Cranberry Pickle

 INGREDIENTS:

Cranberry- 1 bag

Oil- 3 or 4 ladles 

Mustard seeds- 2 tbsp

Curry leaves- 1 full spring

Cumin powder- 1 tbsp

Daniya/Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Methi powder- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tbsp or more according to taste

Salt- To taste

Jaggery powder- 1 tbsp

Hing/Asafoetida- to taste

Tamarind paste- 1 tsp

PROCEDURE: 

1. In a pan, add oil and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add cranberries and allow to cook in the oil.

2. Add salt, hing, curry leaves, all the spices and allow to cook in the heat and keep mashing the cranberries. Keep stirring so it does not burn.

3. Once the pickle cooks completely and leaves oil and starts to leave the pan, add tamarind paste and turn off stove. 

4. Heat with hot rice, dosa, chapathi, curd rice. 

Green Apple Pickle

I had this pickle at a friends party with some yogurt rice and man, I was in heaven. I was so wanting to have that pickle again that I decided to make it by myself.

INGREDIENTS:

Granny smith green apples- 3 nos, cut with the skin into small cubes
Red chillies- 8 or more depending on your spice
Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp appr
Fenugreek seeds- 1 tbsp appr
Asafoetida/Hing- 2 puffs
Sesame Oil- 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1.  Cut the green apples into small cubes with the skin on.
2. In a small pan, saute the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds with some asafoetida without any oil. Once the raw smell is gone and the seeds turn golden brown, turn off the switch and add the red chillies. This helps the red chillies keep its red color. Allow the spices to cool and grind them well.
3. Mix the powder with the cut green apples.Add salt according to your taste.
4. Now in the same pan, add sesame oil and mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add this to the pickle and you are done.

Tomato Pickle

INGREDIENTS:

Tomatoes-6 big cubed
Red chillies-8-10 or as needed
Danya seeds-A handful
Methi seeds-1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste-1 gooseberry size ball
Mustard seeds-2 tsp
Curry leaves- A bunch
Asafoetida- A few puffs
Garlic-5,6 pods cut into slices
Sesame oil

PROCEDURE:

1. In a heavy,deep pan with little sesame oil, add the cubed tomatoes. Let it boil and become mushy.Usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Do not add water.Switch off stove and let cool.
2. In another small pan, dry roast the red chillies,methi seeds, danya seeds and grind to a fine powder
3. In the same small pan, add a little oil and sliced garlic and saute till golden brown.
4. Now add very little water(if needed),tamarind paste and grind the tomatoes to a fine paste.
5. Add more sesame oil, garlic and the spice powder and tomato paste. Add salt.
6. Allow to reduce until oil separates. Now season with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
7. Allow to cool.
8. Serve with Idly, Dosa, Chapathis or rice.

OPTION:

1. Use the same recipe for green tomatoes.
2. Add a little jaggery if you wish.

Puli kachal recipe

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind Pulp- Qty equal to a golf ball, soaked in hot water and juice extracted

Temper:

Sesame Oil-1/8 cup
Asafoetida- 1 puff
Curry leaves- A handful
Mustard Seeds-1 tsp
Urad dal-1tsp
Peanuts-2 tbsp
Red chillies-4 or more according to spice level

Grind to Powder:

Coriander seeds- 2 tbsp appr( A palm full)
Pepper corns-1/2 tsp
Red chillies-5 or more depending on your spice level
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-Few(optional)

PROCEDURE:


1. Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the juice.
2.In a pan with no or little oil, add ingredients under Grind to powder and saute till the raw smell goes.Make sure you dont burn them. Cool and grind to fine powder.
3.Now in a deep pot,add the sesame oil, add the ingredients under Temper section and after they splatter add the tamarind extract.
4.Allow the mixture to come to a boil and become thick.
5.At this stage add the ground powder and allow to boil till thick and done.
6.Allow to cool.
7.Mix with rice and eat or serve with hot idlies/dosas.