Beef Pickle / Meat Pickle

I do not know how this tastes exactly. I wouldn't consume beef , so was unwilling to taste. Hope the non vegetarians among you could tell the truth.. :)



Ingredients needed,
for marination,
beef 1 kg
chilly powder 2 Tbsp
coriander powder 1 Tbsp
turmeric powder 1 tsp
garlic paste 1 Tbsp
ginger paste 1 Tbsp
fennel seeds powder 2 tsp
garam masala powder 2 tsp
salt

pickle powder 2 Tbsp
vinegar 1/4 cup or as per taste



How to prepare,
Mix everything with meat except pickle powder and vinegar, keep in refrigerator.
Keep more than 2 hours.
Cook this adding little hot water.
Cook until the beef is done well.
Reduce water by cooking on a low flame , stirring occasionally.
When the water reduces, add the pickle powder and stirr well.
Heat oil in a pan, put the meat mixture into that.
On a low flame, stirring slowly fry the meat.
When the meat begins to dry , pour vinegar.
Check salt.
When the pickle cools, keep in a air tight container, refrigerate after two days.

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Gooseberries In Brine / Nellikka Uppilittathu

Everyone bought a water purifier, right? No other way to drink some cool, clear water.. At home we don't have a purifying machine, but the process happens from the well it self! Can't you believe? Yeah, the well is an old one, it's walls was built using the big stones, upon the log of a goose berry tree,(nellipalaka) that's the reason! :) It was built during the great grandfather's time, and only few wells of such remains now, I think. No need to tell you about the medicinal properties of goose berries, those vitaminC packs are world famous! To enjoy it's health benefits, eat them raw, and here you have a gooseberry chutney recipe, try it too...


Amla or Gooseberries in brine / Nellikka uppilittathu

Ingredients,
gooseberries
water
salt
vinegar
green-chillies few



How I prepared,
Wash and wipe the gooseberries.
Keep aside.
Boil water adding some salt.
Put the gooseberries into the boiling water* and switch off fire.
Add slit green-chillies into this.
Allow to cool.
Takeout 1/4 part water and add the same amount of vinegar* instead.
You can add enough vinegar according to the sourness you like.
Check salt and add if needed.
Transfer the contents into a jar.
Tight the lid, and you can use this after one week.

* You can let the water cool and then put the gooseberries. This will take a little long for the gooseberries to absorb the salt well.
* If you don't like sourness, avoid adding vinegar.

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White Bittergourd Pickle

White pickles are the best option for those who suffer gastric problems when having pickles containing lots of red chilli powder. Both of my kids hate spicy food, so I prepared this pickle for them to take to school as a side dish with rice . If you love much spiciness add lots of green chillies and black pepper corns.



Ingredients used,
bitter-gourd 3 medium size
garlic cloves 1/4 cup small
ginger chopped 1 Tbsp
green chillies 10 chopped
curry leaves few
pepper powder 2 tsp or more
vinegar 1 cup
mustard seeds 2 tsp
fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
water enough to cook
coconut oil
salt



How I prepared,
Wash bitter-gourds,remove seeds and cut into thin pieces.
Marinate with salt and keep in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, pour enough oil.
Allow mustard seeds to splutter, then put fenugreek seeds.
Saute green chillies, garlic cloves, ginger, curry leaves,pepper powder and bitter-gourd pieces together.
Saute for few minutes and then add little water enough to cook.
When it begins to cook, pour vinegar and boil.
Check salt, add more vinegar if needed.
Allow to cool, keep in an container.
See the white pickle prepared with Lemon.

