Green Chilly Pickle

Overview

This green pickle is different than the normal Indian pickles and has a very unique taste. This is a North Indian Pickle which I tried once and liked it. The preparation of this pickle is also very different. This Green chilly pickle can be used immediately but keeping it in jar for few days enhances the flavor of the pickle.

Green Chilly Pickle

Green Chilly Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients

Green chillies - 1 cup split length wise

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon

Fennel seeds - 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

Mango powder(amchor) - 1 tablespoon

Vinegar - 2 tablespoon

Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - 2 tablespoon

Sesame Oil - 4 tablespoon

Steps

1. Coarsely grind all the spices in a coffee grinder and keep aside. Mix well with salt.

2. Clean and dry the green chillies and then split length wise. Do not separate it just from the tip to almost top.

3. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan and saute the green chillies for few minutes till soft.

4. In another pan heat the remaining 3 tablespoon oil. When oil is hot turn heat off. Add all the coarsely ground powders to it . Mix well and add the Vinegar to it mix well .

5. Add this mixture to the sauteed green chillies and mix well. Add more salt if needed. Mix well and store in a clean jar.

Serve with any Indian bread or rice.

Instant Cucumber Pickle

Overview
A simple pickle which is easy to make  and goes well as a relish with any meat or fish dish. This pickle has very few ingredients and no cooking at all. Quick and easy to make. I like to serve this pickle with fried fish or cutlets.

Instant Cucumber Pickle

Ingredients

Ingredients
English Cucumber - 2 cleaned and cut into cubes
Juice of 2 limes
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind it to a smooth powder.
2. Mix all ingredients  and transfer to a jar.

Can be served with any fried fish or meat. Can be stored in refrigerator for a week.

Lime Curry (Kerala Lime Curry)

Overview
This is one of my favorite dish that my mother use to make with lemon and lime. It stays in the refrigerator for months and can be used as a pickle with rice or chapati. Dry roasting the spices and grinding them enhances the flavor.

Lime Curry

Ingredients
Lime 6 - 8 cleaned and cut into small pieces
Green chillies - 6 - 8 finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch pieces - finely chopped
Garlic - 8 - 10 cloves finely chopped
Shallots -  2   - 3 tables finely chopped
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Whole red chilly - 6 - 8
Whole red chilly broken into two - 2 - 3
Whole Coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Asaofoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind - the size of a small lime
Dark brown sugar - 2 - 3 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoons

Steps
1. Mix the fine chopped lime pieces with enough salt and turmeric and keep aside.
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the tamarind juice and keep aside.
3. Dry roast the dry chillies in pan till it is roasted. Remove and dry roast the coriander seeds next followed by the fenugreek seeds.  When they come to room temperature grind this to a smooth powder in a coffee grinder and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan. When Oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add pieces of broken whole red chilly then add the curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and shallots to this and saute well till onions start to become light brown.
5. Add the ground spices to this and mix well. Add the marinated lime pieces with the juices to this. Add the prepared tamarind juice to this  and mix well and bring this mixture to a  boil. Lower heat and add brown sugar and salt as needed followed by asafoetida powder. Mix well and let it simmer for few more minutes till gravy thickens. Turn off heat

When it comes to room temperature store in a clean jar.

Serve with Rice or chapati.

Lemon Raisin Pickle

Overview

I love lemon pickle and like to try a variety of lemon pickles. The golden raisins adds a sweet flavor which balances the sour taste of lemons. This pickle goes well with any Indian Rice or bread. I kept the lemon pieces marinated in salt for 4 weeks which makes the lemon pieces tender before preparing the pickle.

Lemon Raisin Pickle

Lemon Raisin Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Lemons 8 cleaned and cut into pieces
Garlic 10 - 12 cloves
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Golden Raisins - 1/2 cup
Red Chilly powder - 4 - 5 tablespoons
Turmeric - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 - 5- tablespoons

Steps
1. Marinate the cleaned lemon pieces with salt and keep in a clean bottle. Shake the bottle everyday to mix all the juices. Keep it for about 4 weeks till the lemon pieces are soft.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and ground to a smooth powder and keep aside.
3. In a blender grind the garlic, ginger and raisins with enough water to make a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the paste of garlic ginger and raisins to it and saute till oil separates for about 5 minutes. Add chilly powder and turmeric to this and saute till the raw flavor of chilly and turmeric is gone. Will take about  5  - 8 minutes.
8. Add the marinated tender lemon pieces with the juices to this and mix well. Add the fenugreek  and asafoetida powder to this and mix well till the lemon pieces are well coated. Turn of heat.
9. When the pickle is at to room temperature transfer to clean bottles and refrigerate.

