Mixed Vegetable Pickle (without Oil) - Konkani style

Mixed Vegetable Pickle is a popular Konkani pickle prepared with all winter fresh vegetables you can find. This is the way Ma makes it for us when the fresh bounty of winter vegetables surfaced in the markets. Of late, she has stopped making large batches of pickle because both of them cannot finish the batch and then it just gets wasted. The pickle Ma made was without oil and had lot of pickle liquor (nonche kholu). If there is one item which I refuse to buy from store then its got to be Pickle. I feel the flavor of home made pickle is a sure shot winner and you can also control the amount of sodium and oil content that goes in.

Every time I tell her I making a batch of pickle at home, she reminds me to sun dry the jars or sanitize them crisp and dry in the dishwasher. She even goes the extra mile by storing them in special pickle jars (Bharani) and covers the porcelain jars with tight cheesecloth on top to be used only during the rainy season, next year around. The husband is not a big fan of pickle, so I made a small batch just for me over the weekend. I did not add water so the pickle has a semi-dry consistency. Soon after the jar is ready, I store it in refrigerator after two days. The shelf life of this pickle is 1-2 months and goes well with Dosa, Idli, Paej and Parathas. Check here for elaborate notes on different types of Konkani pickles.

~ Mixed Vegetable Pickle (without Oil) - Konkani style ~

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Processing time: 5 minutes

The measurements are good for 4 cups of vegetables (approx.)

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (chopped into tiny florets) - 2 cups

Ivy Gourd [Tendle] (chopped into thin strips) - 1 cup

Carrot (chopped into thin strips)  - 3/4 cup

Ginger (peeled and chopped into tiny bits) - 1/4 cup

Lime (juiced and chopped into tiny bits) - 1/4 cup

Lime juice - 2 medium Limes

Salt

For Pickle Masala -

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 10

Red Chillies (Harekala/ Guddi Mirsang) - 5

Asafoetida - 1/5 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Chop the vegetables and wash them well. Air dry on a cheesecloth or a paper napkin till the water content is gone. Add salt and lime juice, give a good toss and set aside for 2 hours.

2. In a mixer, add the red chillies and grind to a fine powder, add asafoetida now and turmeric powder and blitz for a while to mix it all up. Now, add mustard seeds and run the mixer once to crush it all up to a fine powder. Spread this powder on a plate and allow to cool completely. Once cooled off, mix the powder to the chopped vegetables and adjust salt as per taste (leave for 2 hours undisturbed). 

3. In a dry non-reactive jar, transfer the pickle. After 2 days, refrigerate for further use. Finish within 1-2 months. 

Note: If you live in tropical/ hot terrains, heat 1/3 cup of neutral oil (Vegetable or Canola oil). Allow to cool and pour over the pickle stored to prevent from any bacteria/ fungi attack and store in a cool place. Any kind of moisture ruins the pickle, so store it well.

Idli Roast

A quick no-brainer recipe and a family favorite. In my home, excess Idli is saved for Idli Roast prepared the next day for breakfast/ tiffin snacks. Sliced Idlis roasted in Ghee and a divine snack gets ready in less than 10 minutes. This snack made its way into my school and college snack box. 

I pair it with Curry Leaves Dry Chutney powder (Karbev Palley Chutney Pitti). For best results, use a Cast Iron pan for roasting. You will get a nice crust and a crispy texture.

~ Idli Roast ~
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8 Slices

Ingredients:
Idlis (sliced into thin bites) - 2
Ghee

Contraption needed - Cast Iron Pan

Method:
Heat a cast iron pan and place the slices side by side. Drizzle ghee on the sides. Flip them once the golden crust is formed and they are crispy. Turn off the flame and serve hot with Dry Chutney powder.

Indian Ber & Lemon Pickle (Tarne Bor Limbe Nonche)

The combination of Ber and Lemon is unorthodox but I combined both to mesh the textures of two different kind of fruits which hold well for any kind of pickling process. Ber (tender) has a Granny Smith Apple texture minus the sweetness and Lemon has a citrus aroma with a crunch hard to miss. The Lemon peel pickled well in the liquor. I used a process called Maceration where the fruit is soaked in liquor of choice for few days before finishing the dish. The tissue of the fruit gets broken down by the acidic agent and hence well absorbs the flavour. The flavour was similar to my Ma's Bilimbi Pickle.

