An ideal time to make and preserve pickles for use throughout the year!

Carrot Pickle

Ingredients

1 kg. Carrots

5 green chillis

1” pc. Ginger

1 pod Garlic

1/2 litre Vinegar

½ cup sugar

¼ kg. Oil

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

4 tsp. Salt

Roast & grind to a paste in vinegar

50 gms. red chillis

1 tsp. mustard seeds

½ tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. turmeric powder

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. fenugreek seeds

½ tsp. asafoetida (hing)

Wash vegetables, drain and cut into thin strips.  Do not wash after cutting.  Add the salt and dry in the sun for minimum 2 days.  Chop green chillis, ginger and garlic finely.  Boil oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds and curry leaves.  Then add the chopped chillis, ginger and garlic and fry till light brown.  Add the ground masala paste, remaining vinegar and sugar and cook 10 minutes.  Then add the dried carrots and mix well.  Bottle when cool.

Check out the delicious and tantalising Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Sweet & Sour Lemon Pickle Without Oil 2 methods of preparation with same ingredients One is an instant method and the other is over two days as the lemons need to be kept under weight overnight. Check out both methods and use the one that suits you. The end result is almost same though the 2nd method gives the pickle an improved texture.

Method 1
LEMON PICKLE with Jaggery without Oil

Sweet and Sour Lemon Pickle

Ingredients

12 lemons

3 tsp. Salt

3” pc ginger

10 flakes garlic

1/2 cup vinegar

2 cups Jaggery, powdered

4 tsp. Chilli powder

2 tsp. turmeric powder

Method

Wash lemons and wipe dry. Cut the lemons into fours, or eight pieces if lemons are large in size. Remove the pith and seeds. Apply salt liberally about 4 tbsp. Mix well and keep under weight overnight or for 24 hours minimum.  If possible you may keep in the sun in a glass jar.  Mix in between couple of times. Chop the ginger and garlic.  Take a vessel, add the lemon pieces with the liquer, chilli powder, chopped ginger and garlic, jaggery and mix well.

Place on heat, cover and cook till the lemons turn soft. Stir in between.  Cook till lemons are soft and gravy is thick. Then add the vinegar, mix and simmer 10 minutes.  Cool and bottle.  Store in a cool dry place for 2 to 3 weeks to mature

Method 2

LEMON PICKLE with Sugar without Oil

Sweet and Sour Lemon Pickle

A variation in preparation

Ingredients

1 dozen lemons

3” pc ginger

10 flakes garlic

½ cup vinegar

2 cups Sugar

4 tsp. Chilli powder

2 tsp. Turmeric powder

Method

Cut the lemons into four or eight pieces depending on the size of the lemons, remove the pith and seeds, apply salt liberally about 3 to 4 tsp. and keep aside.  Place a heavy weight over the lemon pieces and leave overnight. Chop the ginger and garlic.  Take a vessel, add the marinated lemon pieces, chopped ginger, garlic, chilli and turmeric powder, sugar and mix well.  Place on heat, stirring frequently till sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil and simmer till lemons are cooked.  Don’t overcook or the lemon skins may tend to harden.  When cooked add the vinegar and mix well.  Check seasoning.  Take off heat and bottle when cool.  Store in a cool dry place for 2 to 3 weeks to mature.