RED SORREL LEAVES / GONGURA PACHADI

Ingredients:
4 big bunches fresh gongura leaves (red sorrel)
7-8 whole dry red chillis(de-seeded)
1 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)
7-8 green chillis(less spice ones)
1 tbsp minapppapu (black gram dal)
1 tbsp senaga pappu (bengal gram dal)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
12-15 cloves garlic (peeled and lightly crushed)
4 tbsps Groundnut refined oil
salt to taste

Tampering:
3 tbsp oil (yes,its 3 tbsps as its a pickle)
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 whole dry red chillis
10 curry leaves

How to prepare:
Seperate the gongura leaves from the stalks and leave them in an open cool and dry place for 2 days so that the leaves wither.After 2 days wash the leaves.Spread over kitchen towel.
Heat 2-3 tbsp of groundnut refined oil in a thick bottomed vessel.Add the leaves and fry them till rawness disappears and it becomes soft.Remove and cool.
In the same vessel add 1 tbsp groundnut refined oil and add methi seeds and fry till light brown and then add coriander seeds,urad dal(black gram),channa dal (bengal gram lentil) and dry red chillis and fry stirring constantly till light brown.Add the slit green chillis and fry for 2 minutes.Remove from fire and cool.
Grind these above ingredients with salt.Now add crushed garlic and the fried gongura leaves and grind very coarsely.It should not be soft.

Now heat 3 tbsps of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.Now add the whole dry chillis and curry leaves and fry for 20 seconds.Remove from fire and add to the ground gongura pachadi along with the oil.This pachadi does require a wee bit more oil like most pickles. This particular pickle can be stored in the refrigerator upto 3-4 weeks and goes well with hot steamed rice and a liberal dose of ghee and sliced raw onions

CAULIFLOWER PICKLES

Ingredients:

fresh cauliflower : 2 lbs.
red chilli powder : 3 tablespoon full
garam masala : 1 tbsp "
turmeric powder : a pinch
salt : 2 tablespoon full or to taste
garlic cloves : 6-8 cloves
mustard seeds : 2 spoon full
methi seeds : about 10 seeds
lime juice : 3/4 cup
groundnut oil : 6-8 tablespoon full
refined

Method:
1) Cut the cauliflower in to small florets. Wash them nicely and air dry for 4-5 hours.
2) Take florets in a mixing bowl, start adding the above ingredients one by one.
3) First add the vegetable oil and then turmeric powder, chilli powder,
4) methi and mustard powder, salt, garam masala,
5) garlic paste and pour 3/4 cup of lime juice into it.
6) Mix nicely with a spatula and keep it outside for 24 hours.
7) Make sure the salt, lime juice to your taste and if you need more,
8) add little salt and etc. Mix well.
9) Store in refrigerator for freshness.
10)You can also grate some carrot into it for better taste.
11)Tastes good with Rice and Chappathi.

SPICY CARROT PICKLE

Ingredients:
1. 1 Stick of carrot(long and thick)
2. 1 inch of ginger (ginger should be 1/2 the qty of carrot)
3. 1 lemon
4. 1 1/2 tsp of jeera powder
5. 1 tsp of methi powder
6. 2 tbsp of red chili powder
7. salt to taste
8. 2 tbsp of groundnut refined oil for better taste
9. For popu or tadka 1 tsp each - curry leaves, mustard seeds, dry red chilli's

Method:








1. Peel and grate the carrot and ginger together in a grater.
2. Heat oil in a kadai( or a pan) and when hot simmer the stove and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies.
3. After few seconds take the kadai (or pan) off the stove and put it aside.
4. Lets wait till the oil gets warm(it would take approx. 3 mins), then add the jeera powder, methi powder, chilli powder and salt.(Make sure to wait till it gets warm or the pickle color would be dark brown and tastes different)
5. After few seconds add the carrot-ginger mixture to the above and mix well.
6. Let wait till the whole thing cools down. When its cold take the juice of the lemon and add it to the above mixture and mix well.
7. Taste the pickle for salt. If you think it has less salt add it.
8. Store it in a air tight container in the fridge. Its ready to eat immediately, but tastes better next day.
Will last for a week in fridge.

