Karvanda, Karonda, Natal Plum, Bengal Currant, Carissa carandas,

Karvanda Pickle

Karvandas are in season now until May for the raw very sour fruit. So grab some and make these 2 delicious pickles and enjoy throughout the year. June to July the fruit ripen and turn deep purple with a sweet sour taste.

One fruit, two flavors!   

Karvanda Pickle two ways.” The ‘Instant’ Spicy Zesty Garlic Version” vs. “The Traditional Methi Saunf Hing Version.”

Karvanda Pickle

Instant – Method 1

Ingredients

1/2 kg. Green Karvandas

1 cup oil

1 tbsp. Salt

½ tsp. turmeric

Grind to a paste

1” pc. Ginger

10 flakes garlic

1 tbsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

6 red chillis

Method

Soak the Karvandas in ample water for an hour or so to loosen any dirt.  Wash well, drain and pick any stems, etc.  Transfer to a cooking vessel.  Add 1 cup water, 1 tbsp. salt and ½ tsp. turmeric, mix and cook till it just comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Grind the masala to a smooth paste.  Boil the oil in a vessel, when hot add ground masala and fry the masala well.  Add the the semi cooked karvanda and cook on medium flame 2 to 3 minutes till oil surfaces.  Check seasoning and add salt if required.  Take off the fire and bottle when cool.

Karvanda Pickle

Traditional – Method 2

Ingredients

500 gms, Green Karvandas, washed & halved

2 tbsp. Fennel seed (Saunf)

1 tbsp. Fenugreek seeds (Methi)

1 tbsp. Nigella seeds (Kalonji)

2 tbsp. Kashmiri chili powder

½ tsp. Turmeric powder

½ tsp. Hing

1 cup Mustard oil (or anyother oil of choice)

Salt to taste

Toss the halved karvandas with 1 tbsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder.  Mix well and dry in the sun for about 4 hours to remove moisture.

Dry roast the fennel and fenugreek and grind to a coarse powder when cool.

Heat the oil to smoking.  Turn off the heat and when slightly cool, stir in the ground masala, nigella seeds, chili powder and hing.  Add the sun-dried karvandas to the warm spiced oil and mix thoroughly.  Leave aside to cool and transfer to a glass or ceramic jar and leave to mature for atleast a week.  Enjoy!!