellow blogger's blog. She goes by the name L .
And this recipe .... Kopi'r Teyl ..... literally translated means Cauliflower's Oil .... is her Jethima's ( aunt's ) ... and told to her by her mother.


I was pretty intrigued by this recipe. And the fact that she did not have a snap of it made me a little unsure too ... as I could not know how the finished product would look. But I decided to give it a try .... for the simple reason that it needs so few ingredients .... and is so very easy to make.

You have to really love mustard oil to like this. I must admit I was in half a mind to add something extra to it ... i.e. a little achar masala at least. But hubby dissuaded me from that. His take was ... I would never know the original taste/flavour if I did that. Point. :-)

Here's the recipe.


Need : 
1 big sized Cauliflower
Enough Mustard Oil to cover the florets
Turmeric Powder
Red Chilli Powder
Salt
Water ( to boil the florets in)

How to :

Take a Cauliflower and break off the florets.

Boil water with a pinch of salt and add the florets.
Cook the florets in it for a couple of minutes and remove.
Be very careful not to overcook them ... they will hold moisture and your achar will spoil quickly.

Pat them dry with a napkin or tissue.
Air them for a while.

Now place the florets in a bowl ... preferably glass.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.

Cover the bowl with a cloth and sun dry them for a day.

( I tried the other way too ... dried them first and then added the salt + chilli ... worked too. )

Take a dry, sterlised bottle and put in the dry florets.
Add enough mustard oil to cover all the florets.

Let the bottle sit in the sun for 2 more days.
It is ready to be served now ... but I still kept it in the sun for a few more days.

If the level of oil decreases with use, add some more oil.
Take care that the level of the oil is always above the florets to prevent fungus.



Enjoy!!

She says to have it with rotis .... which we did. But let me tell you ... it was fabulous with plain hot rice too.

Thanks L for sharing this wonderful and unique recipe. :-)


Am so glad I tried it.

Kuler Achaar / Ber ka Achaar / Pickled Berries

Recent photo of March 2018

This is my second try at making achaar / pickles. 
Though this takes very little time to actually make ... the actual time to make this pickle will span over a few days ... i.e the time taken to sun dry the kul/ ber/ berries.

I am making optimum use of the winter sun these days before it shifts back.
So when I came across some berries being sold, I picked them up impulsively .... wanting to try making Kuler achaar myself.

The Ber / berries for this achar should be the round and sour ones.

Need :

Kul / Ber,
jaggery,
red chilli powder, 
roasted and freshly ground Paanch Phoron ( equal quantities of methi/fenugreek seeds, kalaunji/onion seeds, rai/mustard seeds, saunf/fennel seeds, jeera/cumin seeds).


How to :

Wash the berries well and leave them to dry.

Now comes the best part .... take every berry and crack it open to check for insects. Discard the bad ones.

Spread them out in a flat vessel or cloth and sun dry them for a few days.

In a heavy vessel heat the gur/jaggery with a little water till it melts. Add the berries and stir well. Let it cook till the jaggery thickens.

Sprinkle red chilli powder and the Paanch Phoron powder and remove from heat.

Do not cook after adding the Paanch Phoron powder .... else it will turn bitter.

Done!

This has a very long shelf life if the berries are sun dried well and hold no moisture.

Aam ka Achaar (a trial)

With the monsoon coming we are running out on raw mangoes fast. So when I found some really firm raw mangoes on my grocery trip last weekend I picked 2 up. I had some prepared Achaar masala with me ... thanks to didi who made it for me on my last visit to her, and planned to utilise them before they go bad.

I cut up the mango into small pieces ... unfortunately could not deal with the huge seed with my flimsy knife ... so my achaar will not have any pieces I can chew on for a long time. :-(

Then I rubbed in salt into the pieces and kept them on a thick table napkin so that all the moisture is drained out. Then mixed in the masala and filled in a glass bottle.

Then I heated some mustard oil upto smoking point and let it cool completely. Added some hing into it and poured in the bottle of Achaar. The oil should cover the mangoes completely.
I have let it sit for around 5 days.

I am being showered with comments recently and am feeling good. Today Sailaja has tagged me for a Me Me.

I feel good to be in blogosphere ... and again I thank Rashmi for this. :-)

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?

I really can't remember ... it was long back .

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?

Am halfway Chetan Bhagat's "The 3 mistakes of my life" and am already hating it. :p

3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?

Scrabble
4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?

Good Housekeeping

5) FAVORITE SMELLS?

The fragrance of wet soil after a rain, Dida's fragrance(all old people have one), the fragrance in the air when winter approaches ... lots of them

6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?

A piano's notes, the sound of a storm,when my Bapi calls out to me

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

I have this strange worse kind of feeling ... no matter where I am ... when it is evening I feel like going home .. being at home (my childhood home).

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?

What to make for breakfast!

9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

None
10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?

I have at least 21 names in my mind ... :-))

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’...

Haven't thought of it ... but maybe i'll go shopping first ...

12)DO YOU DRIVE FAST?

No. Hubby says if it were left to me, I'd drive in 3rd gear throughout.

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?

Nah ... never done that too.
14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?

Cool... cool .... cool
15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?

Never owned a car ... dad and hubby do though ;-)

16) FAVORITE DRINK?

Coconut water

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…

Knit more

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?

No
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?

Black again ... my hair is turning brownish
20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Everywhere I have lived has been home.
21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

None
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

She has some very interesting recipes in her blog ... and always leaves encouraging comments.


23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?

Nothing
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??

Yes, with a little correction here and there ;-)


25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?

Night owl

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Both
27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
I am more relaxed when we go for weekend overnight trips to nearby coasts .

28) FAVORITE PIE?
Anything that is salty and spicy ... i don't like the sweet ones.
29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Tender coconut
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?

Since this is not a competetion anyone can take their own time and answer.
31) What are five things on my to-do list for today (non-work related)?
I don't have any such deadlines ...
32) What are five snacks I enjoy?
Chire bhaja
Masla muri
Buttered Cream Cracker biscuits
Chopped apple sprinkled with chaat masala
Peanuts roasted in butter and sprinkled with pepper powder

33) What things would I do if I were a billionaire?
Buy an island in Hawai ! :-))

Thanks Sailaja !!

Since am very new to this thing I don't even know what to do other than I should tag others. Since I now know these few good people am tagging them.

I hope any goof ups will be excused. I am tagging

Rashmi of Delhibelle

Bharti of Veggie Foodist

Swati of Chatkhor
Have a great time tearing your hair out guys!!