Ber enabled me to reminisce childhood memories once again. My high school was perched at the foot of a tall, steep hill which had Hanuman temple atop. The school compound stretch was dotted with Ber (Bor) trees which were laden with beautiful round leaves and tons of thorns. During the season, which began during winter, the ripe fruits would ooze sweet scent and all kids would throng to pluck those within reach. We also had fruit vendors who would sell Ber in a paper cone. They were marble ball sized, juicy to the core, sweet and tangy. Ma often dissuaded us from eating the Ber that grew in our school campus and began buying them from local market since we liked it lot. The ripe ones need close examination as they are often infested with worms. I once encountered one with worms and that was the end of my Ber eating saga. As I grew up, I spotted larger version of Ber which were from hybrid versions but not as tasty as the ones I had when I was a kid.

The shelf like of this pickle is 2 weeks maximum, so making a small batch seems best.

~ Ber Lemon Pickle ~
Preparation time: 5 days (including the maceration time)
Processing time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Indian Ber [tender] (chopped into tiny cubes) - 5
Lemon Peel (chopped into tiny cubes) - 2

For Maceration -
Lemon juice - juice of 2 Lemon's
Red Chilli powder (hot variety) - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Asafoetida - Just a pinch

For Seasoning -
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp approx.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Wash and air dry the vegetables to dry off any moisture. Extract the juice of Lemon's and chop the peel and Ber into tiny cubes discarding the core (seed). Macerate with lime juice, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Store in a cool dry place and stir once every day for a week. End of the week, heat oil in a deep frying pan and once the oil is hot enough, season with mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop, turn off the flame and allow to cool completely. Pour the seasoning on the macerated fruits and mix well.

Note - Do not pour the seasoning immediately on the macerated fruits as they could begin cooking owing to the heat of the oil. Store in refrigerator if dwelling in hot terrains.

Bitter Gourd Pickle (Coated With Spice Powders)/ Kaarate Kudko

Bitter Gourd is one of my favorite vegetable (as weird as it sounds). My octogenarian Ammama makes the best Bitter Gourd Pickle which I will save for another post. When hale-o-hearty, she regularly sent a jar full of Bitter Gourd Pickle and other goodies for me. Last time when I visited my Ammama, she told me about this recipe of another version of Bitter Gourd pickle which her MIL used to made - Kaarate Kudko. She said she remembered it had a powdery coating of spices. She asked me to research more about it.

Few years later, I was invited for lunch at one of my dear Aunt's place. Since she knew I love Bitter Gourd, she had saved her latest batch of pickle for me. I was thrilled and delighted when she gifted me the tiny jar. I quickly grabbed a spoon and tasted a piece and indeed it was heavenly! I asked her the recipe and she informed me its called Kaarate Kudko. My quest ended there with the discovery. I quickly got the recipe and dabbled around with it till I got it right. Aunty perpetually has a jar of this pickle and her kids relish the flavourful pieces to the last bite. I make a small batch and refrigerate them in a glass jar since Bitter Gourds are prone to quick spoilage. The name essentially comes from Kudko which implies pieces and Kaarate implies Bitter Gourd in GSB Konkani, hence the name Kaarate Kudko. This recipe has an old world charm and a certain element of originality which fascinates me. I know very few families who pickle the gourds at home in this fashion. If you detest eating Bitter Gourd, you can pass off this post.

There are many versions of this pickle in practice, some where the spices are toasted and ground and some where the powders are directly added. Take your pick as per choice.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd (chopped) - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon + 1/3 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - Just a pinch

Salt

Ghee

Method:

Wash the Bitter Gourd and trim off the ends. Chop them into 1/2" pieces, boil them in water which is salted with turmeric powder (1/2 tsp). Once the pieces are par-boiled, turn off the flame and drain the water off. Transfer to a kitchen paper and allow to cool thereby absorbing the moisture.

In a separate deep pan, heat few spoons of ghee and add all the spice powders. Reduce the flame to low. Add the boiled Bitter Gourd pieces and saute to get an even coating of spice powders all over the gourd. Adjust salt as per taste. The pieces would be crisp, bit fried by now. Turn off the flame and allow to cool. Transfer to a clean, sterilised glass jar and refrigerate after use. Goes well as a pickled serving with white rice or Paej.