Lemon Pickle in Jars ready to store and use.

Raw Turmeric Pickle

Overview
Raw Turmeric pickle has lot of medicinal values and is used more in North India. As this pickle ages all the flavors get into the julienne turmeric slices  and enhances the pickles taste. So let this pickle sit for at least a week before using it. This pickle is usually made in mustard oil but I have used vegetable oil here.

Raw Turmeric Pickle

Raw Turmeric Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Julienne raw turmeric - 1 cup
Lemon juice - Juice of one large lemon
Fennel seeds - 2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Red Chilly powder - 2 tablespoons
Asafoetida powder- 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil  - 4 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Peel the raw turmeric and then wash on water and pat dry. Cut the turmeric root in 2 inch julienne strips. Marinate the julienne raw turmeric slices in salt and lemon juice and keep in refrigerator for 2 - 3 days  mixing it everyday.
2. Coarsely grind the fennel seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and mix it with the red chilly powder and asafoetida powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot turn the heat off. Add all the spice powder to this. Mix well and then add the raw turmeric slices marinated in lemon juice and salt. Mix well and add salt as needed.
4. Cool to room temperature and store in a clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any rice or Indian bread.

Dried Mango Pickle

Overview
Drying and preserving raw mangoes is very common in Kerala since Mango is a very common fruit we find through out the state. These dried raw mangoes are then used in many curries and pickles. I got these dried mangoes from India when I visited my parents. Dried mango pickle has a very unique and strong flavor very different than the raw mango pickle.

Dried Mango Pickle

Dried Mango Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Dried mango - 3/4 cup
Boiled water 1 cup
White Vinegar - 1/2 cup
Garlic cloves - 2 tablespoons
Ginger 1 tablespoon
Curry eaves 3 sprigs
Turmeric 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 3 tablespoon
Fenugreek powder 1 teaspoon
Brown sugar - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
2. Boil one cup of water. Turn off heat. Add Vinegar to this and soak the dried mangoes for 1 - 2 hours till the mango slices are soft.
3. Grind the garlic, ginger, red chilly powder and turmeric to a smooth paste with little water and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the ground garlic ginger paste with spices to it and saute till the oil separates. Add curry leaves are fry few more minutes. Add the soaked mango slices with water and vinegar to this.
5. Add the fenugreek powder and asfoetida powder along with brown sugar and salt and mix well. Bring this mixture to boil. Turn off heat.  Brown sugar is added to balance the flavor of sourness so add brown sugar and salt as needed to adjust flavor,

Let it cool to room temperature and store in a clean jar.

Lime and Dates Pickle

Overview
The sour taste of limes mixed with the sweet taste of dates makes this a unique sweet and sour pickle. A perfect accompaniment for any biriyani or any Indian meals. You can adjust the amount of green chillies and chilly powder to the level of spiciness you want. Like all pickles as this ages it becomes more tasty as the flavor of ginger, garlic and spices gets infused with the date and lime pieces in the pickle.

Lime and Dates Pickle

Limes and Dates pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Lime cut into quarters  - 2 cups
Date cut into slices 1/2 cup
Garlic finely chopped 2 tablespoon
Ginger finely chopped 1 tablespoon
Green chillies finely chopped - 3  - 6
Curry leaves 2 - 3 sprigs
Kashmiri or red chilly powder - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek powder - 1 teaspoon
Asfaoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Brown sugar 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
White Vinegar - 3 - 4 tablespoon
Oil about 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Mix the clean cut lime pieces with salt and put in a clean jar for about 3 weeks. Mix the jar very day. This is to make the lime pieces soft.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and powder it and keep aside.
3. Soak the sliced dates in about 1/2 cup hot water for about 15 minutes till it becomes soft.
3. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds splutter add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves to this.
4. Saute till the garlic turns light brown.. Add the turmeric and chilly powder to this and mix well till the raw flavor of red chillies is gone.
5. Add the marinated soft lime pieces and soaked dates to this along with vinegar, fenugreek seeds powder, asafoetida powder, brown sugar and mix well. Add salt as needed.
6. Bring this mixture to a boil. Turn off heat.
7. Bring the pickle to room temperature and store in an air tight jar and keep in the refrigerator,. Stays in the refrigerator for about 2 months. If you add more oil and vinegar it can be left at room temperature too.

