Indian Pickles

[Geeta]

Pickles are a important part of Indian life. Pickle making is once a year activity (different times for different types of pickle), so salt and oil are an important part of preservation. I have not see any home made pickle using any commercially available preservatives. The spices added to the pickle have digestive properties.

Some type of Pickles are made with lesser amount of oil and salt but have a short shelf life and so not available commercially. The only long shelf life pickle i know of that is made with less salt is a variety where the mango is first dried and then pickled (eliminating the moisture from the mango aids in preservation).

Lot depends on whether u eat the pickle as a pickle (sparingly) or as a side dish

But i think pickles go best with simple non-spicy food. If the meal is spicy and rich, you really don't need pickle.

A suggestion would be to pick the veggie from the pickle and leave out the masala. The veggie (mango,lemon or carrot whatever) has all the flavors meant for the pickle.This way you can cut down on salt. If you have a bottle of pickle at home, you may try spreading the leftout masala on toast, with or without butter and see if you like it.

[Milagai]

Back to the pickles. My experience with Indian pickles is that they are very, very salty. (I'm Korean by the way, so I know salty and pickles). I'm intrigued by the flavors but I'm looking for less salty pickles. What should I look for? Names, brands, varieties...

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there are alslo many sweet pickles (meetha achar) types.

one brand and variety i really like is patak's brinjal (eggplant) relish

(its a hot and sweet eggplant pickle that is divine!

other brands have tried to make one but just do not compare.

milagai

[da_coolestofall]

Ones I am currently devouring:

1. Creen Chillies

2. Pachranga Mixed

3. Mom's Lime pickle: the way my mom makes it, she doesnt add any oil. And the resulting achar is this dark brown hunk that is a sure shot remedy for an upset stomach.

Craving for:

1. Mango hing achar

2. Teet ka achar

3. Kamal-kakdi(lotus root) achar

4. Kathal (jackfruit) achar

I remeber that when we were in India, mom tried an Eggplant Achar (doenst last long---need to finish in a few days) that Sanjeev Kapoor had on his show. Somehow we lost the recipe. Anyone have any idea what I am talkin about?

Edited April 29, 2005 by da_coolestofall (log)

[touaregsand]

Thank you geeta and Milagai for the replies.

I'll be sure to purchase the eggplant pickle, sounds delicious.

I have another question about the pickle making process. I'm refering to the salty ones.

Very broadly speaking Korean pickles are made by salting the vegetables or soaking in brine. The salt or salt water is usually rinsed off before seasoning or eating.

In the case of the salty Indian pickles I mentioned I'm wondering how they are made. Is there an initial salting, then rinsing? Or are the salt and seasonings added in a single step?

I know it would help if I actually knew the names of the pickles I've tried. But I think my question can apply to general pickle making in India. Or is there no general style of pickle making in India? Oy vey, I feel like as if I'm digging myself into a hole.

[sabiha]

My family is from Gujarat so we're lucky to have pickles sent to us when our jars are getting empty I find shop bought ones here in england rarely seem to match up to the ones we get sent. The green mango pickles mixed with methi seeds and chilli are my favourite along with lemon pickles which seem to complement any dish you eat them with.

There is also another type we get with a tumeric type root, but it is white and crunchy and has quite a different flavour, reminds me more of radishes, that also tastes great in pickles but I don't know what its called in english, in gujarati it is called 'Amba Aradh'.

[Geetha]

Sabiha I think you must be talking of mango ginger, I've had this in my stay in the north.. I know it is sought after vegetable root in one of the seasons, as is the big red chillies

I too love lemon pickle and the methi seeds are added to mostly north indian preparations of pickle I've always wanted to know all about pickles something that ticlkes your imagination as to how it tastes sooo good..

Good luck in finding mango ginger in your local market or on web ??--

Love

GEetha

[Episure]

There is also another type we get with a tumeric type root, but it is white and crunchy and has quite a different flavour, reminds me more of radishes, that also tastes great in pickles but I don't know what its called in english, in gujarati it is called 'Amba Aradh'.

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Zedoary, I love it too.

[touaregsand]

Is fresh turmeric available in Los Angeles?

If so where?

