Homemade Pickle Masala/Achar Ka Masala

Indian cuisine is in complete without pickles. You will find hundreds of varieties in Pickles from different parts of India. In summer, generally pickles are made which can be stored for years and pickle masala is heart of any pickle. To make this pickle all ingredients are there in your pantry, there is nothing special that you will have to hunt for.

You can also add this masala to your vegetables and curries. If you are making sprouts salad add a pinch of this masala and your bland salad will be chatpata. It also tastes awesome with paratha, khakhra, roti or can be used in dal, veggies etc. Read my notes before you start making the pickle masala. 

Ingredients 
45 Grams Red Chilly powder 
25 Grams Turmeric Powder 
100 Grams Yellow Mustard Seeds 
½ Teaspoon Asafoetida 
45 Grams Fennel Seeds 
30 Grams Fenugreek Seeds
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
1 Cup Mustard Oil

Method

Dry roast the salt a minute or two on a slow flame in a pan/tawa, so that all the moisture evaporates. Let it to cool completely before adding to the remaining ingredients.

In a small pan/pot, heat the oil on slow flame. Oil should be smoking hot. Let this cool completely.

Coarsely powder the yellow mustard and fenugreek seeds separately then mix all the rest ingredients well, in a bowl and keep aside.

Pour the cooled oil on to the spices and mix well. Make sure each spices blends perfectly..
Store in a air tight glass jar/ container tightly packed.

Easy, tasty, preservative free Homemade Pickle Masala/Achar Ka Masala is ready! Keep this mix handy and you can make pickles with minimum work load/effort. 

This is very handy for making any type of pickle(instant or long storage/yearly). If you have this ready Pickle Masala/Achar Ka Masala handy then you can make pickle instantly. Just make a big batch of this ready masala once and use it when ever needed. This masala stays good for 3-4 months on the pantry shelf or for a year if refrigerate (in the refrigerator the color does not change and is the same).
This  Pickle Masala mixed in oil is packed my sister in law. 
My Notes
When I make this masala for me, I do not add oil, but store it dry in the refrigerator in a airtight container.

The reason I, do not add hot oil to the masala is because if you add hot oil then the masala will turn blackish and you will not get this bright color to your pickle.  

In most pickle masala the salt content is more, I, do not add more salt, since when pickle is made with any ingredient salt is added to it. I try to keep the salt content less.

If you like the taste of asafoetida or any other spices more in your pickle masala then increase it according to your taste. For me the Pickle Masala is perfect.  
Labels: Pickle, Homemade, Pickle Masala, Preservative free

Pickled Star Gooseberry#Foodieextravaganza

Star Gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus) is called Rayaval in Marathi.

Star gooseberry is  close relativ of  amla and is found in various parts of India. Star gooseberries appears whitish green and are hard to the touch. Once they ripen on the tree, they turn pale gold. This does not ripen any further once plucked from the tree.
I love the eat this even without pickling, it has a sweetish taste.

This month Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is host for #FoodieExtravaganza. Our theme is "International Pickles " where in she asked us to share our favorite recipes for making pickles, using pickles, etc. Lacto-fermented. Quick-pickled. It's all fair game!

Ingredients
300 Grams Star Gooseberry
4 Tablespoons Heaped Pickle Masala
1 Teaspoon  Sea Salt 
1 Cup Oil  - I used mustard oil
For the Tadka 
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida

Method

Wash and pat dry the star gooseberries.

In a pan heat the mustard oil till it comes to smoking point. Switch off the flame and pour the oil into the sterilized jar reserving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Let the jar oil cool completely.
For the Tadka

Heat the oil that is reserved in the pan add the mustard seeds when it splutters, add the asafoetida, immediately switch of the flame.  Let this come to room temperature.
When this oil comes to room temperature add the pickle masala, salt and mix well. Now add the star gooseberries and mix well.  Pour this into the jar when the oil cools completely.  