CUCUMBER PICKLE

Ingredients :
Dosakaya (kheera yellow color) - 2 (medium size)
Ground Nuts - 200 gms (approx)
tamarind (as per taste)
green chillies- (as per taste)
salt - as per taste

Tempering
red Chillies - 5-6 peices
mustard seeds- 2 tea spoon
jeera- 1/2 tea spoon
garlic-4-5 pieces
asfoteda- one pinch
bengal gram- 2 teaspoon
curry leaves

Method
peel the kheera and remove the seeds and cut into small pieces, and keep it aside. take a pan heat the oil fry the ground nuts. keep the fried ground nuts aside and now fry the cut green chillies, and keep it aside. let it cool. now grind green chillies, ground nuts and tamarind and make a fine paste and add it to the kheera pieces, and mix it well, keep it aside. now take redchillies, mustard seeds, jeera, garlic pods, bengal gram, curry leaves and asfoteda and temper them well now once u have a good tempering add the kheera mixture to it. keep it for 2-3 minutes. garnish with coriander. serve it hot with rice.

Dosakai - A cucumber that is yellow in color, has a round shape and is available in many parts of India. Commonly added in Chutney, Sambar or Soup, Daal and also in making Dosa-Aavakaaya (a type of Indian Pickle).

English cucumbers - Have very little in the way of seeds and can grow to around 2 feet in length.
Mediterranean cucumbers - Skins are smooth with nearly seedless flesh, they have a mild taste.
Japanese cucumbers or ky�ri - A dark green cucumber with a very bumpy skin. Mainly used for slicing, salads and pickling.

Cucumber is a very edible fruit which comes from the cucumber plant cucumis sativus, which is part of the gourd family. It is being used for different purpose as it can be eaten raw or cooked. With so many health benefits it becomes one of the most important parts of food diet as well as skin diet. In North America, the term �wild cucumber� refers to manroot.

Cucumber can claim to be a water body as it has 90% water. It is known to be a cooling agent due to the water in it.

Cucumber for Eyes
It is believed that cucumber helps in reducing swelling around the eyes or the big dark circles under your eyes. This is world-wide treatment which is being used to its maximum extent.
Cucumbers are the most wonderful and natural eye pads you can find for yourself. The puffiness and the tiredness in your eyes may just leave you, if you do this in a relaxed fashion. These natural eye pads do wonders after a long days work.
Cucumber for Skin
If you want a happy skin, then cucumber is the answer. As cucumber and the skin share the same level of hydrogen, it becomes easier for cucumber to mask all the problem areas. It helps in soothing and softening your skin which can get you relaxed in no time.
With so many useful ingredients in cucumber it can help you in treating so many skin problems. It has become part of daily beauty product into face packs, facials, juice and many other things which can affect your skin.
Due to its cooling effect it can be termed as a magic wand for all your skin problems. The cleaning and cleansing property helps your skin tremendously making it soft and supple.
The regular intake of cucumber juice is very useful both internally and externally.

TOMATO PEANUT PICKLE

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tbsp tamarind paste (use if tomatoes are not tart)

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

1 green chilli

1-2 dry red chillis

1 tsp cumin seeds

5-6 garlic flakes

1/4 tsp jaggery or sugar

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil(prefarabliy grountnut oil)


PROCEDURE:

1) Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the cumin seeds and let them brown, add the garlic, red chilli and green chilli and fry for a mt. Remove from fire and cool.

2) In the same pan, add the sliced tomatoes and saute till the moisture evaporates. Add the tamarind and turn off heat. Cool.

3) Grind the roasted peanuts and the cumin mixture. Next add the cooled tomato mixture, coriander leaves, salt and sugar and make a paste. Add few tbsps of water, if required.

4) Serve with tiffins like dosa or idli.

SPICY HOT MANGO CHUTNEY

Hot Mango Chutney/Chekku pacchadi/gujju pacchadi

Ingredients :

3 large sweet mangoes, slightly ripened
1 tsp lemon rind, minced finely
1 tsp lemon juice
10 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger, minced finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of hing (asoefetida)
Salt to taste
6 tsp cooking oil.

