Hot and Sweet Lime Preserve

I recently made Hot and Sweet Lime and Ginger Pickle, I found I could not taste the ginger at all as it was so limey (sharp) tasting.  I have amended this recipe, left out the ginger, and added oranges.  It is perfect so yummy!!

Ingredients
40 Limes
4 level tablespoon salt
5 oranges
3 lemons
1/3 cup water
1 cup brown sugar or jaggery (gur)
5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce if you don't want it so hot)

Method

1. Slice the limes thinly, add the salt and leave overnight
2. Strain and place in a pan, add juice of the oranges and lemon
3. Add water, the liquid should just cover the lime slices.  (if your oranges and lemons are bigger or smaller than mine adjust the amount of water.
4. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 hours
5. Add the sugar, bring to quick boil for at least 20 minutes.
6. Test by placing a drop on a cold saucer in the fridge.  It is ready if it sets.
7. Turn off the heat and add the cayenne (red chilli) powder, mix.
8. Place into sterile jars.

Made 6 jars

Hot and Sweet Lime and Ginger Pickle

Ingredients

10 yellow limes

200 gm ginger; peeled and sliced thinly 

1 lemon; juiced

2 tsp. salt

1 cup water

1 cup gur / brown sugar

2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Method

1. Place the limes in boiling hot water, slice thinly when cool.

2. Add the ginger, lemon juice and salt and leave overnight.

3 Add the water and bring to boil, simmer for at least 1 hour.

3. When the lime peel is soft, add the gur or sugar, and bring to a fast boil.

4. After 15 minutes check if it ready by placing a drop on a cold saucer in the fridge.

5. It is ready if it sets.

6. Take of the heat, dd the cayenne pepper and mix.

7. Let it cool and place in sterilised jars.

Makes 2 jars.

Quick Pickle

I made this yesterday

RECIPE

Hot Pepper Sauce

Easy on this, it is lethal

Ingredients

12 scotch bonnet peppers

8 sweet peppers

3 head garlic; cut into half

3 heaped teaspoon mustard powder

1 cup jaggery (gur) brown sugar

1000 ml white vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 teaspoon cumin powder

3 level tablespoon cornflour

Method

1. Heat the oven 180 C.
2. Place all the peppers and garlic on a silver foil lined tray
3. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Put some gloves on and remove the stalks from the scotch bonnet peppers, peel the sweet peppers and garlic.
5. Place in a saucepan with the sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, turmeric and cumin.
6. Blend the cornflour in a little water and add.
7.  Bring to boil, simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Cool, liquidise and bottle.
9. if it is too thick add a little more vinegar

Makes 8-10 250 ml bottles.

Sprouted Methi / Fenugreek Pickle

I just made an amazing pickle, it is so delicious and totally new to me; sprouted fenugreek (methi) pickle.  I found the recipe in an article by Usha Prabhakaran.

The original recipe contains tamarind and jaggery (gur), but I had neither at hand, so I used pomegranate syrup as a substitute.  This is tart and sweet so would be a good substitute for tamarind and jaggery.  Pomegranate syrup is a made from pomegranate juice, lemon juice and sugar reduced to form a thick molasses.

I also referred to Priiya’s Blog,  Indira’s Blog and  Paajaka’s Recipes.  Do have a look at these blogs, they are amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted methi

½ cup (125 mls) sesame oil

1 teasoppn mustard seeds

4-5 curry leaves (limra leaves)

3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

Method

1. Heat the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan,  add the sprouted methi and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
2. Pour the rest of the oil into the pan, add the add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves, as soon as the seeds pop, add the pomegranate syrup, red chilli powder and turmeric.  Stir fry for about 30 seconds as the pomegranate syrup is already reduced, and add the sprouted methi.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
3. Place in a clean jar, and store in fridge when cool.
4. According to Usha, this pickle should last upto 6 months.  Mine has almost finished!  It is so yummy, I even add it to salads.

Keri ne gajjar jo athano / Mango and Carrot Pickle

There are 18 types of mangos in India, I have used green Rajapuri, the seed is small and not fibrous so was very easy to slice.   Green Rajapuri mangoes are large and firm and often used for pickle.  They are grow in the state of Gujarat.  This mango is an excellent source of vitamins A and C.  

Ingredients

2 large green mangoes; julienned sliced into long thin pieces

4 carrots; julienned sliced into long thin pieces

12 large mild green chillies, cut long ways into two pieces

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoon olive oil

8 garlic cloves; minced 

1 cup tomato puree

2-3 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1. Place the sliced mangoes, carrots and chillies in a large glass bowl, add salt and leave for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the above and spread on a tea cloth to dry in the sun if possible for 2-3 hours or overnight if dried at room temperature.

3. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, saute for a few minutes.

