That special touch at the side of every Indian plate is pickle.
Home made pickle recipes that have been passed down from generations are some of the things that need to be cherished!
This recipe is an instant green chilly pickle recipe that slightly veers on the sweet side with a subtle amount of spice. This recipe is a staple at home and one that you definitely want to keep handy in your fridge!
I started off with 500 gms of big green chillies which I deseeded, roughly chopped and then minced very fine with the help of a chopper.
I then added a tbsp of rock salt, 1 tsp of amchur powder(dry mango powder) and 2 tsp of turmeric powder and gave it a good mix.
Chop up a handful of garlic. This really depends on your personal preference. I added quite a bit of garlic because I like it garlicky. Finely chop a thumb size amount of ginger.
Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in a pan till it starts smoking. Turn the flame off and add 1 tsp of black mustard seeds, 1 tsp of methi seeds(fenugreek) and 1 tablespoon of mustard dal(sansav dal).
The mustard seeds should start crackling in a minute.After a minute add the chopped ginger and garlic and around 20 small curry leaves. Turn the flame back on and fry the garlic till it turns golden brown
Add the minced chillies to this.
Fry this for 5 minutes and then add 1/2 a cup of sugar and 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. I used the brand Chings chilli vinegar. Keep frying on a low flame for at least 15 to 20 minutes. The oil should float on top and the chilly mixture should attain a jam like consistency.
Adjust for salt and sugar. I found that 1/2 a cup of sugar was the right amount but it all depends on the spiciness of the chillies. So start with a little less than 1/2 a cup and then add a bit more depending on your liking.
Let the mixture cool and store in a sterilized glass jar. Keep refrigerated.