Spicy garlic pickle - பூண்டு ஊறுகாய்

Garlic is a most loved ingredient in most of my dishes. I cannot think of my everyday cooking without garlic even a bit. So when comes to pickle, why not garlic? Usually traditional way of making garlic pickle takes several days and tastes so good. But I want to make it instant as climate here is not so favourable. This garlic pickle is easy to make in minutes, unless you worry to peel it. /p>

Once finish making the pickle, consume it one day later so that all the flavors were well infused and it tastes delicious. I love to have this pickle with curd rice, rasam rice and even with rotis. You can simply add the pickle to hot white rice just for "spicy pickle rice". Check out my other garlic based recipes - Mushroom & roasted garlic curry, Spicy Garlic Seedai.

 

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Yields: 1 ½ Cups

INGREDIENTS

• Garlic pods peeled – 2 Cups (diced if large)
• Salt – 2 Teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – ¼ Teaspoon
• Chili powder – 2 Teaspoon
• Asafoetida – ¼ Teaspoon
• Tamarind – 1 small lemon size
• Mustard & fenugreek powder - ¼ Teaspoon each
• Sesame oil – ½ Cup
• Sugar – ½ Teaspoon (Optional)
• Vinegar – 2 Teaspoon (Optional)

MAKE IT

• Prepare the mustard and fenugreek seeds powder either with mixer grinder or pestle mortar.
• Soak 1 small lemon size tamarind in water for 30 minutes and extract tamarind juice from it. Keep aside.
• Heat a wide pan, add ¼ C sesame oil (half of the given amount), add garlic pods and sauté well for about 6 – 8 minutes. Garlic pods should get cooked well but not roasted. Roasting would change the pickle flavor and taste.
• Add turmeric powder, chili powder and asafoetida to garlic. Cook until the raw smell of spices goes off.
• Then add tamarind extract and salt to the above mixture and cook well until all the spices were well coated with garlic.
• The garlic is almost cooked well and spices were well infused in it. Now add remaining oil, mustard powder and fenugreek powder. Cook for few more minutes. Add sugar at this stage.
• Once pickle is cooked well switch off the flame. Remove the pickle from heat and add vinegar, then mix well.
• Once pickle is cooled, store in a clean, dry, air-tight container in room temperature. Preferably glass jar or ceramic pot. Avoid storing pickles in plastic container. As tamarind/salt in pickles would react with plastics.

STEP BY STEP PREPARATION

 

Peel the garlic and chop the garlic pods if it is larger variety. Keep aside

 

Prepare mustard powder and fenugreek powder

 

 

Extract tamarind juice from 1 small (lemon size) tamarind. Keep aside.

 

 

Heat a heavy bottom wide pan, add ¼ C sesame oil (half of the given amount), add garlic pods and sauté well for about 6 – 8 minutes. Garlic pods should get cooked well but not roasted.

 

   

 

Add turmeric powder, chili powder and asafoetida to garlic. Cook until the raw smell of spices goes off.

 

 

 

Then add tamarind extract and salt to the above mixture and cook well until all the spices were well coated with garlic.

 

The garlic is almost cooked well and spices were well infused in it. Now add remaining oil, mustard powder and fenugreek powder. Cook for few more minutes. Add sugar at this stage.

 

 

Once pickle is cooked well switch off the flame. Remove the pickle from heat and add vinegar, then mix well. Spicy pickle is ready!!!

 

 

NOTES

• Cook the garlic well but not up to roasting, It changes the flavor and taste of pickle.
• Once pickle is cooled, store in a clean, dry, air-tight container in room temperature.
• Glass jar or ceramic pot is preferred for storing. Avoid storing pickles in plastic container. As tamarind/salt in pickles would react with plastics.