%20(3).png)
The ancient Indian kingdom of Avadh had a rich culinary tradition with a dazzling array of recipes – including some very exciting pickles. In today’s post, we are going to recreate one of the fascinating pickles from the Avadhi collection. This one is a Ginger-Tamarind Pickle which was called Khatti Meethi Adrak Ka Achaar. Its South Indian counterpart is known as Inji Puli.
Here are the ingredients that you will require.
Ingredients:
Ginger (Adrak): 6 pieces, around one inch in length
Tamarind (Imli): 50 grams
Mustard Oil: 200 millilitres
Mustard Seeds (Rai): Half a teaspoon
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds: 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies: 10
Dry Red Chillies: 2
Jaggery (Gur): 1 teaspoon
Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: Just a pinch
Asafoetida (Heeng): Just a pinch
Salt: to taste
This pickle is usually made in smaller quantities because it doesn’t last as long as other pickles. That’s because it is made with tamarind juice and is, therefore, a moist pickle. The quantities mentioned above are for making four servings.
Preparation:
Peel, wash and coarsely chop the ginger.
Soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice. Retain the pulp. Keep aside.
Finely chop the green chillies.
Method:
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a frying pan. When the seeds are done, grind them into a coarse powder. Add the asafoetida and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
Add four tablespoons of Mustard Oil to the frying pan and sauté the ginger, mustard seeds, green chillies and dry red chillies. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter add the turmeric powder, mix well and fry for another minute or so. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
Heat the remaining Mustard Oil in a pan. When the oil reaches its smoking point and emits whiffs of aromatic white smoke, add the tamarind pulp and juice. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Next add the fenugreek seeds and jaggery. Keep stirring and let the mixture simmer till it thickens.
Next, add the ginger and spices mixture from the frying pan. Keep stirring to mix well and let the mixture cook for another two minutes or so. Then turn the heat off and let the contents of the pan cool down to room temperature.
Take a glass or porcelain pickling jar and sterilize it. Ensure that it is completely dry. There should be no residual moisture inside the jar.
Pour the contents of the pan into the pickling jar. Add more Mustard Oil, if required. The ginger, tamarind and spices should be completely immersed in Mustard Oil with the oil level around one centimetre above the contents.
Next, cover the mouth of the jar with a clean, dry muslin cloth and hold it in place by tying a string around the neck of the jar. Place the jar out in the hot summer sun. A terrace or rooftop is the best place because it gets continuous sunshine throughout the day. However, you can also put the jar in a balcony or on a window sill – but you will need to move it around catch the sun as it moves across the sky.
Remember to bring the jar indoors at night to prevent moisture from setting in. While keeping it indoors, ensure that the jar is placed in a dry environment.
After around three or four days in the sun, your Avadhi Ginger Tamarind Pickle will be ready. As mentioned earlier, this pickle will not last as long as other pickles because of the moisture in the tamarind. That’s why it is better to make it in small batches. Celebrate the grand revival of an ancient delicacy!
You can find more recipes at: https://www.purioilmills.com/pickles/