4.  Add the tomato puree and cook until the paste is dehydrated.

5. Add the turmeric and chilli powders

6.  When cool, add the carrots, mangoes and chillies mix.  

Store in the fridge for upto a month provided the vegetables were dried sufficiently.

Limoo jo athano / Lime and Ginger Pickle

This is made from yellow limes, and is a typical Gujarati Pickle



Ingredients
15 limes; almost quartered; see picture
1/2 lb ginger; peeled and sliced into 3mm slices
1/2 lb Guwar beans / cluster beans (to be added 2 weeks after pickle is prepared)
1/2 lb green chillies; (to be added 2 weeks after pickle is prepared)
2 tablespoons red chilli powder
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon salt
juice of 10 limes

1. Take a clean jar big enough for all your ingredients
2. Rinse with boiling water
3. Place the ginger at the bottom of the jar
4. Mix the spices and salt
5. Stuff the half cut limes with this mixture and place in the jar
6. When all the limes are in, top up with lime juice, to about 3/4 full
7. The salt will release water from the limes and ginger
8. Top up with more lime juice until full- 10 limes may not be enough, depends on how juicy your fruit is
9.  Place in the sun for about 3-4 days, otherwise leave at room temperature for 2 weeks.
10. After 2 weeks add green chillies and or cluster beans (guvar beans)

When ready it can last upto 6months to a year

We are pickled out at Chachi's Kitchen

Left to right

4 bottles of mango and carrot pickle, gunda and mango, fresh turmeric, amba haldi and garmar (tuberous roots of Coleus forskhohlii) pickle, lime and ginger pickles.

In preparation are sprouted methi pickle and green almond pickle

Watch this space for the recipes

Quick Marcha jo Athano / Sliced chillies Pickle

Ingredients

15-20 long chillies (not too hot)

1 level teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (80ml)  oil

1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice

1 heaped tablespoon split mustard

1/2 teaspoon fenugrek

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Method

1. Wash and dry the chillies and slice  into rounds about 1/2 inch.
2. Add salt, and spread on a tea towel, leave for at least 2 hours or overnight
3. Place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, fenugrek and turmeric in a clean screw top jar (large enough to fit the chillies), close the lid and give it a good shake.
4. Add the chillies into the jar, mix well.
5. This is ready to eat in 24 hours.

I  usually can't wait and it tastes fine!

Quick Gajjar jo Athano / Carrot Relish / Pickle

Ingredients

2 lb of carrots (about 8 medium carrots); julienned into thin strips

20 green chillies; split into two 

8 cloves of garlic; minced

1/2 cup (125mls) oil

3 table spoons tomato puree

3 teaspoons ground red chillies

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

salt

Method

1. Add half the salt to the carrot strips, and spread the carrots on a tea towel, leave for a couple of hours or overnight.

2.  Add the other half of salt to the green chillies, spread on a tea towel, and leave for a couple of hours or overnight.

3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, saute until light brown.

4. Add the tomato puree, stir for about 5 minutes

5. Add the tumeric and powdered red chillies and cook for a few minutes.

6. Cool, add the carrots and the green chillies and mix well.

Serve as a side, Enjoy.

Will keep for at least 2 weeks in the Fridge.

Ours usually is gone within 3 days!!

Anyone for pickles?

Sun dried carrots, Chachi made full use of the sunshine last week. She made gur gajar jo athano

Hot and Sweet Carrot Pickle
This is a 2 litre jar! So anyone for pickles?

It's Gunda time again

Recipe at this page Gunda and Mango Pickle

Gur Gajar athanu / Hot and Sweet Carrot Pickle

Ingredients

4 kg carrots; cut into baton style sticks
6 tablespn salt
1 cup split/hulled mustard seeds
1/2 cup coarsely ground coriander
1/2 cup coarsely ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 sticks cinnamon
4 whole cloves
3 cardamom pods
8 black peppercorns
2 cups oil
1 cup ground red chillies
2 teaspns turmeric powder
4 cups grated gur / jaggery

Method

1. Mix the salt and carrots well, spread the carrots on a large tablecloth and dry in the sun
2. Place the whole spices; mustard seeds, coriander, fenugreek, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods and peppercorns in large container.
3. Heat the oil in another pan, and add to the whole spices.
4. Add chillies and turmeric to the masala, mix
5. Add the gur / jaggery and mix.
6. When cool add the dried carrots mix and place in sterile bottles.
7. This pickle is ready to eat immediately, but improves with age.

Mixed Pickle (marcha, gajar, tindora keri) / (Chillies, Carrots, Tindora and green Mango)

Recently I had dinner at Rani's in Finchley, the best Gujarati restaurant, they had pickled tindora with mustard, so I thought I would try it. It is based on my Chilli Pickle posted earlier.