[Milagai]

Sabiha I think you must be talking of mango ginger, I've had this in my stay in the north.. I know it is sought after vegetable root in one of the seasons, as is the big red chillies

I too love lemon pickle and the methi seeds are added to mostly north indian preparations of pickle   I've always wanted to know all about pickles something that ticlkes your imagination as to how it tastes sooo good..

Good luck in finding mango ginger in your local market or on web ??--

Love

GEetha

←

actually there are TWO different things.

one is mango ginger (maanga inji in tamil) as the name

implies its a variety of fresh ginger with a great mango taste.

the other is amba haldi (mango turmeric) which is a variety

of fresh turmeric root (or rhizome, whatever) with a great

mango taste

different animals, though similar uses in pickles.

milagai

[sabiha]

The root I'm talking about about must be zedoary i'm sure it isn't mango haldi as it doesnt have any mango taste. Here we get fresh tumeric and what appears to be zedoary in some local Indian shops, maybe I should get some and show you all what it looks like

[Geetha]

milagai

I have only tasted or rather remember having heard of mango ginger when in north mango turmeric I remember a scant mention in our homes in south.. I am not sure if mango haldi is used for pickles as readily as mango ginger.. in north that is as far as my memory goes.

But I love both these I would love to see photos or any illustrations any any related info you might have sabiha

gEetha

[loki]

I just posted a sweet eggplant brinjal pickle recipe: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/145505-indian-sweet-eggplant-brinjal-pickle/

[loki]

Anyone has experience of making pickle with the localy available raw mangoes in USA. Which one are best suitable for pickle making.

I know this is a vary late reply, but I peruse these old posts sometimes so I figure it's just adding to the info.... I'm not sure what exactly is meant by "localy (sic) available mangoes" but I will assume this to mean "in the grocery store". Well, most often they are not green! They may be green on the outside, but they must be green and firm on the inside. I will make a salad with these (Thai) or a curry (South Indian), but I think a pickle may not work as they are most often in the mid-ripe stage, and are slightly sweet, and starting to soften. However, lately, I've been seeing some pretty green ones in the Supermarket, and Mexican Grocery stores (They do use green mangoes in Mexico, but I hardly see them in the markets!). They do have them in Asian Markets (Southeast Asian, or Indian), but the nearest one is quite a drive for me. Having said that, I think there are some Indian Pickles you could make with partially ripe mangoes - perhaps some of the sweet ones. Lastly, when I lived in Florida, green mangoes were of course available locally (in my backyard, and all through the neighborhood). Many were not picked, as there were just too many!

[loki]

I just added another pickle recipe: Sour Tomatillo Pickle Achar. This one is made with non-traditional ingredient - tomatilloes, but it is very similar to other sour Indian fruits and vegetables. Tomatilloes are very easy to grow and are extremely prolific for me, thus I wanted to find a way to use them. http://forums.egullet.org/topic/145508-sour-tomatillo-pickle-achar/

[ericparkr]

Green Chilli Pickle, Lemon Pickle, Garlic Pickle and my most favorite Mango Pickle.

Edited August 14, 2013 by ericparkr (log)

[Plantes Vertes]

Today I bought something I had never heard of or imagined: Bangladeshi olive pickle.

Olives, oil, salt, garlic, ginger, cumin, chilli, coriander, turmeric, mustard, aniseed.

PRAN brand.

The olives in it are cut up but the fragments are gigantic. The whole fruit must have been a couple of inches long.

Is this a traditional condiment?

How would it normally be served?

Are olives common in Bangladeshi cuisine?

All information welcome. Preferably before I finish the jar. So soon.

ETA I know that Bangladesh is not in India. This seemed the most appropriate topic...

Edited December 9, 2013 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[Ader1]

Any suggestions of books for Indian pickles?

[Smithy]

18 hours ago, Bhukhhad said:

Hi all, 

Is anyone active on the Indian Pickles page any more? The last posts are from a decade ago. 

 

Bhukkhad

 

 

 

Thanks for bringing this up to the top again. It's clear there hasn't been much activity since 2013, but I know there are newer forum members who are interested and active in Indian cookery. @sartoric comes to mind, for one. I have made an Indian lime pickle - and then, much to my embarrassment, forgotten to use it!

 

Do you have some Indian pickle recipes you'd like to share? When you've made them, how do you use them? Recipes and demonstrations of pickles and the dishes they accompany would be welcome.

[kayb]

That's great information. Saving it.