Serve as a condiment with any Indian meal.

Instant Cranberry Pickle

Overview
A quick and easy cranberry pickle that you can make and use immediately. The sour and tart taste of cranberries mixed with the spices and little sugar balances the flavor.  I like to make this pickle when we get fresh cranberries during winter time.

Cranberry Pickle

Cranberry pickle ingredients

Ingredients
Cranberries cleaned and cut into four length wise - 1 cup
Finely chopped ginger - 1 teaspoon
Finely chopped garlic - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1 - 2 tablespoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon\
Brown sugar - 2 teaspoon
Oil about 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Mix the cut and cleaned cranberries with salt and keep aside for about an hour.
2. Dry roast the cranberries and powder it and keep aside.
3. In a pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves followed by the finely chopped ginger and garlic.
4. Saute mixture for few minutes till the garlic turns light brown. Add the turmeric powder and Chilly powder into this and saute well.
5. Add the cranberries mixed with salt to this and mix well. Add the fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder and sugar to this and mix well.
6. Saute till the cranberries and just soft. Turn off heat.

Can be served as a condiment with any rice or Indian breads

White Lemon Pickle (Vella Naranga Achar)

Overview
Even though this pickle is named white lemon pickle its actual color is the color of lemon yellow. The main difference from other pickles is that we do not use any red chilly powder. The spiciness for this pickle comes from finely chopped hot green chillies. A very good condiment to have with any rice or Indian bread.

White Lemon Pickle

Ingredients: Pickled lemons, finely chopped garlic, ginger,
green chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds mustard seeds
and not shown in picture asafoetida powder.

Ingredients
Lemons cleaned 8
Ginger 2 inch piece - finely chopped
Garlic -  One whole bulb finely chopped
Green chillies 10 - 15 finely chopped
Curry leaves 0 4 sprigs
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 tablespoons
Asafoetida powder - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric - 1 teaspoon
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 - 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Immerse lemons in water for about 30 minutes. Pat dry and cut into chunks as shown in picture. Mix with turmeric and salt and keep in cleaned jar for about four weeks. Shake jar ever day to make sure juices mix well. After about 4 weeks the lemons become pickled and soft.
2. In a pan dry roast fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds.
4. After the mustard seeds splutter add the finely chopped ginger, garlic green chillies and curry leaves. Saute on medium heat till the garlic and ginger are light brown.
5. Add the prepared lemons to this along with sugar. Check salt and add if necessary. Mix well and bring to boil.
6. Add the fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder to this and mix well and bring to boil gain. Turn off heat.

Bring this pickle to room temperature and  store in a clean jar.

Sweet Lemon Pickle

Overview
I love pickles and like to try all different kinds of pickle. This sweet and hot pickle accompanies any Indian rice or Indian breads. Use fresh juicy lemons for this pickle. Cut lemon pieces has to be mixed with turmeric and salt  and kept in a clean air tight jar for 4 weeks for the lemons to soften. This lemon mixture is used to make this pickle. The three big flavors in this pickle are hot, sweet and sour and they compliment each other to make this pickle very delicious.

Sweet Lemon Pickle

Sweet Lemon Pickle Ingredients 

Ingredients
Lemon pieces cleaned and cut in to quarters - 2 1/2 cups
Turmeric - 3/4 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 4 teaspoons
Fenugreek seeds - 2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Garlic 10 cloves
Ginger  - 2inch piece
Brown sugar  - 1/2 cup
Oil 3 tablespoons
Curry leaves optional
Salt as needed

Steps
1. Clean the lemons and pat them dry. Cut them in quarters. Mix with turmeric and salt and keep in a clean jar for 4 weeks. Shake it every day for the juices to mix with the lemon pieces. After four weeks these lemon pieces become soft and pickled.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and powder that and keep aide.
4. In a blender grind the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the curry leaves if using. I like the flavor of curry leaves.
6. To this add the garlic ginger paste. Saute well till all liquid as evaporated. Add the red chilly powder to this. Mix well.
7. Add the pickled lemon pieces to this along with the brown sugar. Mix well. Add salt if needed.
8. Add the fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder to this and mix well. When this mixture begins to boil turn off heat. Bring to room temperature and transfer to a clean jar.

Serve with any Indian Rice or bread.