Ingredients
4 oz chillis
4 oz tindora
2 carrots
2 green mangoes
1 tablespn salt
1 tablespn hulled and roughly ground mustard
1/2 tspn tumeric
2 tbspn oil
4 tbspn lemon juice

Method
1. Wash and dry the vegetables
2. Cut the vegetables into long slices (see pic)
3. Mix with salt and leave overnight
4. Arrange the vegs on a clean tea towel, let then air dry overnight.
5. Place the vegetables in a large bowl, take a small jar add the oil, lemon juice, mustard seeds and tumeric to it.
6. Close the lid and mix, pour onto the vegetables, mix.
7. Put the pickle into clean jars, close the lid.

The pickle is ready to serve!

Fresh Green Chilli Pickle

This is a very easy recipe, brought to the family by Shaheen. You can vary it by adding carrot sticks, or green mango chunks.

Ingredients

12 large chillies
1 tspn salt
1 tbspn oil
1 tbspn lemon juice
1 tbspn split and hulled mustard seeds
1/4 tspn tumeric




Method
1. Wash and dry the chillies
2. Cut each chilli into 4 -6 pieces
3. Mix with salt and leave overnight
4. Arrange the chillis on a clean tea towel, let then air dry overnight.
5. Take a jar large enough to fit all the chillies, add the oil, lemon juice, mustard seeds and tumeric to it.
6. Close the lid and mix, place all the chillies in the jar, close the lid and mix well.

The pickle is ready to serve!

Gunda ne Keri jo Athanu - Mango and Gunda Pickle

Masala
Ingredients
1 cup split/hulled mustard seeds
1/2 cup coarsely ground coriander
1/2 cup coarsely ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 sticks cinamon
4 whole cloves
3 cardomom pods
8 whole black pepper
1 and 1/2 cups oil
1 cup ground red chilies
2 teaspns tumeric powder

Method
Place the whole spices in a pan.
Heat the oil in another pan
Add the oil to the spices

Add chillies and tumeric to the masala
mix











cool and use (enough for 3 preps of pickle)







Pickle
Ingredients

1 1b gunda
1 1b green mangos
Juice of 5 lemons
1/2 cup salt

Method
1. Wash and dry the mangoes and gunda
2. Mix the lemon juice and salt in a bowl
3. cut the mangoes into small pieces keep aside
4. split the gunda, remove the seed, and place in the lemon juice
Add the mangoes and mix well
leave overnight at room temperature

















The next day, discard the lemon juice and spread the mangoes and gunda on a dry tea towel, leave to dry for one day

Take a clean jar, place 1/2 cup of oil in the jar
Stuff the gunda with 1/2 tspn of masala and place in the jar
Place the mangoes in between the gunda
This pickle will be ready to eat in 1 months time
We store it in the fridge, but a cool place should be fine.

seville orange marmalada

Step by Step - Seville Orange Marmalade

With their refreshing, sharp flavour, Seville orange make great marmalada. a bright, sparkling preserve. The season for Seville oranges is short, usually lasting only a few weeks in January. So it is worth making a batch of marmalade now to enjoy the flavour throughout the year. Cut the peel as thickly or thinly as you prefer, according to taste. This task should not be rushed and is one of the pleasures of making marmalade.


Ingredients for 3kg marmalade
1kg Seville oranges1 lemon 2kg Sugar
Step 1
Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly, then dry them in a clean tea towel. Pour 2 litres cold water into a large, wide pan . Squeeze the oranges and lemon and add the juice to the water. Reserve the pips and orange rind, but discard the squeezed lemon.
Step 2
Cut the oranges in half again and, using a metal spoon, scrape the pith and pips into the centre of a large square of muslin. Tie the muslin with kitchen string to form a bag. Add to the pan and tie the ends of the string to the pan handle to make it easier to remove later.
Step 3
Cut the orange peel into strips - chunky for coarse cut and thinner for a fine shred. It is easier and quicker if you place 2 pieces on top of each other and slice with a sharp knife. Add to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, until the peel is very soft and the liquid reduced by about half. Remove and discard the bag with the pips and pith, squeezing as much juice as possible back into the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.
Step 4
Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly until it reachessetting point. This usually takes about 15 minutes. To test, remove the pan from the heat and spoon a little marmalade onto a chilled saucer. Allow to cool for a few seconds, then push with a finger. If the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, boil for a further 5 minutes and test again. Leave the marmalade to settle for 15 minutes, then skim off any scam from the surface with a slotted spoon. Stir the mixture and pour into warm, clean jars, using a jug. Cover.

Prepare the jars
At the end of step 3, prepare the jars. Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas mark 3. Ensure the jars are clean and free from cracks and chips. Place the jars on their sides in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven off leaving the jars inside until the marmalade is ready to pot.sowhsi