Instant Carrot Pickle (With Oil)

I am a big fan of home made pickles. The more spicy and tasty the pickle the more happy I am. Growing up, I had a big aversion for Carrots. No matter what trick what my Mom tried, I refused to eat them. Mom found a quick fix for it. She made Instant Carrot Pickle and I today I find myself hooked to this tangy treat for a lifetime! The thing which attracted me most was the cutting style she used - Julienne. The thin matchstick strips of Carrot were a delight to bite and munch on as a kid! Pick Carrots which are firm, free of blemishes and sturdy - they are apt for pickling and have a better shelf life. This pickle takes very less cook time and is extremely tasty. The shelf life however is less than 3 days, so I make a small batch to avoid wastage.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Processing time: 15 minutes (for marinade)

Ingredients:

Carrot (Julienned into strips) - 1 cup

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Lime juice - 3 tablespoon

Asafoetida - 1/3 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Coconut Oil or Canola Oil

Salt

Method:

Wash the Carrots, peel off the skin and chop them into julienne cuts. Pat them dry and spread them on a clean cheesecloth to dry for 1/2 hour. Once the moisture is completely off, add salt, lime juice, turmeric powder and chilli powder in a mixing bowl and add the carrots. Give a good toss and keep aside for 15 minutes. Lime juice makes the carrot tender and nimble taking away the crunchy texture.

In a separate deep dish pan, heat few tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot enough (not smoky hot), add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. The mustard seeds would pop completely. Turn off the flame and allow the seasoning to cool completely. Once the seasoning cools off completely, gently crush the mustard seeds with a pestle and powder lightly. Pour this seasoning on the carrots and give a good stir. Store in a clean, sterilized glass jar and consume within 2-3 days. Preferably, refrigerate after use if staying in humid/ damp/ hot terrains.

Raw Green Mango Pickle (Ambuli Nonchey/ Kairicha Loncha/ Maavinkayi Uppinkayi)

Green Raw Mango (Ambuli in GSB Konkani, Maavinkayi in Kannada and Kairi in Marathi) Pickle made from fresh Kairi tastes yummy. It is like a party of different spices in your mouth. I like this simple, easy pickle which Mom makes. Every Summer, pickle making has been a BIG ritual in many families. Some gather in groups, some make it alone, some get it done through experts but everyone has a tiny place in their kitchen for this tangy, spicy treat. A small jar would adore many a homes for the sheer symbolic value a jar of pickle carries with itself.

Pickles for me conjure and pile up lot of sweet, happy stories in a very special and significant way. Its about childhood memories, a cultural ethos which grows on you as you age, a group activity to bond, grow and share the daily domestic jabber, fond thoughts of summer vacations, visit to vast farms dotted with Mangroves and bounties of Mango trees, gift of couple of Raw Mangoes from a kind friend, hours of labour in the kitchen tugging along with Mom's Saree, some strict instructions given by elders not to meddle with the pickle jar - all this to finally taste the rich red tinged Mango bathed in the pickle liquor. A slice of sun-kissed Kairi with Red Chilli powder and salt dribbled on, and we packed a world of happiness with our giggles and pranks.

The pickle gets the powderful sharp and snappy aroma from the edible gum commonly known as Hing. Asafoetida is used in many Indian Daal and Curries. I picked Hing which is the globular gummy one you get in India instead of powdered Asafoetida. The taste had a profound difference in flavour with the use of gummy globular Hing. The combination of Crinkled Chillies (Byadgi) and/or Non-crinkled Chillies (Short Chillies/Guddi Mirsaang) enabled a smooth texture to the pickle liquor. We enjoy the red pickle liquor with Dosa's specially. The shelf life of this pickle is within 2-3 weeks or before the raw mangoes turn squishy and soft in the liquor.