Procedure :

Peel the mango and cut it into small chunks.
Heat about 2 tsp oil in a pan and fry the chunks
till they turn mushy.
Drain, mash well and set aside.
Roast the methi, saunf, cumin and coriander
seeds and crush coarsely using a mortar and pestle.
This is how powders are traditionally made.
But if you are of the impatient kind, go ahead
and use the coffee grinder but make sure
that the powder is a little coarse.
Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and add the hing and mustard.
When the mustard crackles, add the ginger and green chillies and fry for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the mango, powdered masala, salt to taste, lime rinds and lime juice.
Bring to a boil on a low flame.
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Store in an airtight container.
If boiled and cooled well, since no water is used in making this dish, it should keep well for more than a week.
Store it in airtight containers in the fridge.

SPICY RED CHILI PICKLE

Ingrediants :

# 250gr Red Chilis(ripe)

# 150gr Tamarind Extract

# 4 tbsp Salt

# 150gr oil.

# 1 tsp hing.

PROCEDURE:

1) Wash and clean the red chilis.Let them dry,(indoor)on dry cloth.

2) Wipe red chilis and put them in blender cursh them coarsely,add tamarind and salt to it,blend together for 3-4 mins.

3) Remove from the blender.Heat oil in a pan for 3-4 minutes and put hing, remove from the heat,allow it cool.

4) Then pour oil into the grounded pickle.Store it in a air tight jar

SPICY CORIANDER CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 bunches coriander, stalks removed
4-5 red chilies (change the proportions according to your taste)
2 green chillies, chopped
2 tsps Urad dal
1 tsp Chana dal

1 oz of Tamarind pulp
pinch of Hing(asafoetida)

Roast chana dal, urad dal , half the quantity of red chilies (2)in a pan, with out oil.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil and fry green chilies and the remaining red chilies.

Remove them and put aside.

In the same pan, fry coriander leaves until they are wilted but not dry.

Grind/Blend the coriander leaves, roasted mixture(red chilies, chana dal , urad dal, green chilies) with tamarind pulp

For tempering:
Heat a tsp of oil and fry Jeera (cumin seeds), mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. If you wish to have a sour taste, add lemon juice.
Serve it hot with rice or idlis or dosas!

Spicy Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:
1 cup plain peanuts (with or without skin, as preferred)
5 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
Walnut-sized ball of tamarind (to make tamarind juice if you want a wet chutney)

Preparation:
Heat a griddle till it is very hot, on a medium flame. Roast the peanuts and dry red chillies (stirring frequently) on this griddle till they give off a gentle cooked aroma.
Allow to cool completely and then grind the peanuts and chillies to a coarse powder with a mortar and pestle. You can also use a clean, dry coffee grinder.
Add salt to taste.
If you want a wet chutney, soak the tamarind in a bowl just covered with hot water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes or till soft. Then squeeze the tamarind (while still in the water) with your fingers, to release the pulp from it. Squeeze till you get most of the pulp off and into the water. Now strain the liquid to remove pith and any seeds. Tamarind juice is now ready to use. Add enough tamarind juice or paste to your previously prepared Chutney to get a thick consistency.
Serve with anything! Spicy Peanut Chutney tastes especially good with Idlis (steamed South Indian rice cakes) and Dosas (crispy savory South Indian rice pancakes).

SPICY TAMARIND PICKLE

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg ripe tamarind
500g grated jaggery
2 tbsp each of shahjeera, fenugreek, cumin and anise seeds
4 tbsp chilli powder/ as per your choice to be more spicy
Salt to taste

Method:
Pound together all the spices. Remove the brown skin of tamarind and break into pieces.
Pound together all the spices coarsely and mix in salt and chilli powder and add to the tamarind.
Mix well, put 1 cup water in jaggery and prepare a syrup of one-thread consistency.
Put in tamarind, mix well and remove from fire.
Cool and bottle and put in the sun for 2 days.