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Irumban Puli Achar / Bilimbi Pickle

Our villagers had a very painful day on last week. A seven year old boy hanged himself on the window, for some silly matter! Could you believe? It was easy to believe if some more years have added to his age.I do blame only mothers and other family members who are addicted to Tv serials and films.Movies or serials simply shows how easy to end a life.. Mothers here, do not care when children watching Tv with them. Two more years back same thing happened to a 12 year old boy, who made bet with his friends while coming back home after playing. He showed his friends how to end life by climbing on a jack fruit tree, tied with his bath towel and jumped down.Children watching below thought it was just play, it was too late when they understand the truth.Both of these incidents much affected us, I hope , at least few mothers who read this could stop their children watching TV much..

I hope you all know what is bilimbi or Irumban puli. It is known as many different names in parts of Kerala.Ilimbi, Ilumbanpuli, Chemmeen puli or Keerichakka are some among them.(Click here to see the pictures) It is used to make squash, jam, pickles or mainly added to fish curries. Recently I heard, some prepared cake with it!



Irumbam puli achar Ingredients
Irumban puli chopped 3 cups
garlic 1 bulb
green chillies 6
curry leaves few
pickle powder 3 Tb spoons (used Eastern)
red chilly powder 3 tsps
mustard seeds 2 tsp for seasoning
coconut oil or sesame oil
vinegar 1 Tbsp
salt

How we prepared it
Wash the Irumban puli and remove the stems while chopping.
Mix it with salt and pickle powder.
Keep it for one hour.
Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds.
Add garlic pearls, chopped green chillies,curry leaves and saute for a while.
Add red chilly powder together with Irumban puli.
Saute for some time, check for salt, and add if needed.
Pour vinegar over it, remove from fire.
Keep this out side for one week, then keep in fridge.

Tip: Wipe spoons very well before you take any pickle. Wetness soon damage pickles.

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Grapes Pickle / Munthiri Achaar

Do any one of you have gone through some cooking before marriage? Most of the readers would send messages that they never spent time in kitchen during their studies and after marriage they are obliged to cook some thing for survival.. :) Yeah, the picture is mine too.I didn't know even the simplest things like how to make a tea, how to cook rice etc.. Kitchen was always mother's domain. Since she didn't compel us to do anything we (me and sis) became very lazy also .But we managed to prepare some magazine recipes at that time.I still remember the threatening of one of the aunties once when relatives gathered at home during a special occasion.She said, "Seena, if you are lazy like this, you can't adjust with a MIL" .And for proof ,she said stories of some MILs who were not good with their DILs. Anyway, I didn't fall before her warning and since I was very talkative (they say) that time, I had no shortage of answers to oppose her. I have always heard others saying " She is such a good girl, knows to cook everything and very smart in doing all house hold works" Still I don't think knowing all cooking and other works before marriage is a big thing.It is fun learning each and everything when the time comes by making little mistakes.
Listen this - happened between a newly wedded couple.B appears with a cup of tea and a pleasant smile in the morning.
BG.What is this?
B. Tea?!!!
BG.Tea.....!! This looks like" kanjivellam "..!
B leaves the scene silently with a half-broken heart.. :(
Only this incident led B to conquer the kitchen area, and later the heart of BG! :)
This munthiri achaar / grapes pickle is prepared by my mom.Mom's cousin shared this recipe.I can't say what is the shelf life of this pickle since we didn't get a chance to test.Every time it finishes within two days!
This recipe is for our mishmash, who had published her unakkamunthiri pickle last week.Mish,I have a given a link to your "kanjivellam" post, now it saved my readers from my boring chronicles! Thank you.. :)



Munthiri Achaar Ingredients
Grapes 1/2 kg
roasted rice powder 2 Tbsp
pickle powder 2 Tbsp (used Eastern pickle powder)
vinegar 1/2 cup
green chillies 3
garlic pearls small 10
ginger 1/2 " piece
sugar 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
boiled water if needed
salt
oil



How to prepare
For roasting rice:- Heat a pan. put 1 or 2 hand ful of rice and stirr.
Stirr continuously until the rice puffs up with a brown color. Allow to cool and make powder using a grinder.
Seive this powder.