Processing time: 2-3 days

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Raw Green Mangoes (chopped Ambuli/ Kairi/ Tor/ Maavinkai) - 4 cups

Red Chillies (Byadgi [15] + Red Chillies [15] ) - 30

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon

Asafoetida ~ Edible globular gum (globular edible gum which is non-powdery) - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Water

Method:

Wash and chop Raw Green Mango into bite sized pieces. Add good enough salt and leave them aside (salt cure) for 2-3 days. Store and refrigerate if required. This is called 'Karmbi'. The day you are making pickle, thaw them and leave aside. Grind Red Chillies in grinder, add Turmeric powder and globular Asafoetida and Mustard seeds towards the end. Do not add salt as the Mangoes already have salt. Allow the powder to cool off for couple of hours. Spread on a wide tray if required. Once cool, add the powder to Mango pieces, add enough water as desired. Mix well. Asjust and add salt if required. Leave aside for couple of hours. Store the pickle in a clean non-reactive glass/ ceramic/ porcelain jar. Refrigerate and consume within 2-3 weeks or till the Mangoes do not turn squishy and soft.

Raw Green Mango Salt-Cured Pickle (Karmbi)

Karmbi - A simple basic Konkani style of salt-curing Green Raw Mangoes. One of the many ways to pickle and preserve Raw Mangoes especially the ones belonging to the first harvest lot which hit the local groceries or if you are lucky, gracefully offered as a harvest gift from a kind friend plucked and picked from the burgeoning farm lands and backyard garden patch. Many of my family members still salt, pickle and preserve the raw mangoes (called as Ambuli in GSB Konkani or Tor in Goan Konkani) in this fashion and they taste delicious. Once they are salted and wilt a little, they are then used for pickles of choice with pickle liquor chosen as per the taste, color desired. Use them the way they are if you wish. We prefer eating them with a bowl of cooked parboiled rice (Paez or Paej in Konkani).

This pickle is made without any spice powders added and is very similar to the style of pickling (e.g salt curing with salt water brine for vegetables like Cornichons, Gerkhins, Cucumber, Olives) observed and practised in the US and Carribean regions.

Processing time: 2-4 days

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Green Raw Mango (chopped and diced) - 4 cups

Green Chillies (chopped) ~ optional - 5-8

Salt

Method:

Clean and wash the Raw Green Mango to get rid of any bees wax. Clean and wipe dry. Chop into bite sized pieces and mix good enough quantity of salt, slip in some green chillies if desired. Leave aside for 2-3 days. Give a gentle stir with a clean spoon every night. Once wilted and salt is absorbed, pack them off in a clean glass jar container or make pickle with desired pickle liquor.

Note - Do not salt cure and pickle for more than 2-3 days, the mangoes lose their crunch, taste and flavour. Once done, refrigerate for longer shelf life or convert into regular pickle by adding the desired spice powder.

Lime Salt-Cured Pickle (Limbiya Kanchi) - II

Every year during summer I love making my little batch of Pickle at home. I made this Konkani style of pickling Lime and Lemon known as Limbiya Kanchi (pronounced as kan-chee). If you ask me why its called Kanchi, I would say I have no idea. My take on this is may be on olden days when resources were scarce, the depleting spices and fruits were all meshed together to create this wonderful version of Konkani style of non-masala Pickles all at the liberty of your home and hearth.

I followed my Mother's recipe since her precision & measurements of spices and condiments is well known in our family. She easily knows 10+ varieties of home made Pickle varieties. The only change I made is I added a good measure of Turmeric for color and preservative properties. Store in traditonal porcelain containers called as Bharnee if you have one, cover with a lid and tie the mouth with a muslin cloth and push in a cosy corner of the kitchen. Well, that's how my mother and grandmother made pickle batches and preserved them. Else, always store them in non-reactive glass jars. They stay longer and the acidic content does not corrode the walls of the container. This method of salt-curing Lime is stored and given to kids/ adults especially when they have low appetite and/or are sick. I prefer eating them with Paej or Paez (parboiled brown rice).

Few Konkani varieties of Pickle(s) (with Konkani names) are:

1. Kanchi - Salt + Ginger-Green Chillies with no spice powders, very less liquor.

2. Adgai - Black hued, classic combination of Raw Mangoes with Raw Green Jackfruit with fried Red Chilli (Byadgi_ powder added to give the rich black color, medium liquor.

3. Kotla or Kochla or Hindee Nonche - Grated Raw Mango pieces mixed with spice powder, no liquor hence dry textured pickle.

4. Koot - Mostly made with pre-sauted Yam, is thick with dark hued pickle liquor. Made for weddings to be specific.

5. Murabba - Sweet pickle made with Mangoes (similar to Marmalade). Some also treat it as a jam or spread for breads of choice.

