Cauliflower, Carrot, Daikon Radish pickle

I took a long hiatus from blogging!  Life got in the way, but ready to restart now!

I have been wanting to make this pickle for a long time.  While at the grocery store last week all the glorious, fresh, summer vegetables caught my eye and gave me just the  inspiration I needed! Wallah, here is the pickle recipe!

Small Cauliflower - 1
Carrots                  -  3
Daikon Radish      - 1

Separate cauliflower into bite sized florets.  Peel and cut carrots and radish into 2" long pieces.  Boil water in a 2 -3  quart pot.  When it comes to boil add salt to taste. Add prepared cauliflower and blanch for 20 - 30 seconds. Spread on large baking sheet. Repeat process with carrots and radish pieces.  Leave vegetables in full sun for few hours till dry and extra moisture has evaporated.  Take care not to over dry.

Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 1 whole
Ginger - 3" piece
Canola oil - 1 cup

Asafoetida 1/4 tsp (optional)
*Cayenne powder - 5 -6 Tbsp
Black mustard seeds - 1/4 cup (grind coarsely in spice grinder)
Brown Sugar - 1/3 cup
Red wine vinegar - 1 cup
Salt - to taste

Grind onion, ginger, and garlic separately to a paste. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot. Sprinkle asafoetida in hot oil. Add ground onion and saute for 4 - 5 minutes or till raw smell disappears. Add ginger and garlic paste.  Saute for few more minutes or till raw smell is gone. Watch closely to prevent burning.  Add cayenne powder and saute for few more minutes. Turn off heat and let it cool down. Add coarsely ground mustard seeds, brown sugar, followed by vinegar.

Let mixture cool down completely.  Add prepared vegetables.  Add salt to taste and adjust seasonings.

Pickle is ready to eat immediately.  I like to store it in the refrigerator. 

*Reduce if you prefer mild.  Also, perfectly fine to substitute with paprika for a much milder version.

Vegetables Drying!

Pickle is ready!

Chilie ka salan

Chilie Ka Salan is a Hyderabadi dish. Whole chilies are cooked in a wonderful blend of ground roasted peanuts, coriander, and tamarind. A mixture of different varities of spicy green chilies may be used. I have made this with just Jalapeno chilies with great results. Serve with Biriyani/rice or roti as a condiment.

Ingredients:

whole green chilies - 15
raw shelled peanuts - 1/2 cup
coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp
whole pepper - 1/2 tsp
onion sliced - 1/2
ginger - 1" piece
garlic - 2 cloves
tamarind concentrate - 1 tsp

asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 6

salt to taste
vegetable/cooking oil as needed

Method:
Clean chilies and slit lengthwise leaving the stem intact. Remove seeds unless you have a penchant for super hot food!

Roast raw peanuts in a heavy pan. Remove and keep aside. Add a tsp of oil to the pan and roast whole coriander seeds, cumin, and pepper. Remove and keep aside. Heat a tsp of oil and saute sliced onions, ginger, and garlic. When the onions have wilted, remove and keep aside.

Grind roasted peanuts along with coriander and onion mixture to a paste in a blender or food processor. Add enough water to facilitate smooth grinding.

Add 2 tsp of oil in a heavy pot and saute the prepared chilies. Remove and keep aside.

Add an additional tsp of oil to the same pot. When oil heats up, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. When mustard seeds have finished popping add the sauted chilies and turmeric. Add the ground peanut paste. Add tamarind concentrate to the chilies. Simmer till the chillies are cooked through and sauce thickened.

Serve as a condiment to rice or roti.

Coconut & tomato chutney

Tangy, spicy chutney to serve with idli or dosa. Adding tomato is a nice twist to the traditional coconut chutney. The following recipe was given to me by my cousin Usha. Though a relative newcomer, it is now one of my favorite chutney recipes!

Ingredients:
fresh coconut - 2 cups grated
dry red chilies - 6 (less to reduce heat level)
tomato - 1 medium
onion - 1/2 sliced
oil - 2 tbsp
salt to taste

Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add red chilies to the oil. When it starts to turn slightly brown and fragrant, remove and keep aside. Add sliced onion and tomato in the same oil. Saute till mushy and remove.

Blend fresh coconut, and the rest of the ingredients with sufficient water to facilitate smooth griding.

For tempering:
oil - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 6
dry red chili pieces - 1 (broken in pieces)

Heat 1 tsp oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, and red chilies. When mustard seeds are done popping, add the mixture to chutney. Chutney is ready to be served.

Chutney is a must for Dosa and Idli.