Carrot Pickle

Overview
A crunchy carrot pickle  that is a great condiment to have with any rice or Indian bread. It tastes better after a day or two when all the flavors get coated to the crunchy carrot pieces. I have used Julienne peeler to make even thin strips of the carrots for this pickle

Carrot Pickle

Carrot Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Thin sliced carrots - 2 cups
Ginger finely chopped
Garlic finely chopped
Green chilly 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Lemon juice about 1/4 cup
Red Chilly powder - 2 - 3 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Whole red chilly broke into pieces - 2 - 3
Salt to Taste
Oil 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and the pieces of whole red chillies and fry few minutes.
3. Then add the finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies to this and saute till the garlic and ginger are light brown.
4. Add the turmeric powder and red chilly powder to this, Mix well and add the thin sliced carrots along with salt, lemon juice, fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder to this mix well to coat all the carrots pieces. Turn off heat and transfer to a clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any Rice or Indian Bread.

Ambazhanga ( Hog Plum) Pickle

Overview
A special kind of plum grown in Kerala and many parts of Asia. In Kerala usually it is eaten when it is green and raw and typically to make pickles or as a souring agent. It has a sour taste kind of like fresh green mangoes. Though grown in tropical places one of our friends had grown this in big pot at their place and during winter they bring it inside. When I visited them they gave me some fresh Ambazhanga so had to try this pickle which is one of my favorite pickles.

Ambazhanga(Hog Plum) Pickle Ingredients

Ambazhanga Pickle

Ingredients
Ambazhanga cleaned and cut into small pieces - 2 1/2 cups
Garlic  - 10 cloves finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch piece finely chopped
Green chilly - 4 finely chopped
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Whole Red Chilly 4 - 5 broken into pieces
Kashmiri chilly powder - 3 tablespoons
Mustard seed powder - 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Vinegar - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Whole mustard seeds  - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Mix the cleaned and cut Ambazhanga pieces with salt. Mix well and keep aside overnight or for 2 - 3 days.
2. Mix the Chilly powder, turmeric powder and Mustard seed powder and keep aside.
3. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in heavy bottom pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. After the seeds splutter add the whole red chilly pieces and fry few minutes and add the curry leaves.
6. Add the finely chopped green chilly, garlic and ginger to this and saute till the garlic is light brown.
7. Add the chilly powder  mixed with turmeric and mustard powder to this and keep stirring on low flame still the raw taste of chilly powder goes away and a nice aroma of roasted chilly powder comes.
8. Add the vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup water to this and mix well. Add the sliced Ambazhanga to this along with the fenugreek seed powder and asafoetida powder. Mix well and bring this to a boil. Adjust salt as needed and turn off heat.
9. Let it cool to room temperature Transfer to a clean pickle jar.

Serve with any Rice or Indian Breads.

Lime Pickle (Naranga Achar)

Overview
No Indian meal is complete without a pickle and the most common pickle is lime or lemon pickle. This is Kerala style lime pickle. I have used the tiny key limes which when cut into quarters makes the perfect size. You can use lemons in place of lime. This tangy and spicy pickle goes well with any rice or Indian bread, but in Kerala they are usually served with biriyanis.

Lime Pickle (Naranga Pickle)

Lime Pickle Ingredients - Staemed lime, green chilly, garlic, curry leaves,
ginger, mustard seeds, red chilly powder, fenugreek seeds,
turmeric and not shwon in picture Asafoetida powder

Ingredients
Key limes  - 15
Ginger finely chopped - 2 inch piece
Garlic finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
Green chilly 4 - 6 finely chopped
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Fenugreek seeds  - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 2 - tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Brown sugar - 2 tablespoons
Vinegar - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
2. Wash and dry the key limes and steam for about 15 - 20 minutes till they are soft. Let it cools and cut each key lime to four pieces mix with salt and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. when the seeds splutter add the finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves to this and saute till the garlic starts to brown a little bit.
4. Add the turmeric and chilly powder. Saute few more minutes then add the lime pieces mix well .
5. Add the vinegar, fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder , Brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Mix well. Add salt as needed. Bring this to a boil. Turn off heat.
6. Let it cool to room temperature and store in clean jar.

Serve with any rice or Indian bread.

Beetroot Pickle

Overview
Beetroot pickled this way can be served as condiment for any rice or bread. Typical Indian pickle spices mixed with the sweet taste of pickle adds a unique flavor. A sweet and sour pickle that tastes better as it ages. Prepare the pickle at least a day in advance before serving so that all the flavors get absorbed into the beetroot pieces.