The level of the oil should be an inch above the star gooseberries or else the pickle will mildew/a fungus will form on the top layer and it will spoil.  So heat more oil if necessary.  Keep this aside for 10 to 15 days then enjoy.

This pickle taste delicious when you bite into the crisp star gooseberries, as these do not soften much. 
Labels : Foodie Extravaganza Party, Star Gooseberry, Pickle, Pickle Masala

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

 Here's the list of our pickled creations...

Dill Pickle Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Making Miracles
Fried Chicken Sandwich with a Spicy Bread and Butter Pickle Coleslaw by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Hot Pepper Vinegar by Palatable Pastime
Indian Raw Papaya Pickle by Sara's Tasty Buds
Japanese Pickled Ginger by Caroline's Cooking
Lime & Beer Pickled Red Onions by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips by Pandemonium Noshery
Pickled Pork Tongue by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pickled Rainbow Chard Stems by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pickled Star Gooseberry by Sneha's Recipe
Spicy Pickled Grape Tomatoes by Food Lust People Love

Mango Avakaya / Andhra Avakkai Pickle

Summer and the king of fruit - Mangoes are in season. It'is time to make mango pickle so that we can relish throughout the year.

Andhra cuisine is popularly known for its hot and spicy foods. Mango Avakaya or Andhra Avakkai Pickle is a spicy, mango pickle from Andhra cuisine. I make this pickle every year along with my Mango Metham Pickle - East Indian .

This time I, made this Andhra Avakkai Pickle recipe with step by step pics and decided to post the recipe.

Ingredients 

600 Grams  Mango pieces - see notes

¾  Cup Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

Gingelly / Sesame Oil as required  

1 Big Pod Garlic  - cleaned

For the  Pickle Masala  

1 Cup Red Chilly  Powder  - see notes 

¾  Cup  Yellow Mustard Seeds
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt  

1 ½ Teaspoons Fenugreek Seeds  

¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida powder 

Method

For the  Pickle Masala 

Coarsely powder the yellow mustard and fenugreek seeds separately then mix all the ingredients well, in a big bowl and keep aside.  

For the Mangoes

Place the chopped mangoes add the turmeric, salt and mix well keep it overnight.  

Next morning place this in a strainer /colander and place weight over it it and keep it aside for 3 to 4 hours.

After 3 -4 hours.

In the meantime heat the oil till hot do not bring this oil to a boiling point.  Keep the oil cool completely.

To assemble the Pickle

Place the mango pieces in a big bowl add the  garlic ( if the garlic pods are big then cut them into smaller slice like  I did) 

Add the Pickle Masala, with little oil and give it a good mix.  

Pour  the mango pickle in a sterilized bottle and pour the cooled oil over it.  

The oil level should be at least an inch over the mango pieces.  Cover with the lid and tie a clean cloth over it,  let it remain covered for two days.  After two or three days check the oil level since the pickle masala will absorb little oil.  Pour more oil if needed ( again note that the oil level should always be an inch above).

After 2 to 3 weeks the pickle is ready to enjoy for the  year or till the next mango season.   Have this with Dal Rice or paratha or just anything you fancy. 

My Notes

I have used Rajapuri Mangoes to make this pickle.  Wash the mangoes and wipe  them with a clean cloth, then give them to  cut into medium small pieces.  

When they are cut, them remove the seeds and  skin the stems and then weigh the mangoes.  I got 600 grams of mango.

This mango pickle masala is sufficient for 600 to 700 grams of mangoes.

The beautiful color of chilly powder is got from the chillies that's a homemade chilly powder, I use equal quantity of Kashmiri and Bedki chillies.

Take good mature Mangoes/pickle mangoes and never go for tender mangoes. 

Always use a clean dry spoon to serve pickle.

There should be enough oil so that pickle can last long. 

Lables :  Pickle Masala, Homemade, Andhra Pradesh, Mango, Pickle