Quick Zucchini Pickle

Indian pickles are totally different from what the western world refers to as pickles! The only similarity is that both use brine to preserve some vegetable over a period of several months to several years. Most Indian pickles are red in color and are eaten as a condiment with a meal in minuscule quantity. One just cannot consume pickle in large quantities as they are really fiery hot! The red color of the pickle comes from the red chillies that is one of the primary ingredients in the pickle. Other ingredients include a variety of spices that are used like mustard powder, asofoetida, coriander powder etc. The pickles could be made using brine or oil as a preservative. There is no other preservative used in Indian pickles. They are usually preserved in huge earthen jars. Now-a-days, glass bottles are used. Needless to say, Indian meals are incomplete without a pickle.


 

The pickle I made today is the simplest and easiest one. By now, I am sure that everyone who reads my blog knows that I don't make anything that is time-consuming ,tedious or complicated!  This pickle can be ready in 15 mins. Most of the time, great care is observed while making pickles to ensure that everything is dry: the hands, the pots and spoons used, the ingredients used etc. Any use of regular water can make the pickle go bad and reduce the shelf life of the pickle.Only brine is the liquid used. I didn't use brine, but I haven't used water either! I have ensured that everything was absolutely dry but I know that my pickle will not have a long shelf life since I didn't use brine. I have therefore made a very small quantity as I didn't intend to preserve it for long. I wanted something for immediate use and that's what I made. It should last me for a week in the fridge.

This recipe is from my aunt, whom I fondly call Pushpa Mahve, who is a very talented and innovative cook as well. Like me, she loves to experiment in the kitchen. This zucchini pickle recipe has been kindly shared by her. This is a basic Mangalorean konkani pickle recipe where the main spices used are mustard powder and hing. This recipe has been modified a little and is absolutely delicious!

Servings: makes one 10 oz bottle

Ingredients:

Zucchini: 1 small
Kashmiri Red chilli powder : 1/4 cup
Hot red chilli powder: 2 tbsp 
Haldi ( turmeric powder): 1/2 tsp
Mustard powder: 1/4 cup
Hing: 2 tsp
Methi( fenugreek seeds) powder: 1/8 tsp
Salt: 1 tbsp( adjust as per taste)
Lemon juice: 1/4 cup

Method:

 

Chop the zucchini finely . 

Add this to a bowl with salt and lime juice.

In another bowl, mix together chilli powders, haldi, mustard powder,methi powder, hing and salt.

Now add this to the zucchini.


Mix well.

Store in a dry airtight glass jar. Lasts for upto one week in the refrigerator.

Can be consumed immediately, but tastes better the next day.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

To increase the shelf life of the pickle, one can use brine instead of plain salt.

Raw green mango can be used to make the same pickle. If that is used, skip the lemon juice as mango when raw is sour by nature.

Tip for healthy living:

Any kind of pickle is best stored in glass jars and not in any kind of plastic as the salt in it reacts with the material of the plastic. This could have deleterious effects on our health.

Food for thought:

Food is the most abused anxiety drug. Exercise is the most underutilized anti-depressant. Unknown

Tori ani kooka Ghashi ( pigeon peas cooked with Chinese potato in a coconut-based sauce).

Growing up I just loved beans. Any kind of dried beans would appeal to me! It could be made with coconut-based sauce and with some vegetable called "ghashi" or it could be made soup-style called "saaru-upkari". Sometimes it is made like a stir-fry called "Ussli". I loved them all.. I still like them but I don't make it as often for beans causes bloating in me.:( Funny I cannot remember that happening as a child!!! So now I ration myself to may be once or twice a week and that too small portions! Today I am going to share with you tori Ani kook ghalnu ghashi which means pigeon peas cooked with Chinese potato in a coconut-based sauce. This dish is simple, easy to make and does not have garlic or onion in it. This makes it perfect to be one of the dishes cooked during festivals and auspicious days when only dishes without onion and garlic can be made.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Dry tori ( pigeon peas): 1 cup
Peeled and Chopped kook ( Chinese potato): 1 cup

For grinding: ( for masolu):

Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Red chillies( dry): 3-4( depending on the spice level of the chilli used).
Tamarind: marble sized

For the tempering:
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 small sprig

Method:

Soak the tori ( pigeon peas) for 8 hours or overnight. Add 3 cups of water and cook it in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. Turn off the flame. Do not open until the pressure in the cooker has completely ceased.  Keep aside.

Cook the kook ( Chinese Potato) with one cup water and pinch of salt until tender. Keep aside.

Using a blender,grind together all the ingredients listed under "for grinding" into a smooth paste, adding water as needed.

Take a pot big enough to hold the pigeon peas and Chinese potato. Add both of them to the pot. Keep aside any excess water.

Add the ground paste to the pot and bring it to a boil on low flame. Add the reserved water as per the thickness of the gravy desired by you.

Tempering:
Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add this to the above pot!

Serve hot with steamed rice  or flat bread.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

This dish can be made with Chana ( chick peas) too and is known as Chana ghashi. It is a speciality of GSB community.

Yam ( suran), regular potato, chayote, cauliflower, tender bamboo shoot, gherkin can all be used as a mix instead of chinese potato for the above dish.

Tip for healthy living:

Using very hot water for bathing can result in drying of the skin. It is best to bathe in lukewarm water. If that is not possible at

least make sure that the last couple of minutes of the bath/ shower is in lukewarm water. This tremendously improves the skin quality.

Food for thought:

Love conquers all. Virgil