Beet root pickle Ingredients: Beetroot, ginger, curry leaves, garlic,
chilly powder, mustard seeds, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder,
asafoetida powder and vinegar

Beetroot Pickle

Ingredients
Beetroot  2 medium julienne into strips
Garlic  finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
Ginger finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Chilly powder 2 teaspoon
Green chillies finely chopped 3 - 4 optional
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Vinegar 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 3 - 4 teaspoon

Steps
1. Peel the beetroot and julienne into 2 inch pieces  and keep aside.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to smooth powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies(if adding) and curry leaves to this and saute till it is light brown. Add the turmeric powder and chilly powder to this. Fry few minutes and add the sliced beetroot to this along with salt and mix, well cover lid and cook for about 5 minutes till the beetroots are just cooked.
5. Add the fenugreek and asafoetida powder to the beetroot and mix well. Add the vinegar to this and more salt if necessary and bring to boil. Turn off heat.
6. Let the pickle cool to room temperature and store in clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any rice or bread.

Pavakka Achar ( Bitter Gourd Pickle)

Overview
If you like Bitter gourd you will definitely love this pickle. This pickle has a combination of different flavors like hot, sour, bitter and sweet which makes it very unique. This pickle can be served as a condiment with any rice dish or Indian breads.

Bitter Gourd Pickle (Pavakka Achar)

Ingredients
Bitter gourd - 4 medium size cut into 2 inch long thin slices
Chilly powder - 2 -3 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Garlic 8 - 10 cloves finely chopped
Ginger 3 inch piece finely chopped
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon roasted and powdered
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Dry whole red chilly - 4 - 5 broken into pieces for garnish
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Vinegar about 1/4 cup
Brown sugar 1 - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil about 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Heat a non stick pan and add the sliced bitter gourd melon and keep stirring till all the water evaporates. Add 2 tablespoon of oil to this and stir the bitter gourd till it gets  crispy and brown. Keep this aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the dry chilly pieces and curry leaves to this and saute few minutes.
3. Add the finely chopped garlic and ginger to this and saute well till it is lightly brown. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder to this and saute well. Add the fried Bitter gourd to this and mix well.
4. Add the vinegar  and salt to this and mix well. Add asafoetida, fengreek powder and brown sugar to this and mix well and bring it to boil. Turn off heat.
5. Let the pickle cool to room temperature. Store in a clean jar.

Dates Pickle

Overview
This is a sweet and hot pickle that goes very well with fried rice and biriyani. This pickle is a mix to three big flavors - sweet taste from the dates and brown sugar, the tangy taste from the vinegar and tamarind and the hot spicy taste from the green chilly and red chilly powder. These 3 flavors mixed to together adds a unique blend of flavor to this delicious condiment.

Dates Pickle

Date Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Dates pitted and cut into pieces - 2 cups
Garlic 1 -  - 12 cloves finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch piece - finely chopped
Green chillies finely chopped - 3 -4
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Brown sugar or jaggery - 2 tablespoons
Tamarind the size of lemon
White Vinegar - 3 - 5 tablespoons
Fenugreek - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder 3 - 4 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for about 10 minutes . Squeeze the pulp out and strain the tamarind liquid and keep aside.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a pan and powder well and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in heavy bottom pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add the finely chopped garlic and ginger to it and saute few minutes till it starts to turn light brown.
5. Add the curry leaves and finely chopped green chillies to it and saute few minutes. Add the turmeric and chilly powder to this and saute few minutes.
6. Add the tamarind liquid and 1 cup water to this and mix well. Add the dates pieces to this and mix well.
7. Add the fenugreek  powder, asafoetida powder, salt, brown sugar and vinegar and mix well.
8. Cover the lid and cook this till the dates are cooked well and soft.
9. Turn off heat and add additional salt and vinegar if needed.
10. Let it cool to room temperature and transfer to a clean bottle and store in refrigerator.

Serve as a condiment with Fried rice or Biriyani.

Red Mango Ginger Pickle

Overview
Mango Ginger is a ginger that smells like raw mangoes and hence the name mango ginger.Another version of mango ginger pickle. My friend gave me this fresh mango ginger so I had to make this pickle. As this pickle ages the flavors mingle well with the mango ginger and makes this pickle very tasty.

