Guava Chutney ~ Day 87

With a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors, this guava chutney is a delicious accompaniment to any dish. 

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

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Slightly modified recipe from: YouTube

Ingredients:

Guava - 4 big or 10 small, seeds removed and chopped

Jaggery powder - 1/4 cup

Ginger - 1 tbsp, chopped

Green chilies - 2, slit

Red chilies - 2, broken

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Nigella / kalonji / onion seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds.  Add ginger, green and red chilies, nigella / kalongi, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder and curry leaves.  Saute for 10 seconds. 
2. Add the guava and stir to combine.  Add enough water to cover the guava pieces.  Cook until soft.
3. Add jaggery powder, red chili powder and salt.  Let the jaggery melts, simmer and continue cooking until the chutney thickens, about 5 minutes.
4. Serve with steamed rice, roti or just about anything.  My favorite choice is with the good old thayir sadam / yogurt rice.  Yumm!!

Instant Apple Oorugai (Pickle) ~ Day 78

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yields: 4 cups

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Ingredients:

• Granny smith Apples or any tart variety apples - 4, chopped 
• Red chili powder - 2 tbsp or to taste
• Mustard powder - 2 tbsp (freshly ground black mustard seeds)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients (except oil), in a dry non-plastic dishware.
2. Heat sesame oil in a small skillet until slightly smoky.  Pour the oil over apple mixture.
3. Mix well, cover and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes.  
4. Serve with any type of Indian food as a spicy accompaniment.  My choice is always with thayir sadam / yogurt rice.  

Cranberry - Meyer Lemon and Ginger Pickle

Ingredients:
Cranberry - 2 bags (24oz)
Meyer Lemon - 6  (Here is an article about Meyer lemon)
Ginger - 1/2 cup, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 1/2 - 2 TBSP or to taste
Roasted fenugreek powder - 1 tsp (dry roast fenugreek seeds in a pan until dark brown and fragrant)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1 to 2 springs
Salt - 3 to 4 tsp or to taste

Method:

1. Wash and dry the cranberries.  Discard soft, discolored or shriveled cranberries.
2. Wash the meyer lemon and pat dry.  Cut into half and remove seeds.  Then cut into 8 pieces or smaller.
3. Heat sesame oil in a large sauce pan.  Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add curry leaves and chopped ginger.  Fry for a minute.
5. Add the cut lemon pieces, turmeric powder and 1 tsp of salt.  Cook for 10 minutes until lemon becomes soft.
6. Now add the cranberries, red chili powder and salt.  Mix well.
7. Cook on low flame until the cranberries are soft and mushy.  Keep stirring occasionally.
8. Once cooked, oil will start to float on top and sides.  At this stage switch off the flame.
9. Add 1 tsp roasted fenugreek powder and mix well.
10. Let it cool completely.  Store in a clean, dry glass jar.
11. Refrigerate and use a dry spoon when serving.

Paavakkai Thokku / Bitter Gourd Pickle

Ingredients:
Bitter Gourd - 1lb, about 7 to 8,  washed, de-seeded and chopped into bite size pieces
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized, chopped finely
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - Small lemon sized, soak it in warm water for 15 minutes and squeeze out the pulp
Powdered Jaggery - 1 TBSP
Salt - to taste
Curry Leaves - few
Oil - 4 TBSP

For the powder:  Dry roast and make a fine powder.
Raw Rice - 1 TBSP
Toor Dal - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide bottom pan.  Splutter mustard seeds.
2. Add urad dal and fry till golden brown.
3. Add the chopped bitter gourd, asafetida and turmeric powder.  Fry until soft.
4. Add the tomatoes, chili powder and some curry leaves.  Cooked until tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
5. Add the jaggery, tamarind pulp and salt.  Cook until it becomes thick and the oil separates from the sauce.
6. Now add the rice powder and curry leaves.  Mix well.  Cook for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
7. Serve with Idli, Dosa or yogurt rice.

Ginger Pickle with Sun Dried Tomato

Thank You Priya of Now Serving for sending the mystery ingredient (Sun Dried Tomatoes) and a lovely gift.  Thank You Reshmi and Priya for creating this wonderful event.   

The gift

Ingredients:
Ginger - 2 cups (chopped)
Sun Dried Tomatoes - 10 pieces
Red chilies - 10 or to taste
Jaggery - 2 tsp
Asafetida - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame Oil - 1/4 cup


Method:

1. Soak the sun dried tomatoes in warm water for 2 hours.
2. Heat 2 TBSP of sesame oil in a pan and fry the cut ginger and red chilies for about 5 minutes.
3. Squeeze out water from the soaked sun dried tomatoes and add it to the pan.  Reserve the soaked water.
4. Fry for another minute or so and remove from the heat.  Let it cool completely.
5. Grind the ginger, red chilies and sun dried tomatoes to a smooth paste using the soaked water.  Add more water if needed.
6. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add the ground paste and mix.  Add jaggery, turmeric powder, asafetida and salt.  Mix well.
7. Keep stirring and cook until oil separates from the mixture.  
8. Let it cool completely and store it in a airtight container.

Dosakai Avakai / Pickle

                                                                         
Ingredients:

Dosakai / Yellow Cucumber - 3

Red chili Powder - 2 TBSP or to taste

Mustard Powder -  2 TBSP

Fenugreek Powder - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sesame Oil - 1/4 Cup

Method:

Fresh Pickle

1. Wash and dry the Dosakai and cut into half.
2. Scoop out the seeds and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Cut into small bite size pieces with the skin.
4. Place the cut pieces in a clean and dry bowl.
5. Add all the spices and mix well.
6. Add the oil and mix well to coat.
7. Cover and leave it on the counter top overnight. 
8. Next day, take a dry spoon and mix the pickle well and store it in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Sending this to Snackorama

Ginger-Coriander Pickle / Inji-Kothamalli Thokku

Ingredients:

Fresh Coriander / Kothamalli - 2 Bunches
Peeled and Chopped Ginger - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 10 or to taste
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame Oil - 4 TBSP

Method:

1. Cut the roots of the coriander and keep the stems.  Wash it thoroughly.
2. Grind the coriander, ginger and green chillies with enough water to a smooth and thick paste.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter mustard seeds.
4. Pour the ground mixture and mix well.
5. Add the turmeric powder, asafetida and salt.  Mix thoroughly. 
6. Keep the flame on medium heat and keep stirring till the oil separates from the mixture.
7. Let it cool completely before storing. 

Green Tamarind Pickle / Chutney

I got some fresh green tamarind from the Indian store here in NJ.  These tender grayish-brown pods are very sour and has no seeds.  It's called Puliangkai in tamil and Chinthakayalu in telugu.  This chutney can be used as pulikaichal (to make puliyodharai or pulihara).  If it is too spicy, use it as a pickle for curd rice. 

Ingredients:
Green Tamarind - 4 or 5 pods

Coriander seeds - 2 TBSP
Methi(fenugreek) Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 5 to 10 (according to your spice level)

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 4 TBSP
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Procedure:
Dry roast the coriander seeds, methi(fenugreek) seeds and the red chillies and keep it aside.
Chop the green tamarind in to small pieces. (wash it well first and dry)
In a food processor, put the dry roasted ingredients and pulse till it becomes powder.
Now add the cut tamarind pieces and pulse it roughly. (Do not add any water).

Ground Paste

Heat oil in a pan and put the mustard seeds.

Add the urad dal and fry it till golden brown.  

Add the ground tamarind paste, asafetida, turmeric powder and salt.

Fry it till the oil separates from the side of the pan.

This is one of the ways to enjoy!  Be creative and have fun!