Eggplant Pickle

 

Eggplant Pickle

Ingredients

½ kg eggplants cut into bits and salted.

2-3 green chilies slit (deseeded)

1 tsp Kashmir chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup oil

225 gms sugar

Salt to taste

¼ bottle white vinegar (use some for grinding and some later for cooking).

 

To be ground to a paste

15 gms ginger

30 gms garlic

30 gms cumin seeds

For tempering

15 gms mustard seeds

A few curry leaves

Directions

Keep the chopped and salted eggplants in a bowl for an hour. The eggplants will release some water. Discard the salted water. In a blender grind ginger, garlic and cumin seeds with a little white vinegar to a paste. In a wok, heat cooking oil and add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add curry leaves. Add turmeric, red chili powder and the ground paste and fry well. Add eggplants and the green chilies. Add sugar and salt to taste. Add vinegar and cook till eggplants are a bit soft. The oil will start releasing at the sides of the wok. Turn off the heat and check seasoning. Cool and then bottle in a clean sterilised jar. Store in refrigerator. Before serving, remove required amount in a dish and bring to room. Serve with dal or any curry or use as a relish on bread for sandwiches.

Capsicum Chutney

Capsicum Chutney

Ingredients

2 Medium sized Capsicums (preferably one red and one green)

3-4 dry red Kashmir chilies (deseeded and soaked in a bowl of warm water)

1 medium sized onion, quartered

2 medium sized tomatoes 

3 flakes garlic, peeled

1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled 

a few peanuts, roasted

salt to taste 

For tempering

3 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Directions

On direct heat, with the help of tongs roast the capsicums and tomatoes till the skins turn black. Place in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. After a few minutes remove the cling wrap and peel the black skin from the capsicums and tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and the capsicums (remove the seeds from capsicums and discard them. In a blender grind the capsicums, tomatoes, onion, hydrated red chilies, peanuts, ginger and garlic to a thick paste. The paste should be a bit coarse and not fine. Pour this in a serving bowl, add salt to taste and keep aside. For tempering, in a small pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when they turn grey, add the fenugreek seeds. Add turmeric powder, stir and turn off the heat. Pour this over the ground paste. Mix gently and taste seasoning. Serve with dosas or rotis.