For making pickle:- Crush garlic and ginger.Chop green chillies.
Separate grapes from the stem. Wash.

Heat oil, allow mustard seeds to splutter.
Saute garlic , ginger and green chillies for few seconds.
Put grapes , pickle powder, vinegar and salt.Allow to boil.
Put rice powder and sugar. Check salt.Mix and remove from fire. Water comes
from the grapes itself, so no need to add water.

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Dates Pickle / Eithappazham Achaar

I am not in love with any spicy dates preparations like pickle, chutney etc. But here everyone loves it and all the leftover dates we bought for iftar have been modified into two of these forms.
This is for my reader Indu - who had asked for the dates pickle recipe.Hope you enjoy this sweet, spicy and sour delight!



Dates Pickle ingredients
Dates deseeded and chopped 2 cups
garlic paste 2 tsp
ginger paste 2 tsp
green chillies chopped optional
garlic pearls few optional
curry leaves chopped few
fenugreek 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds 2 tsp
chilly powder 1 Tbsp
coconut oil 1 1/2 Tbsp
vinegar 1/2 cup
salt



How to prepare
Chop dates into 4 pieces (or make small pieces). Heat pan, pour oil.Allow mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds splutter.Saute garlic - ginger paste and chopped green chillies and curry leaves for few seconds. Add red chilly powder, salt, vinegar and allow to boil. Put chopped dates into this, mix well. Pour little boiled water if you want to get a loose texture. Add little more vinegar for your desired sourness.

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Cabbage Pickle

Cabbage Achaar / Pickle Ingredients
Cabbage 1/4 kg
shallots / chuvannulli 10
garlic cloves 6
ginger 1 inch piece
turmeric powder 1 tsp
chilly powder 2 or 3 tsps
green chillies 4
curry leaves chopped few
mustard seeds /kaduku 2 tsps
fenugreek / uluva 1/2 tsp
coconut oil 2 Tbsp
vinegar 3 Tbsp or as desired
salt



How to prepare
Chop cabbage finely. Chop garlic and shallots length wise. Peel and chop ginger too. Cut green chillies into big pieces. Heat oil splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Then add garlic, ginger , green chillies, curry leaves and all the powders. Saute for 1 minute. Then add cabbage , salt and 1 Tb sp vinegar. Stir well and cook covered on a low flame stirring occasionally. When the cabbage is cooked add remaining vinegar, check salt and remove from fire..
We cannot store this for long time. After one day, I kept it in fridge. Have to add more oil to keep it out side..

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Egg Pickle

Pickled eggs are common in Western countries.They have many ways to make egg pickles and store it for long. Though I make egg pickle with our usual pickle ingredients, it tasted good.But I prefer consume it within two days.

Ingredients and preparation.
hard boiled eggs 3
fenugreek powder 1/4 teaspoon
fennel seeds powder 1/2 teaspoon
asafoetida powder 1/4 teaspoon
cumin powder 1/4 teaspoon
chilli powder 3 teaspoons
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
garlic cloves 6
ginger chopped 1/2 " piece
small onions 10
vinegar 3 tablespoons
sesame or coconut oil 2 tablespoons
mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
salt



Boil eggs, remove shell and make small slits on it.
Grind garlic,pearl onions and ginger together to make a paste.
Heat oil. splutter mustard seeds. Saute ground paste in this.. Add all the powders , salt and stir.Pour vinegar into this mixture. Place eggs in this and stir slowly. Remove from fire. Keep eggs covered in the mixture for few hours. Then refrigerate. Use within two days.
Few things to remember-
You can see chopped garlic cloves, green chillies and small onions in the first picture. I just added them for a change. Dry roast the spices before you powder them. If you want to make the pickle little watery, add little more vinegar or boiled water. After few hours , if you find the masala in the pickle tastes salt less, check the eggs before adding salt again. Eggs soon absorb all the salt and if you add salt again it tastes too salty.