6. Randekayee Nonche - A very popular mixed vegetable pickle made of Ivy Gourd, Cauliflower, Chillies and Lime with Red colored pickle liquor.

7. Whole Mango Pickle or Bharlele Tor - This is mostly made in Goan regions (Tor = Raw Mangoes in Goan Konkani), whole Mango pieces are stuffed with spice powder, tied with a string and stored in porcelain jars topped with lot of warm oil for pickling for 4-6 months. Occassional shake or stir recommended with clean hands.

8. Pitte Nonche - In this one, the vegetable of choice is mixed with spice powder (dry and no water) and left for pickling. We make numerous pickle with Lime, Lemon, Bilimbi, Raw Green Mangoes, Dhodle (do not know the english name for this fruit) with this approach.

9. Karmbi - This is a very age-old way of salt-curing Raw Green Mango pieces in salt water brine. Throw in some chillies if you wish to.

10. Pacchadi - This is a fairly simple way of finely chopping raw mangoes and treating them with green chillies and a generous hand of asafoetida which renders a very unique taste and flavour. This is served in temples as ritual prasadam during summer season when Raw Mangoes are available in abundance. Some even complement it with coconut paste to enhance the flavour.

11. Ambuli Nonchey (Simple Raw Green Mango pickle) - Red colored pickle liquor, tastes great with abundance addition of gummy Hing.

This version of pickle is different from the conventional pickle. It has no spice powders and is very kid friendly. This pickle is a big hit with kids in our family since it has just the right amount of spice for a tiny tot's palate. If desired, remove chillies while serving kids. We had huge batch of this tangy treat at home while growing up, so it was easy on the palate and we could enjoy our own version of kid friendly pickles at home. It takes around 2-3 weeks for the complete batch to get pickled and more if the weather does not permit so patience is a must. With little effort, I was glad I could make this at home once again.

Processing time: 2-3 weeks
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Lime - 5 (large ones)
Green Chillies (chopped) - 10
Ginger (finely chopped into bits) - 1/2 cup
Salt - 5-6 tablespoon ~ tweak as required
Turmeric powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Contraption/ Container - A sparkling clean glass jar or any non-reactive container

Method:
Wash the Lime thoroughly to remove any traces of bees wax coating. Use a cleaning kitchen brush if required. Wipe dry with a clean cloth and leave on a kitchen towel to dry for some time. Once moisture is gone and Lime is totally dry, chop the Lime into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a clean glass jar. Mix in the green chillies and ginger (both chopped). I layer them in the order of Lime-Ginger-Green Chillies-Salt and so on. Stir well and leave in a cool dry place to pickle for 2 weeks. Once every two days, give a gentle stir with a clean spoon at night and leave aside. It took around 2 and 1/2 weeks for me to get the Lime pieces, Chilli pieces and Ginger pieces to pickle. Once done, store in fridge if you stay in hot terrains or you could leave them out in a dry cool place if the temperature is cool, less damp and non-humid. The shelf life for this recipe is a year or two without any signs of moulds and fungus if you store it well. The older the life of of Kanchi, the wholesome the flavours. Recommend to begin using Kanchi after 3-4 months of pickling for a wholesome taste.

Extra tips for Pickle at home -

- Keep water, dampness at bay while making pickle. Even a small amount of moisture can ruin the whole batch.

- Pick good quality juicy Lime or Lemon for great tasting pickle.

- Preferably use a glass container since its non-reactive, the citric acid does not breakdown or corrode the container.

- Never compromise on salt, less salty your pickle gets ruined. Fresh batch of Pickle would always taste salty.

- Leave the Pickle undisturbed during the whole period of pickling. Store in cool, dry place.

Star Fruit Pickle (Karambala Nonchey/ Karamali Loncha)

Nupur's Recipe Marathon - Day 7

Star Fruits are in season now. I made this simple pickle to stock up for summer use and rainy days. In Konkani, Star Fruit is known as Karambola/ Karambal. I made Star Fruit pickle or Karambalaa Nonchey on the last day of New Year. In Konkani, Nonchey stands for pickle, especially the ones made with spice powders dunked in vegetables of choice. A perfect way to end the year on a spicy note.


