It's that time of the year

Food is a representation of a culture that prevails in the region. The heirloom recipes strengthen the cord of these strands. Timeless, precious and healthy methods of preparing a meal thus constitutes a major part of the huge lineage of a regional cuisine.

Pickles are also a part of these beautiful stories that are woven around the Indian Summer memories. Pattus also preserved such pickle stories in their own heirloom recipes.

Here is the Antu Mavidikaya Turumu Uragaya. Welcome the mango season with this yummy fingerlicking pickle.

Antumavidikaya turumu uragaya (Raw Totapuri Grated Pickle)

Ingredients

Raw totapuri Mango - 2 Cups - cleaned and grated

Salt - 1/4 cup

Red chili powder -1/4 Cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1tsp

Urad Dal - 1tsp

Oil - 1/4 Cup

Method

v Grate the mango to measure 2 cups.

v To the grated mango mix red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.

v Leave it aside for 5 mins.

v Now heat oil and add mustard seeds let it crackle now add the urad dal and let it turn its colour slight brown. Add asafoetida and turn off the flame.

v Mix this tempering to the mango mix and mix well, store it in dry airtight container.

This can be used for a week. It can be served as side dish with rice, you can make mango turumu rice for lunch box, you can stuff it in parantha, you can give it as liking accompaniment for curd rice. Goes well with idli, dosa and upma too.

Pickles are a major part of Indian meal. Every season has its own pickle, more so during the summers. And every household has its own procedures too.

Pickles are made to replace the cravings for seasonal veggies during unseason. It an accompainment, a side dish and in some places main meal too. Sub recipes with this pickles are famous too like achari parantha, avakaya biryani to name a few.

My ambition to put forth the remote rustic flavours of South India starts at home and my recipes are also a part of the rustic flavours of Pattu family that I belong to, and these flavours, I believe, are the heritage to be preserved and carried forward for the benefit of our future generations. Here is one such gem.

Pattu style niliva nimmakaya uragaya (Lemon Pickle in Oil)

Ingredients

Lemons – 10

Lemons - 12 - juice strained

Salt – 1/4 Cup

Turmeric – 1tsp

Chilli Powder – 1/3 Cup

Groundnut /sesame Oil – 1/2 Cup

Mustard Seeds – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek Seeds – 1/4 tbsp

Mustard seeds -1/2tsp

Asafoetida Powder/Hing – 1/2 tsp

Red chilli -2

Mustard for tempering -1/4tsp,

Method

v Wipe the lemons dry with a soft, dry cloth. If possible, dry them in the sun for about 1 hour

v In an dry plastic/ceramic container mix salt and tumeric powder.

v Cut the lemons into quarters or smaller pieces and add the lemon pieces to the salt and turmeric pieces, and mix well.

v Store the container in a dry place for 3 days. On fourth day open the lid and place it in sun for 3 hrs.

v On the fourth day heat kadai and dry roast the mustard and fenugreek seeds and powder it.

v To the pickle add this mustard fenugreek powder, red chili powder and mix well

v Heat oil in a kadai and when it is heated add mustard seeds let it crackle now turn off the flame and add dry red chili and asafoetida mix and let it cool completely.

v When the oil is completely cooled to room temperature add to thw pickle and mix well.

Tips..

v Use dry spoon and container for pickle process.

v Salt is the key ingredient for preserving the pickle so be careful with the quantity of salt u add i did give u approx measures for normal size of lemon u can add or decrease according to the size of pickle. So is the red chilli powder quantity too..u want it spicy u can increase the measures.

v Chck the softness of the piece of lemon after 3 days u find it hard leave it for a another day or two, not more than that.

v Lemon pickle has a bit of bitterness so dont panic it vanishes as the time passes.

v I leave the whole pickle without tempering for and only take the required quantity for a month and temper it.

v Dryness of hands and utensils used is most important for preserving the pickle.

Pickles are soul food, and taste enhancers too. Indian summers are filled with the flavours of this magical receipes.

Seasonal harvest of summers is preserved in the form of pickles and other forms that can be used later during other seasons.

Tomatoes are harvested largely in summers. Nice ripe and firm tomatoes are sold at minimal prices during this season and that makes a reason to store these beauties in the form of pickles for later days.

Pattus also followed these methods of preserving veggies and meats. We make yearly pickles and instant pickles too.

Here it's instant pickle that stays for 8 months when stored properly in airtight, containers in fridge. Tomato instant pickle is my most favourite one; simple to make and tasty.

Tamaeta uragaya

(Instant Tomato Pickle)

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 1 KG -cleaned, dry wiped and finely chopped,

Tamarind – a small piece (1 inch)

Garlic – 10 pods - peeled,

Oil – 125ml,

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder – 4 – 5 tsp(as per your choice of spice)

Asafetida powder -1/2tsp,

Salt - to taste,

For powder:

l Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

l Fenugreek Seeds– 1/4tsp,

For tempering:

l Curry leaves - leaves of one stem,

l Chaanal - 1/4tsp,

l Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp,

l Fenugreekseeds - a pinch.

l Dry red chili - 1- broken into 2 pieces.

Method

v Dry roast the mustard and fenugreek and blend it to a fine powder.

v In a thick bottom kadhai add 2tsp of oil and then add the chopped tomato pieces,

v Add salt and turmeric and fry on a medium flame, stirring continuously.

v Now the tomatoes will start releasing it's juices, keep stirring.

v Now cover with lid and stir occasionally decreasing the flame, keep frying till all the juice evaporates.

v Now add the tamarind and mix vigorously, keep stirring till the tomato pulp comes closer and releases oil at the edges.

v Now mix in the red chili powder and mix well keep stirring for 2 mins and then turn off the flame.

v In another kadai add 120 ml of oil and add mustard seeds, let it crackle, add chana dal, then add the peeled garlic, fry till they turn slightly brown,

v Now add the curry leaves, then the asafetida and mix well and turn off the flame.

v Let the tempering cool and then mix this tempering into the tomato pickle and mix well.

Let the pickle cool and then store them in air thight jars. This stays fresh for 8 months if there is no moisture in it or the spoon used. You can store it in refrigerator with the lid closed tight.

This goes well with idli, dosa, chapati, rice, and for lunch box option this is super yummy.