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Vella Naaranga Achar / White Lemon Pickle

Ingredients and Method
lemon 12
garlic 12 cloves
green chilly 12
mustard seeds 2 teaspoons
black pepper corns 2 teaspoons
salt
vinegar 1 table spoon
sesame oil or coconut oil 2 table spoons
curry leaves few

Chop curry leaves,green chilies and garlic. Crush mustards and pepper corns.Cut lemon into thin slices. Cook it with 1/2 cup water and salt. Cook and reduce water. Heat oil, saute garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.Don't saute too much but for few seconds only. Add lemon and crushed ingredients. Mix well. Add vinegar and enough salt and mix well keeping on the low flame.
I prepare this without cooking lemon, so it would be little bitter but after two days it tastes good.

You can cook lemon in water before cutting it. Discard the water and chop lemon.Then follow the above method. Add ginger if you like.

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Bittergourd Pickle / Kaippakka Achar

Ingredients

Bitter gourds 2
Mustard seeds 3 teaspoons
Asafetida powdered ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds ½ teaspoon
Chilly powder 2 or 3 teaspoons
Vinegar 1 table spoons
Salt
Coconut oil 2 table spoons

How to prepare

Cut bitter gourd into thin pieces.

Dry roast 2 teaspoons mustard and ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.

Powder them.

Heat oil.

Let 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds to splutter.

Add powdered mustard, fenugreek and asafetida. Stir. Add salt, chilly powder and bitter gourd. Mix.

Stir for few minutes.

Add little hot water,3 table spoons of vinegar and mix well.

Close the pan and cook till the bitter gourd is done.

Then add remaining 1 table spoon of vinegar and enough salt.

Mix and remove from fire.

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Tomato Pickle/Thakkali Achar

Ingredients and method

Tomato - 1/2 kg

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Fennel seeds(Perinjeerakam) powder - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 3 nos

Curry leaves - A few

Coconut oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - A little

Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 tsp

1)Clean and cut tomatoes into fine pieces.

2)Mix with salt and keep it for half an hour.

3)Grind together chillies and curry leaves.

4)Heat coconut oil in a pan or a kadai.

5)Splutter mustard seeds.

6)Add ginger paste, garlic paste, fennel seeds powder and green chillies-curry leaves paste.

7)Stir for 2 mins.

8)Add chilly powder and turmeric powder. Stir well.

9)Add tomato.

10)Allow it to cook.

11)Add salt, if reqd.

12)Add vinegar.

13)Cook, until this becomes thick and gets a consistency of that of jam.:- Serve with dosas or can be used as a side dish for rice.

Recipe submitted to RP for Jhiva for tomatoes

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Meen achar / Fish Pickle

When there is no fish some may feel difficulty to take rice, right? This is for such 'strict non vegetarians'! :)
Once you prepared , you can refrigerate this..

Ingredients

Mackerels - 3 nos

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Garlic pods - 8 nos

Green chillies - 4 nos

Curry leaves - A few

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Coconut oil enough for frying

White vinegar - 4 tbsp

For marination:-

Chilly powder - 3 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tsp

Fennel seed(Perinjeerakam) powder - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
salt

Method

1)Cut and clean mackerels.

2)Cut into small pieces.

3)Marinate it with chilly powder, garlic- ginger paste, fennel seed powder and turmeric powder, salt and keep it in fridge for 1 hour.

4)Fry the marinated fish pieces in coconut oil.

5)Chop garlic, ginger and green chillies and cut a few curry leaves.

6)After frying fish, take it out and put the chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves in the remaining oil.

7)Fry for few minutes.

8)Add white vinegar , enough salt and 2 tsp of chilly powder into this and let it boil.

9)Add the fried mackerel pieces into it.

10)Remove from fire.

11)Allow it to cool.

12)Mix before serving. :- We can also make pickle with king-fish, shark and prawns. bones do not make problems . Cut the fish into small pieces.

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