Cranberry Thokku (Pickle)

Cranberries are very good for health so I bought a big bag of cranberries but none of us liked to eat it as such since it was too sour. So when I was wondering what to do with it, I came across this recipe and used it to make this cranberry thokku. I made it similar to how I make Tomato Thokku and it tasted very good. In a matter of days all the cranberries were finished in this manner. Now I will buy cranberries only to make this thokku. You can use this thokku along with rice, dosas or chappatis and it tastes awesome with curd rice especially...

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Sesame Oil 
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
• 2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Chilly Powder (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Sambar Powder (Optional)
• 2 spring Curry Leaves
• 1 tbsp Jaggery (Optional)
• 1/2 tsp roasted Methi (Fenugreek) Powder

Instant Mango Pickle

This is an instant mango pickle recipe that is a must have in all feasts. This is another addition to the Kerala Sadhya menu.

Ingredients

1. 1 Raw Mango 
2. Salt (As per taste)
3. Red Chilly powder (As per taste)
4. 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
5. 1/4 cup Sesame Oil
6. 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
7. 1/4 tsp Methi Powder (Optional)
8. 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Method

1. Cut the Raw Mango into small pieces. Add the turmeric, red chilly powder and salt to the cut mango pieces and mix well. 
2. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and methi powder. When the mustard starts to crackle, switch off and add this to the mango mixture and mix well. Adjust the salt and spice to your taste.
3. Pickle is ready to be served and stays good for a week if refrigerated.

Puli Inji

Puli Inji is a delicious side dish mostly used as a pickle and is a must in any Kerala Sadhya. It is sweet, sour and at the same time spicy. The Ingredients given below are only approximate and can be adjusted to your liking. This recipe yields around 1 cup of Puli Inji.

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup finely chopped Ginger
• 3 tsp Tamarind concentrate
• 3 Green chillies finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Chilly powder
• 4 cubes Jaggery or to taste
• 1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1 1/2 cup Water 
• 2 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 spring Curry leaves

Method

1. Heat water in a deep saucepan and melt the jaggery in it. (Filter the jaggery if required.) Add the tamarind paste, turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt and bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.
2. In the meantime, heat the oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. Simmer the stove and add the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till ginger turns golden brown.
3. Transfer all the ingredients from this pan to the saucepan where the tamarind and jaggery mixture is simmering.
4. Adjust the tamarind and jaggery as per your taste.
5. Once more bring it to a boil and then let it simmer till it thickens.

Suggestions/ Notes

1. The Puli Inji thicken more on refrigeration. So switch off at the right consistency.
2. It can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a month.

Sending this to EP Series-Herb & Spices" ~ "Ginger &Pepper Powder" Event  hosted at Prabha's Cooking