Medicinal uses:
Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, sesquiterpenes, alkaloids and phlobatamins and other extracts active against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, between temperature ranges of 4 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees celsius. Studies on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts on the test organisms showed that the lowest MIC and the MBC were demonstrated against Salmonella paratyphi, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhi and the highest MIC and MBC was exhibited against Staphylococcus aureus.

Throughout Asia and Africa it is common for health remedies. In Northern Nigeria, fresh stem bark and fresh leaves are used as decoction mixed with potash for the treatment of stomach disorder, general body pain, jaundice, yellow fever and as blood tonic and skin cleanser. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines and Javanese traditional medicine use asem leaves as a herbal infusion for malarial fever, the fruit juice as an anti-septic, and scurvy and even cough cure. Fruit of the tamarind is also commonly used throughout South East Asia as a poultice applied to foreheads of fever sufferers.

Tamarind is used as in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine for gastric and/or digestion problems,and in cardioprotective activity.

In animal studies, tamarind has been found to lower serum cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Due to a lack of available human clinical trials, there is insufficient evidence to recommend tamarind for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) or diabetes.

Based on human study, tamarind intake may delay the progression of fluorosis by enhancing excretion of fluoride. However, additional research is needed to confirm these results.

Excess consumption has been noted as a traditional laxative.

Other medicinal uses include: Anthelminthic (expels worms), antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, asthma, astringent, bacterial skin infections (erysipelas), boils, chest pain, cholesterol metabolism disorders, colds, colic, conjunctivitis (pink eye), constipation (chronic or acute), diabetes, diarrhea (chronic), dry eyes, dysentery (severe diarrhea), eye inflammation, fever, food preservative, food uses (coloring), gallbladder disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, gingivitis, hemorrhoids, indigestion, insecticide, jaundice, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), leprosy, liver disorders, nausea and vomiting (pregnancy-related), paralysis, poisoning (Datura plant), rash, rheumatism, saliva production, skin disinfectant/sterilization, sore throat, sores, sprains, sunscreen, sunstroke, swelling (joints), urinary stones, wound healing (corneal epithelium).

GOOSEBERRIES PICKLE / SPICY AMLA PICKLE

This piquant amla delicacy is spiced with chilli, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds. boil the amlas to remove their bitter juices. Also reduced the quantity of mustard oil, but you can add more if you wish to preserve the pickle for a longer period at room temperature. Choose refrigeration instead to increase the shelf life. It takes about 3 to 4 days for this pickle to mature in the sun before you are ready to eat it.

Ingredients

10 nos. (250 grams) amlas (Indian gooseberries)
3 teaspoons crushed fenugreek seeds (methi na kuria)
3 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf), coarsely ground
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
3 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
2 tablespoons mustard oilHealth Capsule - Robust Source of Vitamin C

If you want to increase you weight and that too in a healthy manner you should consume more of gooseberry. It helps in balancing nitrogen levels very well which helps in increasing your weight. It helps in increasing protein levels. It is also known to have anabolic effect.

Home Remedy

The gooseberry can be preserved using honey, and thus used throughout the year. Take required number of gooseberries and clean them in running water. Pierce the gooseberries using a sharp stainless steel edge at various spots. Now immerse these pierced gooseberries in a jar full of pure honey. Cover the mouth of the jar using fine white cloth and place the jar in sunlight for an hour for 15 days. Now the gooseberries are ready ready for consumption throughout the year. Every day morning, after brushing the teeth, take one fruit soaked in honey to improve your effectiveness.

Alternatively a tablespoon each of fresh gooseberry juice and honey mixed together forms a very effective medicine for several ailments. Its regular use will promote vigor in the body within a few days. When fresh fruit is not available, dry powder can be mixed with honey.

A tablespoon of gooseberry juice, mixed with a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice, taken daily for 2 months will reduce the blood sugar in diabetes.

The Indian gooseberry is useful in the treatment of rheumatism. One teaspoonful of powder of dry fruit mixed with two teaspoonfuls of jaggery should be taken twice daily for a month in this disease.

