Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serving : 6 to 10 members
Description
Dates pickle . A pickle that I make every year after the holy month of Ramadan as my refrigerator will be loaded with dates . The first dates pickle I tasted was when my buddy sulu got a bottle from her home . I still remember how I dipped my finger right in and licked out the entire bottle With the goodness of tanginess , spiciness and sweetness all in one . This combination of sweet encroaching into savoury territory was new to me as in ravuthar cooking it is far from blasphemous and any ravuthar would raise their eyebrow at this idea .the sweet element with the savoury and tart together does high light the flavours and creates a balanced pickle . This recipe is sulus with slight changes tailor made to fit my convenience . Two days back was in to a cleaning spear . Ended up cleaning my refrigerator too , finding loads of left over dates as usual resulting in making dates pickle and now I have two huge jars full of dates pickle that are full of feisty contrasts with a symphony of sweet , savoury and tart .
Ingredients
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Dates(whole and deseeded) | 250 grams |
| Ginger (chopped) | 1 1/2 inch piece |
| Garlic | 1 pod peeled cut length wise |
| Fenugreek seeds | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Asafoetida | 2 huge pinches |
| mustard seeds | 1 tablespoon |
| Tamarind pulp | 1 tablespoon |
| Vinegar | 1 cup |
| Dry red chillies | 7 to 10 ( whole ) |
| Poppy seeds | 1 teaspoon soaked in little water |
| Raisins | 15 grams |
| Jaggery | 1/4 cup grated |
| Nutmeg powder | a pinch |
| Curry leaves | 1 sprig |
| Salt | to taste |
| Gingely oil | 1/2 cup |
Method
- Wash and drain the dates. Slice into halves.Grind the red chillies with vinegar to a smooth paste and keep aside.
- Grind together poppy seeds, raisins, jaggery and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste.Add the jaggery paste to the previously prepared vinegar paste and stir well.
- Heat gingely oil add mustard seeds , fenugreek seeds . once they crackle and garlic . Remove the garlic and set aside .
- Add ginger, curry leaves , asafoetida and chilli vinegar jaggery paste . switch of the flame .
- Add the dates and fried garlic . Mix gently.To the above mixture, add nutmeg powder and required salt. Stir the dates pickle .
- Cool down completely to room temperature and store in an air tight ceramic container . Keep aside for two days.
Notes
- Make sure you use hard dates not soft ones as the soft dates tends to get mushy and gives a jam consistency to the pickle .
- Add hot water to get the desired consistency in case the pickle gets too thick .Soak the prepared pickle for 2 or more days .
- Make sure not to use a wet spoon or else the pickle gets spoilt .Store in the fridge and it stays for 6 months to a year.
