Magali kizhangu Pickle (Madina Kommulu in Telugu, Makali ber in Kannada and Swallowroot in English)

Magali kizhangu plant and its roots are known for its use in Ayurvedic medicines and for its use in pickles. I think this happens to a lot of people and happened to me too. When I was child, I used to run away because of the smell of the pickle. But now I love the pickle. I spoken to a lot of my friends and relatives and everybody seems to have the same change.

Ingredients

·         Magali Kizhangu – 250 grams

·         Red Chilli powder – ½ cup

·         Turmeric Powder – ½ spoon

·         Salt – ½ cup

·         Sour curd 1 cup

Preparation

·         Soak Magali Kizhangu in water for 10 minutes

·         Then peel the skin of the Kizhangu

·         A central stem/nerve runs through the Kizhangu. Cut the Kizhangu along the length and remove the central stem.

·         Cut the remaining portions into small pieces

·         Add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder to the cut pieces of Magali Kizhangu and mix well everyday for 4 days.

·         After 4 days, mix well with the Sour curd  

·         Move this to a porcelain/glass jar and close the lid.

·         Open the jar everyday for 1 week and shake and mix well the pickle once every day until you see all the water from the magali comes out.

Leave your comments after you have tried out this recipe !!

Vadu Maanga Pickle

I always have a craving for Mango pickles and especially in summer when curd/yogurt rice becomes your main food. I remember the big jars in which my mother used to make and keep vadu maangas. She would fill the jar in March and that would last us good 6 months. The still remember the smell that would be filled in the room after I open the lid. I got the recipe from my mother and how many ever I try to make it close to hers, I fail. But lately I feel I have mastered the art. Try this recipe and let me know how this turns out.

Ingredients

·         Take vadu maangas (raw mangoes smaller than the size of lemon) in a half litre container(about 3-4 cups)

·         Salt – 3/4^th of a cup [Vadu maangas taste well if made from Sea Salt]

·         Mustard (Kadugu) – 3 spoons

·         Red Chilli powder – 4 tablespoons

·         Vilakku ennai/Castor oil – 1 tablespoon

·         Turmeric Powder – ½ spoon

Preparation

·         Wash the vadu maangas well and wipe to remove water

·         Add Castrol oil and mix well with all the vadu maangas.

·         Grind mustard in a mixer with little water and mix well with vadu maangas

·         If you are using sea salt, grind well in a mixer.

·         Mix salt with Red Chilli powder and turmeric and mix well with vadu maangas

·         Move this to a porcelain jar and close the lid.

·         Open the jar everyday for 1 week and shake and mix well the pickle once every day until you see all the water from the maangas come out and they shrink.

Vadu maanga is one of the simplest pickles. Try this recipe and let me know how it turns out. Make sure that you try to keep the pickle in a porcelain/Glass jar as other vessels get spoilt and also spoil the pickle.

Paruppu Usli

It is one of my day to day recipe. I make it as often as possible as it contains a lot of paruppu/daal which is rich in Protein.

Ingredients

·         For 4 people - Soak 1 cup of Tuvaram Paruppu (Toor Daal) for minimum 1 hour.

·         Cut vegetables – Beans or Pavakkai(bitter guard) or Kothavarangai(Guvar) or Vazhai Poo(Plantain flower)

·         Red Chillies – 4 or 5

·         Turmeric

·         For garnishing – Oil, Mustard seeds, hing, Curry leaves

Preparation

·         Cut and boil the vegetable you have chosen from Beans or Pavakkai(bitter guard) or Kothavarangai(Guvar) or Vazhai Poo(Plantain flower)

·         Grind the soaked Tuvaram paruppu/toor daal. Make sure it is not too ground or too coarse. If it becomes too much like a paste then the Usli will not come out properly. If it is too coarse, the usli again will lot of chunks of daal here and there.

·         In a pan, add enough oil to fry, mustard seeds, curry leave, hing and then add the ground paruppu/daal.

·         Continuously stir the paruppu/daal until the daal cooks and looks little fried.

·         Then add the vegetables and salt.

·         Keep in the stove for 5 more minutes and the Usli is ready.