MUTTON PICKLE

INGREDIENTS:
1) Meat-2.1/2kg
2) Oil-2 cup groundnut refined oil
3) Onion-400gm
4) Ginger-250gm
5) Garlic-250gm
6) Vinegar -3 cup
7)Chilli powder-2tbsp
8) Meethi seeds-1tbsp
9) Fennel seeds-4tbsp
10) Dry mango powder-2tbsp
11) Garam masala(jeera,cloves,caradamom,Jaiphal and javitri)powder-2tbsp
12) Salt-4tbsp
13) Calongi-2tsp

STEPS TO PREPARE:

1)Boil the meat pieces with 1 cup vinegar till slight tender. Grind all the masala with 1 cup of vinegar.When done you can shred the pieces

2)Fry onion in the oil till brown in color add ginger ,garlic paste and masala paste and stir.

3)Now add meat and fry till the gravy or water evaporates and it is brown in color

4)Cool it and add the remaining vinegar into the mutton.Store in a bottle.

LEMON PICKLE

Ingredients:
1 kg Lemons (Nimbu)
250 grams Salt (Namak)
2 teaspoons Turmeric (Haldi)
3 teaspoons Red chili pepper (Lal Mirchi)
125 grams Ginger (Adrak), scraped and sliced
1 cup Vinegar (Sirka)
125 grams Green Chillies (Hari Mirch)(slit)
4 teaspoons fenugreek
4 teaspoons Mustard seeds (Rai/Sarson)
2 level teaspoons asafoetida
1 1/2 cups Mustard Oil (Sarson Ka Tel)

How to make hot lemon pickle:
Cut each lemon into eight pieces.
Mix salt with lemons, keep in the sun for 15 days in the jar and shake it daily.
Heat oil till smokes.
Remove it from the fire and cool a little.
In it fry asafoetida, fenugreek and mustard seeds.
Mix vinegar, ginger.
Green chillies, chilli powder and lemon with its juice.
Keep 15 days in the sun.

SPICY MANGO PICKLE

All Mango pickles are made with unripe green mangoes. This recipe is very special to me because this was my first Mango pickle which I have learnt from my mom’s friend Suppreet Massi..She always used to say me use very firm green mangoes and always cut the mangoes through the center seed , but for ease and convenience, I discard the seeds when I make this.

I dont like to waste anything, so if the pieces get eaten and the leftover masala spices and the oil are left I use to make Achari Baingan or Achari Chicken masala or I use it in bread dough or in Allu Paratha…..

There are a few important steps to keep in mind when making this pickle. Dont skimp on the salt and the oil; they are the only preservatives. The oil should be floating at least half an inch on top of the picke. Ok Now lets start how to make this pickle

Ingredients:
3 Large Unripe Green Mangoes ( Wash them properly and wiped dry)
1/2 cup fennel Seeds
1/4 cup Fenugreek Seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp Kalonji seeds
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp Chilli Powder or to taste (how spicy you want)
1 small piece of muslin cloth to cover the mouth of the jar
2 cups Mustard oil or Canola Oil or Sunflower oil (Dont use Groundnut oil)
Method:
Cut each unpeeled mango around the center seed into 1 inch by 1/2 inch pieces. Discard the center seed. In a Coffee Grinder ( I use it to grind spices), very coarsely grind together all the whole spices. Remove in a bowl and mix in the salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat until just smoking and add the spice mixture. It should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Remove from the heat and stir, about 30 seconds. Add the mangoes and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well coated with the spices. Let it cool and transfer to large sterile glass jar. There should be at least 1/2 inch of oil on the surface ( Heat more oil if needed). Cover the jar with the muslin cloth, securring it with a rubber band or you can tie with a kitchen thread and place it in a warm, sunny spot in the kitchen or outside in the sun ( Right now in Chicago I hardly find Sun So I just keep it in my oven). Shake the jar once or twice a day until the spices are plump and soft and the mango pieces are crisptender. This pickle stays fresh at room temparature about 2 years , if you like to keep it for longer you can frezze it.