Pickles

[Suresh Hinduja 772]

This is a rare pickle of shredded raw mango, red chilli powder and kalonji(nigella seeds). It is bound in small muslin bags and left to mature in mustard oil, that's why it is called *gathadi*(bag).

So what are your favourite pickles ?

[waaza 17]

I like lime pickle and chilli pickle. I use them in a way best described by the Ayurveda ideas. That is, help in providing the six 'tastes', ie sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent (never did work out what the last one really meant!).

Does this idea of a balanced (taste-wise)  meal still hold true in India, do you try to balance the tastes?

Whenever I prepare Indian food for guests, I try not to make it too (chilli) hot, so I provide this as a side dish if required. Same for sour with lime pickle. Is this balancing of tastes still the way in India, or are more Western ways creeping in?

cheers

Waaza

;)

[Tomato 1]

My favourite is the Punjabi Pachranga.

;)

[Suresh Hinduja 772]

Waaza,

I'm not sure exactly how it works  but legumes are supposed to contribute the astringent factor.

I dont think anybody adheres to this balancing act at all with the exception of restaurants attached to the Hare Krishna Temples.

Tomato,

Pachranga is my favourite too but somehow I dont seem to enjoy it with South Indian food. Conditioning, I guess.

I put together this pickle last week with chilli, lime juice, salt, ginger, mango ginger and fresh turmeric. I've been having this everyday, I dont know how long the honeymoon will last.  

[Tomato 1]

Ooh,that looks lovely! I have not come across Mango ginger in Delhi, but will proceed to make some with fresh ginger, turmeric and chillies. Just Lime juice and salt, right? How long before one consumes it?

[bague25 47]

I like panchranga pickle too!

This week I got a pot of Ashoka brand 'Methia Gunda pickle' - says that gunda is an 'Indian berry'. Could someone enlighten me - is Gunda what I know as karonda? Or it it another nut ... oops berry??

Thanks

Bague

[Suresh Hinduja 772]

I like panchranga pickle too!

This week I got a pot of Ashoka brand 'Methia Gunda pickle' - says that gunda is an 'Indian berry'. Could someone enlighten me - is Gunda what I know as karonda? Or it it another nut ... oops berry??

Thanks

Bague

Aah, that's easy Gunda means ruffian or scoundrel.

Seriously, Gunda is a young mango.

[Suresh Hinduja 772]

Ooh,that looks lovely! I have not come across Mango ginger in Delhi, but will proceed to make some with fresh ginger, turmeric and chillies. Just Lime juice and salt, right? How long before one consumes it?

Tomato,

Sorry for the late response but somehow I must have missed this.That's right, just lime juice and salt and it's ready in a few days. Please keep this in the coldest part of your fridge and consume within a month.

For a longer shelf life add some acetic acid.

[M65 0]

Quote (bague25 @ 24 Sep., 2005, 3:47)

I like panchranga pickle too!

This week I got a pot of Ashoka brand 'Methia Gunda pickle' - says that gunda is an 'Indian berry'. Could someone enlighten me - is Gunda what I know as karonda? Or it it another nut ... oops berry??

Thanks

Bague

Aah, that's easy Gunda means ruffian or scoundrel.

Seriously, Gunda is a young mango.

Gunda unfortunately is not  young mango, it is a berry shaped fruit that has a pit and is pickled with spices, oil and raw mango, is also known as Lasora and Lehsua, I found various botanical names for this but none of the description seems to fit perfectly.

Link1

Link 2

[SAUCY 181]

ADF Foods Ltd. formerly know as Amercian Dry Fruits company belongs to a friend of mine, here are the ingredients for the Methia Gunda Pickle

Ingredients:

Gunda (Indian Berry), Mango Shreds, Salt, Cotton Seed Oil, Chilli Powder, Mustard, Fenugreek, Turmeric, Asafoetida, Coriander, Cumin And Acetic Acid.

can visit the web site at www.adf-foods.com  click on Ashoka and then onto Pickles and there we have the Methia Gunda Pickle, so now we know   :)