Pickling and chutney making has become a cherished pastime now. With the lock down and working  from home, I have had the luxury of a bit more time to pursue this pastime in earnest. I have been wanting to make this sweet, sour and hot pickle for sometime now and having chanced on some turnips in Tesco I grabbed the opportunity  to make a jar of this sweet, sour and hot delight. It is a great accompaniment to parathas, chappathis, rice and even as a sandwich filling.

What Do I need to Make it?

• 250 g Cauliflower (cut into small florets)
• 250 g Carrots (peeled and julienne)
• 250 g Turnips (peeled and julienne)
• 11/2 tbsp garlic paste
• 3 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 100 g jaggery
• 11/2 tbsp garam masala
• 3 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coarsely ground mustard (rai bhardo)
• 1 cup mustard oil
• Salt to taste

How much will I make?

Almost 3/4 of a 1 kg kilner jar.

How do I make it?

Wash, peel and julienne the turnips and carrots. Wash and cut the cauliflower into small florets. Spread the vegetables out on a tray lined with kitchen paper to remove any moisture. Heat the mustard oil in a deep bottomed pan till it is smoking hot. Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappear. Now add the cauliflower, carrot and turnips and saute for about 5 to 8 minutes till the vegetables lose their moisture but still have a bite to them. In a separate pan bring the white vinegar to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and add the jaggery, stirring continuously till the jaggery is completely dissolved. Take off the heat and set aside. Add the garam masala, chilli powder and salt to the vegetables and make sure all the vegetables are coated evenly. Add the jaggery and vinegar mixture and bring to a light simmer. Add the coarsely ground mustard and stir well. Adjust seasoning before taking off the heat. Let the pickle cool completely before transferring to a sterilized jar. This can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Always use a clean, dry spoon. Enjoy as an accompaniment to your meals. This pickle always tastes better a day after it has been made.

2018 was a roller coaster ride of a year for me. It was a year of loss of a dear one, big changes, major realizations, self examination and reflections. A year that saw an enterprise that I started with a friend soar to success and die a sudden death within months of setting flight but what’s life without falling down and getting hurt a few times? True success can never be tasted without experiencing failure. But hey ho, here I am in the beginning of 2019,  vowing  not to give my writing such a big break again. Pickle and chutney making have become a great passion of mine and I’m always trying to create new avatars based on traditional recipes handed down to me by my grandmother, mother and aunts and here I am with an Injipuli made with orange peel and dried bird’s eye chilies.

What do I need to make it?

• 1 lime size ball  Tamarind
• 1 Cup  Fresh Ginger (Julienne)
• 1 Cup Fresh Orange peel cut into pieces
• 10 to 12 Dried Bird’s eye chilies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Split Urad Dhal
• 1 tsp Black Sesame seeds
• 8 to 10 Fresh Curry Leaves
• 2 tbsp Cold pressed Sesame Oil
• Salt to taste

How much will I make?

One 300 g Jar

How do I make it?

Soak the tamarind in a little bit of boiling hot water to make a thick paste and set aside. Heat a thick bottomed pan on a medium flame and add the oil to it, get the oil up to temperature and then add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter add the asafoetida powder, urad dhal, black sesame seeds, turmeric powder, curry leaves and

dried bird’s eye chilies one after the other and saute’ for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger and orange peel and saute’ till the peel softens. Now add the tamarind paste and one cup of water, reduce the flame and let it simmer. When the mixture begins to thicken, add salt and the powdered jaggery. Check seasoning  before removing from the heat. Let it cool completely before transferring to a sterilized jar. Can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. Always use a clean dry spoon. Enjoy with rice, rotis, as a sandwich topping or with idlis and dosais.