Karinelika Achar (Black Gooseberry Pickle)

Ingredients

 Nellika  ( amla / gooseberry)  - 3 kg

 Sea Salt                       - 2 cups

Water   -   4 ½  cups

Sesame seed   oil   -  ¾  cup

Asafoetida    -   1 big piece (3 inch)

De-seeded dry   red   chilli  -  12

Mustard   -   ¾  cup

Fenugreek   -    3tsp

Crushed   black pepper   -  4 tbsp

Turmeric   powder  - 1tsp

Red chilli powder  - 3 tbsp

Sugar  -  2 tbsp

Garlic   - 1 cup heap

Julienned   ginger  - 1 tbsp

New  earthen pot 

Preparation

In a saucepan , boil water and add sea salt , stir and let it cool.

Wash and clean the new pot and put the amla in.

Pour salt water and close the pot with banana leaf.

Keep the pot on wood fire.

(as salt water might drip from the pot, the  metal burner stove is likely to

get damaged)

Let it  boil . Stir in between.

As the fire settles, the red hot wood will give steady low heat.

Preferably, next day, repeat the same process  till  the water is fully dried and the amla turns black .

Heat sesame seed oil in a wok  ;  fry asafoetida piece. Take it out and powder it.

(readymade asafoetida powder lacks sharp flavour)

In the same oil, fry red chilli, garlic and ginger and keep aside;

Add turmeric powder in the remaining oil. Now, add mustard and

fenugreek, as it  splutters  ,add  crushed  black pepper and chilli powder.

Finally add fried chilli and all remaining  ingredients and sugar.

Take the pot  from  fire and   let  it cool and then mix in the black  amla.

Store in clean glass jars  or (barani).

As it ages, it is really   YUM.

Even the seed of the amla  tastes  good.

This pickle is worth all the effort put in it.

The fire, the smoke, pepper, asafoetida, mustard ,garlic  all add  taste to the

Sour, sweet  amla.

Sweet Papaya Preserve

Ingredients

Sweet papaya mashed - 3 cups
Jaggery - 1 ½ cup
Cardamom - ½ tsp

Preparation

Remove the skin and mash papaya.
Use very ripe papaya to make a preserve.
In heavy bottomed vessel combine
mashed papaya and jaggery.
Keep it on medium flame and
Sauté till the water from the papaya
is fully evaporated.
Now it starts to stick to the sides of the vessel.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Turn off the flame.
This radiant natural red colour preserve is
a healthy preparation.

Adding sugar instead of jaggery will
give a different deep orange colour.
Papaya preserve should be refrigerated
for a longer shelf life.

Fresh sweet papaya is very nutritious
as all fruits are. But it is not so popular
among children.
Habit of eating all types of fruits should
be developed among children.

Fish Pickle

Ingredients

Fish - 1 kg
Garlic - 100 gm
Ginger - 200 gm
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder -3 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder -1 tbsp
Oil - 3 cups
Natural vinegar - 2 cups
Salt
curry leaves - 1 cup

Preparation

Cut the fish and wash thoroughly with salt and water.
Marinate the fish (prawns or oysters ) with 1 tbsp chilli powder,
turmeric and salt. Do not add water.

Peel and wash ginger , garlic and pat it dry.
Make a fine paste of it by adding a little salt and vinegar.

Fry the fish pieces, curry leaves and retain the oil.

In another wok pour oil and sauté the ginger- garlic paste.
As it turns brown add turmeric ,chilli powder and sauté
for two minutes. Now add the remaining fish oil,
vinegar and fried fish. When it is cooled, store it
in an air–tight container.
It looks gorgeous....

This pickle is of a great help to our children
from the boring hostel food.

Mango Jam (without preservatives)

Mango pieces –5cup

Sugar _2cups

Cloves -3

Mix mango pieces and sugar in a vessel.
Keep it in low flame.As it starts to boil,
Smash it with a ladel.
Stir it continuously till it gets thicker.
Add crushed cloves
And turn off the fire.
Can keep in air tight container in the fridge for two weeks.

Tips-


For getting a deeper colour add five dark plums.
Remember to remove the seeds.

Spread on your morning toast or with chapatti, this jam is great…