This recipe is pretty easy. But since water is added as a broth, the pickle needs to be refrigerated. The Star Fruit oozes out tangy and sour liquor in few days, so this makes the pickle very tasty. Give the pickle a good stir once in a week to ensure the juices mix and blend in. Mom's pickle especially the Star Fruit one is the best and I know I am being biased here, but rightly so. Mine came no where close to her, but its a humble trial. I was delighted to see the Star Fruit's at the local grocery; Bought back memories of childhood when Granny used to pack the huge pickle jars known as Bharanee and send batches of freshly made pickles to all her daughters.

Ingredients:
Starfruit (chopped) - 5
Lime Rind - 1 whole Lime (chopped)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tablespoon
Red Chillies - 15
Mustard seeds - 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asfoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1-2 tablespoon
Water - For pickle liquor

Method:
Chop the Starfruit into pieces, de-seed them to ensure seed free pickle. Chop Lime rind into small pieces. I added them because I had them handy. Take your pick accoridngly. Roast on low flame with (1 teaspoon oil) or without oil. This ensures there is no moisture and also improves the absorption capacity of the pieces. Take the fruits off the stove, cut them into quarters and add salt. Give a good stir and keep aside in a mixing bowl covered for 1-4 hours. Give a gentle stir to allow the juices to seep in the fruit.

Get the masalas ready. Dry roast each of the items - Red Chillies, Mustard, Fenugreek seeds. Be careful not to over roast them as this would render a bitter taste and ruin the taste of the pickle. Mix the powder with fruits and stir well. Add enough water to get a good consistency for the pickle. The oil used for frying the spices can be poured on top of the pickle jar once stuffed completely with pickle. This prevents the pickle from any potential bacterial hazards and spoliage.

Store pickle in a moisture free jar and preferably store in a refrigerator. Owing to water which serves as liquor for the pickle, there are chances that it could get spoilt or the fruits/vegetables spoil at room temperature.

Suggestion: 1. Star Fruit has a tendency to ripen and yellow faster than other fruits. The unripe ones are green. Those are ideal for pickling. The yellow ones are ripe and could turn soggy easily so avoid them for pickle. Based on the temperature around, salt the fruit pieces and keep them aside. If its a cold day, maximum keep them salted for 4 hours and add spice powder and refrigerate. Else, if its a hot day wherein the fruits can easily spoil at room temperatue, its best to salt them for 1-2 hours, add spice powder and refrigerate immediately. 2. De-seeding the fruit is required else your pickle will be full of fruits with seeds. 3. I noticed the South American Fruits lack the tang unlike Indian ones which are tangy. So if you are pickling it ourely for tangy-ness in pickle, it will not serve the purpose.

Bilimbi Pickle (Bimblaa Nonchey)

Mom makes the best Bilimbi Pickle/ Bimblaa Nonchey which I have ever tasted. Even my friends agree to that and they say that her spice accuracy, taste and aesthetics blend perfectly. I think every kid feels a bit biased or all the more to their Mom's. Mom loves Pickles and feels that its one food item which completes every meal. I cannot agree more with her. She always has a perennial stock of 4-5 types of Pickles pickling in the cosy corner of kitchen at all given times. Primarily, she loves the salty and spicy mesh of flavours. She stores all of them in Porcelain Jars also called as Bharnee. I am a big pickle addict.

We have Bamboo Shoots Pickle (Keerlaa Nonchey), Hog Plums Pickle (Aambadey Nonchey), Lemon Pickle (Limbey Nonchey), Star fruit pickle (Karambala Nonchey), Stuffed Raw Mango Pickle (Bharleley Torachey lonchey -a Goan style pickle), Garlic pickle (Lasuni nonchey - one of my aunties specialties) and Small Mango pickle (Appey Midi Nonchey). Phew! That's quite a big list. Mom makes this special type of pickle powder which is good while travelling abroad as the pickle liquor is powdery and does not ooze out any oil which will mess the clothes/ baggage. Her pickle-packing is so perfect and something which I do not seem to comprehend to this date. The Lime pickle Jar which Mom had packed was perfect and intact with no spillover at all.

