Allam Pachadi (Ginger Pickle)

Allam pachadi is a authentic Andhra recipe, simple and quick to prepare. "Allam" in Telugu Stands for Ginger.  Ginger is good for health and aids in proper digestion. Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Now, science is catching up and researchers around the world are finding that ginger works wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines..

This pachadi made with ginger, red chilies, red chili powder, curry leaves, tamarind. Allam pachadi has an excellent sweet, spicy and tangy taste. Though ginger is the main ingredient in this pachadi, its flavor is not overpowering.  Prepared from fresh ginger gives an strong aroma and fragrance while making the pachadi.

Health benefits of ginger

• Ovarian Cancer Treatment: ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.
• Colon Cancer Prevention: ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
•  Reduce the Morning Sickness.
• Heartburn Relief.
• Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment: Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu
•  Menstrual Cramp Relief : In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.
• Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy:    ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage). 

Ingredients :

 Chopped Fresh tender Ginger :            2-3 cups

 Big lemon size tamarind:                     1 no.

Grated jiggery                                      1 ½ cup.

Curry leaves                                        ½ cup

Coriander seed                                    ¼ cup

Fenugreek seed                                     ½ tsp.

Red chili Powder                                     ¾ - 1 cup

Oil                                                        ½ -1 cup

Salt                                                      to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds                                       1 tbs.

Cumin Seeds                                         1tbsp.

Whole Red chilies                                   5-6 no.

Hing                                                       1 tsp.

      
Method :

• In a deep pan add 1 cup of water and jaggery and keep stirring till jaggery, dissolves completely. Bring it to a boil. When it boils remove from flame and strain to remove all the impurities. Boil again till one string consistency is reached. Keep aside.
• Soak tamarind in boiling water. Strain the tamarind pulp through a strainer to remove any solids. Keep aside
• Wash the ginger and remove the skin and chop the ginger into small pieces. Shallow fry the ginger pieces with curry leaves. Fry till ginger turn light golden brown and crispy. Grind it in the blender. Keep aside.
• Fry the coriander seeds, Fenugreek seeds in the same oil. Blend it slightly coarsely. Keep aside.
• Take a big bowl, add all grounded items. Now add chili powder, salt, melted jaggery and tamarind pulp. Mix it well
• Heat oil in a small pan and add all seasoning items and fry and switch off the flame.
• Add the tempering to the pickle and stir well.
• Fill them into a glass jar or air tight container. You can store in the refrigerator up to one year.
• This pickle is a great accompaniment to Plain rice, Pesarattu, idlis, dosas.

Punjabi mango pickle

Punjabi mango pickle is a spiced mango pickle. Popular in the Punjab region of India. The combination of fennel seeds, nigella seeds (Karu Jeera) with mustard and other pickling spices used in this pickle

This is a very simple recipe to follow. . If you are a pickle lover like me, you are going to love this pickle. Just keep in mind the basics of pickle making - use a clean sterilized jar, see that there is no moisture and ensure that oil forms a covering layer over the ingredients in the jar. You can Storage this up to 1 year in a cool dry place.

Ingredients:

Raw mangoes                      4 cups

Fennel seeds                      ¼ cup   (coarsely grounded)

Fenugreek seeds                 4 tbsp.

Kalonji (Karum jeeragam)   3tbsp.

Mustard seeds                    2 tbsp.

Asafetida powder               1tsp.

 Red chili powder             acc. to taste

Salt                                to taste

Mustard oil (OR)Gingili oil   - ¼ cup (Mustard oil gives the pungent flavor)

Method:

• Wash and wipe the mangoes well with a kitchen towel. Cut the mangoes into 1’’ pieces and add them in a bowl.
• Combine the mangoes, turmeric powder and salt and toss well.
• Cover and keep it under the sun for 4 to 6 hours.
• Grind coarsely the 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, 2 tbsp. fenugreek sees, 1/8 cup of fennel seeds in a mixer.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. .
• Add the mangoes and toss well. pour the entire mango mixture in a jar.
• If you are using gingili oil, heat the oil and pour to the jar. If you are using mustard oil, you can directly add to the jar.
• The pickle stays good for a year even without refrigeration.

