Chicken Pickle

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken with bones, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsps red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
juice of 3 lemons, heat for 3 mt and cool
1 1/2 - 2 tbsps salt (adjust)
4 tbsps oil

Dry roast and make a powder:

3 tbsps coriander seeds/dhaniyalu
1 tbsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 tbsp poppy seeds/khus-khus/ghasagasalu
1 1/2 tsps methi seeds/methulu/fenugreek seeds
6 cloves
2″ cinnamon stick
1 elaichi/cardamom
1 star anise

For tempering/poppu/tadka:
pinch of methi seeds
30 fresh curry leaves
3-4 dry red chillis
15 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
3/4 cup oil

1. Dry roast all the spices individually over low heat and cool. Once cool, combine all the dry roasted ingredients and grind to a fine powder.

2. Heat 4 tbsps oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add chicken, ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd and salt and cook on high heat for 5 mts. Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and there is hardly any water content. This frying will take about 25 mts. This step is crucial to chicken pickle making. Keep stirring in between.

3. Heat 3/4 cup oil in another heavy bottomed vessel, add methi seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillis, crushed garlic and saute for a minute. Add the cooked chicken pieces along with any left over gravy and oil. Combine well. Add the ground spice pwd and combine well and cook on medium to high for 15-18 mts, stirring in between.

4. Add the cooled lemon juice and combine well and turn off heat. Cool and store in an airtight bottle and refrigerate.

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:
1 1/2 kg tomatoes, wash, dry and slice
large lemon sized tamarind (use if the tomatoes lack tang)
2 tbsps red chilli powder(adjust)
1 tsp methi powder
1 1/2 - 2 tbsps salt (adjust)
2-3 tbsps oil

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

1 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of methi seeds
15 fresh curry leaves
3-4 dry red chillis
15 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
2 tbsps oil

Method

1. 1/2 kg tomatoes, wash, dry and slice large lemon sized tamarind (use if the tomatoes lack tang)

2. tbsps red chilli pwd (adju1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the sliced tomatoes and cook on high heat for 5 mts. Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and the tomatoes turn mushy.

3. Towards the end of the cooking process as the oil seperates, reduce heat and keep stirring till the oil separates completely (the tomatoes could take a good 45 mts to an hour to cook). Turn off heat, add the tamarind and place lid. The tamarind will soften with the heat of the cooked tomatoes. Cool completely.

4. Once cool, add salt and grind the cooked tomatoes along with tamarind to a paste. Remove onto a vessel. Add chilli pwd and methi pwd. Combine.

5. In a pan, add 2 tbsps oil, add mustards seeds, methi seeds and fry till the mustard splutters and the methi turns red. Add the dry red chillis, curry leaves and saute for a few seconds and turn off heat. Add the crushed garlic and leave aside the tempering for 4-5 mts.

6. Once cool, add this tempering along with oil to the tomato paste. Combine well. Cool and store in an airtight bottle. Refrigerate.

Nellikkai ( Amla ) Pickle

Ingredients
1/4 lb Nellikkai / Amla / gooseberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger pieces
1 tbsp thinly sliced garlic pieces
a few curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
a pinch of brown sugar
salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup boiled water
2 tbsp vinegar
4-6 tbsp oil

Method

1. Heat Oil in apan and saute with mustard seeds. On spluttering,add the fenugreek seeds and fry till brown.

2. Add curry leaves, ginger and garlic pieces and fry till the pieces are crispy.

3. Reduce the heat and add the spice powders and fry till brown.

4. Add the Amalas, salt and sugar and saute till the gooseberries are soft.

5. Pour the vinegar and hot water and allow to cook for sometime.

6. Allow to cool and tansfer to an airtight container and leave it for about seven days before transferring to the refrigerator.