I personally love joining anyone to make pickles. Guess, its got more to do with nostalgia because Pickle making is observed as a big ritual in Goa where I grew up. One of our close friends handed over a big batch of Bilimbi to Mom since they knew we all love Pickles. I cannot be less thankful to them for this kind act. There are many styles and versions to this, however my Mom's style is a personal favorite. I like to eat them raw with salt and red chilli powder. Bilimbi is a fruit cum vegetable and originates from Indonesia. It is popularly used as a souring agent for various Konkani dishes like Patrodo, Sukke and Gravy based curries. The tiniest light green variety of Bimbal gives best results. The bigger ones which are more moss green in shade sour very fast owing to which the pickle gets spoilt with a highly fermented flavour. In Udupi, Mangalore you will find this tree in the garden area of many a konkani homes. Curry leaf saplings, Bilimbi saplings and Papaya saplings are quite a common sight.

The best part about this pickle is its quick to make and requires very less pampering. I like dishes which do not require me or anyone slogging in the kitchen for hours together.

Recipe Source ~ Mom

Preparation time ~ 60 minutes including marinade time

Ingredients:

Bilimbi (chopped) - 15-20

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety) - 6-10 ~ Tone down should you want the pickle less spicy

Salt - 3-4 teaspoon (approximate)

Methi/ Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/3 teaspoon

Oil - around 2 teaspoon ~ For frying

Method:

Wash the Bilimbi thoroughly and clean them with a dry cloth. They should be dry and should not have any moisture on the surface. Chop them into slices and add salt and transfer to a non-reactive glass mixing bowl. Give a good shake and set aside for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, squeeze out the water. This is a very important step in ensuring that the pickle turns out dry and oozes no or minimal liquor.

In a saucepan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil, lightly toast Red Chillies, keep aside. Also roast Methi seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder separately and set aside. Make a powder of all these roasted spices together. Pour this powder on the sliced Bilimbi and give a good stir. Adjust salt as desired. Store in an air tight glass jar for usage within 4-6 days. Store in a cool dry place away from moisture.

Lime Pickle (Limbiya Nonchey)

If there is one food item which I devour again and again and not get tired, its PICKLE. I have tried numerous amounts of Pickles here in US, but none came close to Mom's pickle. Best I decided I would try and make one of my own. Quickly called my hotline - MOM. She gave me all the essential tips and I followed them to the final detail.

My final flavour of the pickle was yummy. I could not believe this morsel of spicy tangy delicacy in my mouth.

Simply out-of-the-world feeling. It took me a week's time to have the lime salted, treated with powders and finally packed to perfection to marinate for month's together. This is the way my mom makes pickle, I am sure there are other traditional methods as well. I love the taste of this lime especially once its marinated and ready to eat. I cannot wait for my turn.

Storage suggestions: Cover the Pickle Jar with a cellophane square tightly adjusted to the lid and then clasp the jar tight. I have stored my jar in a cool, dry place in the kitchen. Once marinated and you begin to use it, you could store in the fridge for better shelf life. You will notice after a month, the pickle will have liquor slowly oozing out and that's a sign that your pickle is ready for consumption.


Recipe Source: Mom
Serves: 40 pieces of lime = 40 servings.

Ingredients:
Lime - 10
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 Tbsp
Red Chillies - 25
Mustard seeds - 2 T
Turmeric powder - 1/2 t
Asfoetida powder - 1/4 t
Salt - 6-9 Tbsp ~ I found the salt less, added some later ~ My judgement: 10 tablespoon of salt, the appropriate the salt the long lasting your Pickle.

Method:
I bought 10 lime from local grocery store here for around $2.00. I washed them with water thoroughly and wiped them dry with a dry towel. Once you are ready, roast the lime on a mildly hot skillet for few minutes. This ensures there is no moisture and also improves the absorption capacity of the lime pieces. Take the lime off the stove, cut them into quarters and add 6-9 table spoon of salt. Give a good stir and keep aside in a mixing bowl covered for a week. Everyday at the end of the day give it a gentle stir to ensure the juices mix evenly.

At the end of the week, get the masalas ready. Dry roast each of the items - Red Chillies, Mustard, Fenugreek seeds. Be careful not to over roast them as this would render a bitter taste and ruin the taste of the pickle. Mix the powder with the pre-cut lime in salt and stir well.

Store in a moisture free jar for a month. Resume use after a month. You will enjoy the flavour of pickled lime, just the way I did.