Mixed Pickle

Pickle is  an essential accompaniment  to rice and curry.And it can be of any kind.Here’s a delicious preserve which  can be enjoyed  on any occasion.This  is  a necessary side dish, skillfully prepared during  festivals or  any formal meals  hosted at home.I can assure you the guests  will greatly savor the taste.

Mixed Pickle

250 grams red onions ( the small variety)

10  small green chillies (seeds intact)
1 medium carrot
250 gr. Dates
2 cups vinegar
2 tbsps.Mustard seeds ( coarsely grind)
3 cloves. of  Garlic
A piece of   Ginger( about an inch)
1 1/2 tbsp. red chilly powder
1 ½  tbsps  Sugar
A sprig - curry leaves,
3 cloves,
A piece of cinnamon stick broken into half.
4-5 cardamom pods
Salt to taste

Optional:  dried& salted lemons/mangoes

step 1

Peel,wash and cut the carrot into julienne pieces.
Peel the onions wash and keep aside.Wash the green chillies and keep them whole
Take half quantity of dates, remove seeds .(The other half, with seeds intact,keep aside).
 

Step 2

I used the blender to mix the, garlic, ginger and  half of the dates (deseed) with the 2  cups of vinegar.this will make a thick paste.Remove from blender and pour the contents into a clay pot or a glass container.

Step 3
Stir into the paste, the red chilly powder, sugar , salt, the mustard seeds,cardamon and the cinnamon stick

Now add the remaining  dates with the seeds intact ,the small  onions ( whole : do not cut or chop) green chillies , carrot pieces  and the sprig of curry leaves .Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon to coat the paste evenly  so that the vegetables   soak up  the paste .

Optional tip  For that extra zing and a tangy flavor, add  into the pickle 2-3 dried salted lemons cut into quarters or dried  mangoes .(If you add the lemons and the salted mangoes, reduce the salt  when  you make the paste in step 3.

 

If the paste in step 2 is too thick ,add a little vinegar.

I usually serve mixed pickle  with an array of  curried vegetables, meat dishes and steamed rice.

 

This pickle will keep fresh,tightly sealed  in a  clay pot or a glass jar,for upto about three weeks in  the refrigerator.

 

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Wattalappam ( Jaggery pudding)

This pudding is popular mostly in Muslim homes in my home country.Muslims prepare this dessert during special occasions like weddings and festivals.This pudding was originally known as the Malay pudding and later became to be popularly known as wattalappam.This dessert  is mostly steamed but for the last few years I have tried baking the pudding,by placing the  pudding bowl  in a tray with water.I believe it is as good as steaming.

 Wattalappam


Ingredients
10 eggs
1 pound jaggery
2 teacups thick coconut milk
1/2 teaspoons powdered cardamoms
A pinch of salt


Method
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well .Scrape the jaggery and mix it with the eggs .Add the coconut milk ,cardamoms and the salt and mix well.Pour into  small moulds and steam for about 1 and  1/4 hours or until firm..
Baking takes a longer time to cook.It took me almost 2 and 1/2 hours for the pudding to be well cooked.