Note:

• You can choose to add more red chili powder if you want a spicy and hot pickle.
• Keep the jar and the plates everything clean.
  
  
  
  

  

  Punjabi Mango Pickle

  
  

Meyer Lemon Pickle

Meyer Lemon

For more than a century, the Meyer lemon was known mostly for its looks. In its native China, it was primarily a decorative houseplant. It considered to be a cross between a true lemon and a mandarin orange. The fruit is very tender, extremely juicy, and its peel is much thinner than a regular lemon. The higher sugar content lends to the unique, rich flavor. 

Meyer Lemons are entirely edible, skin and all, which has a lovely, perfume a long with its expected acidity. The fruit itself is a lot less tart than a regular lemon

I've heard so much about Meyer lemons in food blog land but tasted them for the first time when I found them being sold in Costco. I have to say, I can see what the hype is about- this lemon has a remarkable taste, very aromatic and lemony without the harshness.  I made this pickle first time in my life, it came out very well. I gave to my friends, they also liked it.   Try this and give me your feedback.

Ingredients:

Meyer Lemons                                12 no

Sea salt                                          ¼ cup Or to taste

 Powdered Jaggery / Brown sugar     3 tbsp.

Red chili powder (rich colored)          1/ 4 cup

Ginger                                             ½ ‘’ length

Lemon juice                                     3 Tbsp.

Mustard seeds                                  1 Tsp.

Dry fried and powdered fenugreek     1 tbsp.

Asafetida                                         ½ Tsp.

Large glass jar                                   1 no

Method:

• Wash and chop the lemons with the full peels into small pieces, discarding seeds, but catching all the juice. Add salt and turmeric powder in it and keep aside for one day.
• Peel the ginger, cut it into very small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When mustard seed start crackling ginger , hing, red chili powder. Switch off the stove.
• Add to the lemon pieces . Add  lemon juice , jaggery powder or brown sugar in it. Mix well . 
• Let it cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
• Take off the heat, cool and save in a bottle.

Nellikkai Pickle (Gooseberry Pickle)

Gooseberry is a small pebble like green berries. Gooseberries have a silvery cast and a hint of sour. Gooseberry is best cultivated in cooler climates. Gooseberry is usually used in manufacturing jams, pies and other highly sweetened dishes.  

 Medicinal and Health Benefits of Gooseberry:

- Gooseberry helps to balance stomach acid.

- Gooseberry promotes healthier hair.

- Gooseberry also strengthens the eyes.

- Gooseberry also helps to flush out toxins

Gooseberry Pickle

Here I used Frozen Gooseberry.

Ingredients:

 Frozen Gooseberry                     - 15 no

Kashmiri chili powder                   - 4tbsp

Turmeric powder                        1/2 Tsp.

Vinegar                                        2 tbsp.

Fenugreek seeds                         - ¼ tsp.

Oil (Gingerly) -                             3 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                               1 tsp.

Hing (asafetida)                            3/4 Tsp.

Salt                                              to taste.

Method:

• Cook gooseberry in water and little salt. Allow it to cool.
• Keep the water aside and remove the seeds from the berry and slice it into small pieces.
•  Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add gooseberries and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Reduce the heat and add chilly powder, turmeric powder, Asafetida and salt.
•  Roast it well and pour required amount of water (water which was used to cook the gooseberry) and vinegar into it and boil well.
• Add the cooked gooseberry into it and mix well. Remove it from fire and cool it.
• Store the pickle in a clean and dry bottle. This can be stored for a month or more, if refrigerated.
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Jalapeno& Serrano Pickle

Pickled jalapeno& Serrano chili peppers are deliciously hot and have a satisfying crunch. If you have surplus jalapeno& Serrano chilies, pickling is a fast and easy way to preserve them.