Red Mango Ginger Pickle

Ingredients
Mango ginger thin sliced - 1 cup
Lemon juice 4 tablespoons
Red chilly powder - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds crushed - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds whole  - 1 teaspoons
Garlic cloves 4 - finely chopped
Fenugreek - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
White Vinegar - 3   - 5 tablespoons
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil - 3 -4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Crush the mustard seeds
2. Mix the sliced mango ginger with crushed mustard seeds, salt, turmeric and lemon juice and keep in refrigerator for 4 - 6 days. Stir it every day.
3. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and powder well.
4. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds.
5. When the seeds splutter add the finely chopped garlic and curry leaves. Saute till the garlic is slight brown.
6. Add the red chilly powder and saute few minutes. Add the marinated mango ginger to this. Add the fenugreek powder, asafoetoda powder, sugar and vinegar. Mix well. Add salt if needed.
7. Turn off the heat. Mix well and bring it to room temp. Transfer to a clean jar.

Can be served as a condiment for rice  or chapati.

Sprouts Salad

Overview
A healthy salad rich in protein and fiber. The combination of red and green pepper makes it very colorful. This is an easy salad to make and can be used as side for grilled fish or meat. The lime juice dressing adds a refreshing taste to this salad. Yellow peppers can also be used for this salad to add more color and texture.

Sprouts Salad

Ingredients
Moong bean sprouts - 1   1/2 cup
Green pepper - 1 finely diced
Red pepper  - 1 finely diced
Cucumber - medium size  - 1 fine diced
Red Onion  - 1 finely diced( optional)
Cilantro - 1/4 cup finely chopped

For Salad Dressing
Lemon juice - 3  tablespoons
Olive oil - 1 tablespoons
Salt for taste
Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Mix all ingredients well and pour over salad

How  to make Sprouts
1. Soak one cup of whole moong beans in plenty of water overnight
2. Drain water and tie the soaked beans in a cheese cloth and keep it in dark place over night.
3. Next day the sprouts should be ready to use

Mix the moong bean sprouts with chopped cucumber, green pepper, red pepper onion, cilantro in a salad bowl. Add the prepared salad dressing just before serving. Mix well and serve.

Kerala Mango Pickle

Overview
This is a simple and easy mango pickle to make.  This pickle can be eaten immediately but as it ages the mango pieces become more flavorful. Each region in India has a recipe for mango pickle. This is a typical Kerala mango pickle served with rice and curries.

Mango Pickle Ingredients

Mango Pickle

Ingredients
Raw Mango thin sliced - 2 cups
Garlic finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
Ginger finely chopped - 2 tablespoon
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Asafoetida powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 2 -3 tablespoons
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Salt 3 - 4 tablespoons
White Vinegar - 3 -4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Mix the thin sliced mangoes with  about  3 tablespoons salt and keep aside for about 4 to overnight in refrigerator.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind it to a smooth powder and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds to it.When the seeds splutter add the finely chopped garlic and ginger to it and saute till this mixture begins to brown.
3. Add the curry leaves fry few minutes and add the chilly powder. Mix well.
4. Add the sliced mangoes to this and mix well. Add the vinegar, fenugreek seeds powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida powder and mix well. Turn off the heat and mix well.  Check salt

Let it cool to room temperature and transfer to a cleaned bottle and store in refrigerator.

Beetroot Pachadi

Overview
This is a typical Kerala Pachadi made with fresh diced beetroot. A very easy dish to make and can be served with rice or chapatti. Beetroot cooked this way with fresh grated coconut, mustard seeds and yogurt gives this dish a very unique and delicious taste.The ground mustard seeds gives this a dish a pungent and spicy taste. The very bright pink color of this dish makes it one of a kind.

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients
One large beetroot finely chopped
Green chilly split at center 2 - 3
Curry leaves  - 1 sprig
Fresh grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Plain thick yogurt -1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

To Garnish
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Whole red chilly 2 -3  cut into pieces
Curry leaf  - 2 sprig

Steps
1. Cook the finely chopped beetroot with the green chilly, salt, curry leaves in 1/4 cup water. Cook till the beetroot is cooked well about 7 - 9 minutes.

2. Grind the Fresh grated coconut with the mustard seeds to a smooth paste.

3. Add the ground coconut with mustard to the cooked beetroot and bring to  a boil. Turn off the heat and let this cool to room temperature.

4. Whisk the yogurt well and mix to the cooled dish. Add salt if needed.

5. In another pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add the broken red chilly pieces and curry leaves. Turn off heat and add this to the prepared beetroot pachadi.

Serve with rice or chapathi.