1,000 Indian Recipes (75 page)

This is my mother-in-law's special pickle. Although it is made with essentially the same ingredients as my mama's, this one has a much more brilliant color from the paprika, and a light, smoky flavor that comes from the initial dry-roasting of the spices. Traditionally, this pickle (as well as the others) is made with green mangoes that are no bigger than 3 inches across, but since those are hard to find in America, I use the commonly available larger variety.

4 large unripe green mangoes (about
³
⁄
₄
pound each), washed and wiped dry

²
⁄
₃
cup fennel seeds

¹
⁄
₄
cup fenugreek seeds

2 tablespoons kalonji seeds

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

¹
⁄
₂
cup salt

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups mustard or olive oil

1 small piece of muslin or 4 layers of cheesecloth (enough to cover the mouth of the jar)

1.
Cut each unpeeled mango around the center seed into 1-inch-by-
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces. Discard the center seeds.

2.
Place the fennel, fenugreek, kalonji, and peppercorns in a heavy cast-iron skillet and dry-roast the spices, stirring and shaking the pan over moderate heat, until just a shade darker and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a spice or coffee grinder, and grind them very coarse. Remove to a bowl and mix in the salt, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

3.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Let cool until just lukewarm, then add the spice mixture and the mangoes and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well coated with the spices.

4.
Transfer to a large sterile glass jar. There should be at least
¹
⁄
₂
inch of oil on the surface. Cover the jar with the muslin, securing it with a rubber band, and place in a warm, sunny spot in the kitchen or outside in the sun, shaking the jar once or twice a day until the spices are plump and soft and the mango pieces are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 days. (If the pickle jar is outside in the sun, bring it inside in the evening.) This pickle stays fresh at room temperature about 2 years.

Cooked South Indian Mango Pickle

South ka Aam ka Achaar

Makes about 2 cups

This is a classic south Indian mango pickle, made with red chile peppers and asafoetida. It is cooked rather than cured in the sun, so it is typically made and consumed within a short period. Pair it with rice and yogurt, or serve it with
pooris
(puffed deep-fried breads) and a side of spicy potatoes.

2 large unripe green mangoes (about
³
⁄
₄
pound each), washed and wiped dry

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground turmeric

3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

¹
⁄
₃
cup mustard or peanut oil

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds, coarsely ground

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 tablespoons salt

1.
Cut each unpeeled mango around the center seed into 1-inch-by-
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces. Discard the center seeds. Place the mango in a bowl, add the turmeric, and toss to mix well.

2.
In a small skillet, roast the red chile peppers and fenugreek seeds over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Cool and grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

3.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over high heat, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida, and stir about 1 minute. Add the mangoes, ground chile-fenugreek mixture, and salt, and cook over high heat, about 1 minute.

4.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mangoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a large sterile jar. This pickle stays fresh at room temperature about 1 week or about 3 months in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Rama's Grated Mango Pickle

Rama ka Aam ka Achaar

Makes about 2 cups

This quick pickle is a favorite in my friend Rama's family in Bangalore. Make more than you need, and serve it with rice and curries, or with sandwiches.

3 large unripe green mangoes (about
³
⁄
₄
pound each), washed and wiped dry

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹
⁄
₃
cup peanut oil

5 to 7 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the mangoes, then grate the fruit around the center seed of each mango. Discard the center seeds. Place the fenugreek and asafoetida in a small cast-iron skillet and roast over medium heat, stirring and shaking the pan, until a few shades darker, about 1 minute.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, add the red chile peppers and cook, stirring, until a few shades darker, about 1 minute. Add the mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides.

3.
Add the grated mango and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the roasted fenugreek and asafoetida, stir about 1 minute and remove from the heat. Let cool and transfer to a large sterile jar. This pickle stays fresh about 1 week at room temperature or about 6 months in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Lime and Lemon Pickles

Sun-Cured Pickled Lime (or Lemon) Wedges

Nimboo ka Achaar

Makes about 4 cups

It's hard to find an Indian home without an array of fresh lime or lemon pickles. Indian limes are yellow and thin-skinned—just a little larger than Key limes. They are easy to juice and cure faster than their American counterparts. Here I use the varieties of limes and lemons available in the United States; they are still delicious.

Pickles are traditionally cured outside in the sun for several weeks, but you can set the jar in a sunny part of your kitchen. The pickle will take an extra 7 to 10 days, unless you move it as the sun rays move.

With indefinite staying power, this pickle actually improves with age as the juices turn darker, thicken, and actually transform into jelly and eventually into fine crystals. At this point, this pickle becomes an age-old Indian home remedy for indigestion, stomach upsets, and nausea.

20 to 24 fresh limes (about 2 pounds)

¹
⁄
₂
cup peeled and minced fresh ginger

¹
⁄
₄
cup salt

2 tablespoons coarsely crushed ajwain seeds

4 cups fresh lime or lemon juice (from 20 additional limes)

1 small piece muslin or 4 layers cheesecloth (enough to cover the mouth of the jar)

1.
Wash and wipe dry the limes. Cut each one into 8 wedges and place in a large sterile glass jar. Mix in the ginger, salt, and ajwain seeds, cover the jar with your palm or the lid, and shake vigorously to mix.