Ingredients:

Jalapeno peppers                             - 4 no

Serrano Peppers                               – 3 no

 Extra virgin olive oil                         - 1 tbsp.

Julienne gingers                               2 tbsp.

 Pickling solutions:

Pickling salt                                  – 2-3 tbsp.

White Vinegar                                – 1 ½ cup

Sugar                                             – 1 tsp.

Dash of basil, oregano, thyme             - optional

Other things:
Kitchen gloves                                 a pair
Small Glass Jar with lid(sterilized)        1 no.

 Before Pickling Peppers

• Always be sure to wash and dry your peppers before pickling them.
• Glass Jars which is sanitized by soaking the jar in hot boiling water for about 10 mins then and thoroughly dried with paper towel or clean kitchen cloth. 

Method:

• Wear the Kitchen Gloves first.
•  Remove the pod and slice the Peppers roundly.
• Fill Jar with pieces of peppers and julienne ginger, olive oil and pickling solution and leaving ½" room at the top.
• Cap the jar tight, and refrigerate.
• It stays good for almost more than a year.
• Its good with curd rice, sandwich 

Green Apple Pickle

This is very easy to make. It’s so yummy.

Ingredients:

Green Apple                    - 1 (Sour type)

Oil -                                     1 tbsp

Red chili powder                 - 1 tsp

Asafetida                            - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt -                                       1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds -                     1/2 teaspoon

Method:

•  Cut the apple with skin into Julienne. Add red chili powder and salt mix well. Leave it aside.
• In a kadai put the oil and when it is hot add mustard. When it pops up add Asafetida powder and immediately remove from stove and pour over the green apples. Mix well.
•  It can be stored for a couple of days only.

Mango Curry (Mango Pickle)

Mango pickle can be considered to be the queen of pickles. Mango curry or Mango pickle is a very spicy condiment in Kerala Sadya.  Any Sadya (feast) without pickle are unimaginable. This pickle is very easy to make.

Ingredients:

Unripe mango/pacha manga                2 nos (cut to small cubes)

Red chili powder                                4 TBSP

Turmeric powder                                ¼ tsp

Asafetida powder                                ¼ tsp

Fenugreek powder                                ¼ tsp

Gingelly oil                                         3 tbsp

Salt                                                  as needed

Water                                                ¼ cup

Curry leaves                                      2-3 sprigs

Method:

•  In a mixing bowl, add the cubed mango pieces along with turmeric powder and salt. Mix these together well and set aside for at least 2 hours. 
• Add red chili powder, Asafetida and fenugreek powder. Mix all well to combine. 
• Heat oil in a frying pan and Switch off flame, and immediately add mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Add this over the mango pieces and mix well. Continue mixing until the froth from oil is completely disappeared and the raw smell from the chili powder is gone.
•  Transfer this to another bowl and set aside.
• Warm a ¼ cup of water in a pan and add to the prepared mango pickle. Mix well to combine and spicy, tasty mango pickle is ready to serve.

Mango Pickle

Cranberry Pickle

Cranberries have:

• High concentration of antioxidants, 
• High potassium, 
• Vitamin C 
• Manganese 
• dietary fiber 
• low in fat 
• low in calories-only 51 calories per cup from fresh cranberries. 

Use raw cranberries in a variety of food items to add a tart, fresh flavor to salads, relishes and other dishes.  While shopping at Costco, I saw fresh cranberry packet. I thought why I don’t make cranberry pickle?. I am a pickle lover.  So I tried it. It came so yummy. It’s so crunchy, sour and spicy taste.  It’s healthy also, just need 1 tbsp of oil  to make this pickle.You can make this pickle within 3 minutes. When I make this pickle I always remember  Horlicks Ad "Appadiye sapidalam".  It goes with curd rice.

 Ingredients

Cranberry                                 450 gms

 Pickle masala powder               ¼ cup  (See the Link)

Oil                                            1 tbsp

Mustard seeds                            1 tspe

Hing                                         1 tsp

Method

• Clean the cranberry with paper towel.
• Heat the oil, add mustard seed, Hing.
• When mustard seed crackled add pickle masala
• Now add cranberries just  stir for few seconds
• Mix well. Switch off the stove
• Store it in glass container and refrigerated it.
• It will stay for one week

Note:

You can also use Deep Pickle masala Powder.

You can also make cranberry chutney.  Use the same my apple berry chutney’s recipe, instead of apple and berries use cranberry itself.

Lemon pickle combo

I am a pickle lover. I always prefer to make pickle at home rather than buy from store. Pickles are made with great care, as they are supposed to last a year at least ,so before making any pickles, please remember this below tips. 

Tips for the Pickle:

• Always ensure best ingredients are chosen, Jars & bottles are washed and sun dried.
• Always use Crystal salt (called as kalluppu – கல் உப்பு in Tamil)  not table salt. Table salt contains iodine, a chemical that can darken pickles.
•  Only dry spoon has to be used while taking the pickle out from jar.
• Always use bright color red chili powder.

Ingredients:

Green lemon                              - 15 nos

Green chilies                            – 10 no (silted)

Ginger                                     – 3 tbsp (juliennes)

Red Chili powder                       – ¼ cup

Sugar                                     – 2 tbsp

Salt                                      – as required

Oil                                          – 3 tbsp

Fenugreek                               – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds                         – 1tsp

Red chili flakes                          _ 2 tsp

Asafetida (Hing)                      – 1tsp

Turmeric powder                      – ¼ tsp

Method:

• Cut limes into 4 cubes. Slit the green chillies, and ginger.
• Add turmeric powder, salt. Mix well altogether  and keep aside for 3 to 4 days.
• Dry fry the fenugreek and grind coarsely
• Heat oil in pan, add mustard seed. When mustard seed start crackling add Hing, red chili flakes, red chili powder.  Switch off the stove.
• Add lemon combos and sugar. Mix well. If you want, you can add white vinegar ( 3 tbsp) in it.
• Lemon combo is ready.  Keep it in very cleaned bottle.

Puli Inji/ Tamarind Ginger Curry

In Kerala this is one of the traditional dish in Onam Sadya (feast). The kick of ginger, chili, and tamarind along with sweetness of jaggery is so yummy. This dish can be prepared in so many different ways. Also it can be stored for more than a month.When I was in Cochin, one of my friend Namboothiri (Kerala Brahmin) aunty gave me this recipe.

Ingredients:

Ginger                                         1 big size

Tamarind                                     1 big lemon size

Grated Coconut                             ½ cup

Red chili powder                           1 tbsp

Coriander powder                        1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder                          1/4tsp

Asafetida powder                          1/4tsp

Jaggery (grated)                          ½ cup

Salt                                             – to taste
Seasonings:
Finely chopped Curry leaves       - 2 tbsp

Mustard seed                            – 2 pinches

Red chillies                                 – 2 nos

Coconut Oil                                 – 2tbsp

Method:

• Wash and peel the skin of ginger. Grate the ginger.
• Fry the grated ginger in 1 tsp of oil till brown .
• Soak the tamarind in ½ cup of hot water for few minutes. Dissolve it and keep aside. Make like thick pulp.
• Heat the oil, fry the shredded coconut till brown color. Then add all powders and fry for one minute. Grind them very smoothly.
• Heat the oil, add mustard seeds, when it is spluttering add curry leaves and red chillies.
• Add tamarind pulp, coconut masala paste, grated ginger and salt in it. Boil for 5 minutes. Finally add jaggery in it.
• Simmer for 5-7 minutes and remove from fire. Pulli Inji is ready. Store it in glass bottle.
• Serve with Dosa, Idli, Rice .