Mango Thokku

                       Mango Thokku is a very delicious form of Thokku and goes good with any item but a perfect combination for Curd Rice.

                       Kilimooku Mangai is the first choice. The round shaped Pacharisi Mangai, called as Gundu Mangai can also be used.

Mangai Thokku

Ingredients :

Medium sized Mangai   1
Chilly Powder   2 -3 tsp.
Salt   2 tsp
Powdered Jaggery   1 tbsp.
Fenugreek Powder   1 tsp.
Oil    4 tbsp.
Mustard, Hing, Turmeric Powder

Method :

1. Peel off and grate the Mangai.

2. Heat oil, add Mustard, Hing and later the grated Mangai. Stir on a medium flame for 5 mins.

3. Add salt, Chilly Powder, Fenugreek Powder and Turmeric powder. Stir on a medium flame for 8 - 10 mins. Add the Jaggery and simmer for 2- 3 mins.
The tasty Mangai Thokku is ready.

Salt and Chilly Powder can be altered to the sourness of the Mangai and our preference.

Mango Pickle

              Mango Pickle means the cut Mango Pickle and can be made easily. Kili Mooku  Mango the best but other Mangoes can also be used.

Mango Pickle

Ingredients :

Medium Mango ( Raw )   1
Chilly Powder   2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek powder  1 tsp.
Crystal Salt   2 tsp.
Gingelly Oil   3 tbsp.
Hing, Mustard.

Method :

1. Cut the raw Mango into small piece. Add salt, mix well and leave in the sun, if possible for 3- 5 hours.

2. Add the Chilly  and Fenugreek Powder. Mix well.

3. Heat oil, add Mustard and Hing. Add to the Mango and mix well. The tasty home made Mango Pickle, free from chemicals is ready.

Chilly Powder and Salt can be altered according to our preference and sourness of the Mango. This can be kept outside the fridge for 3-4 days. For long life, store in the fridge.

Narthangai Pickle

                          In those days, my mother, mother in law and all elders prepare Pickles for the whole year. Pickles mainly refer to Narthangai Urugai, Elumijangai Urugai and Mangai Urugai.Northangai Urugai is very good for digestion.Uppu Northangai with out Chilly and oil in those days was recommended to be taken with Kanji.It also helps to overcome Nausea.

                          The lemon and Northangai were slit four pieces not completely.The four pieces resemble the petals of a flower attached to the Calyx.They used to stuff inside with a mixture of Chilly, Salt and Fenugreek powdered.Absolutely no oil was used and they were preserved for the whole year in porcelain jars.

                       Nowadays we cut them into small pieces. We garnish with oil and Mustard.As said by me in many of my posts, homemade pickles are free from preservatives.

                   Northangai is not very common in the markets.It is available only very rarely. The trees are found in some of the houses in the southern districts of TN.

Northangai Pickle

Ingredients :

Medium sized Northangai  10
Crystal Salt    1/2 - 3/4 cup.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek   2 tsp.
Chilly Powder    1/2 cup ( plus or minus according to the juicy nature )
Hing.
Gingelly oil   5 tbsp.

Method :

1. Cut the Northangai into small pieces.Add salt and mix well.Every day shake
    the vessel well and see that the salt gets mixed well.Salt can be reduced and
    added later if needed.Only Kal Uppu ( Crystal Salt ) is the best.

2. It is not absolutely necessary to be kept outside in the sun. If kept in the sun,
    cover with a thin cloth.

3. As the outer skin is thick, it takes a minimum of 10 days for the skin to
    become soft.A small piece can be tasted to find out if salt is enough and to
    know the softness. If salt is not enough, add little more and wait for 1 - 2
    days, shaking the vessel daily that the salt gets mixed well.

4. After 10 to 12 days, add the Chilly Powder.It can be reduced and added later
    after tasting.Mix the Fenugreek Powder.

5. After 15 days, check the for salt and Chilly Powder.Heat oil, add Mustard and
    Hing.Mix well with the Pickle. The homemade Northangai Pickle, free from
    preservatives is ready.

The salt and Chilly Powder can be altered depending upon the juicy content of
the Northangai.
   
 



    

    

Gooseberry / Nellikkai Thokku

                          Nellikkai Thokku was tried by me for the first time only today as my sister in law gave me some fresh Nellikkais, passed on to her by one of her friends. She also casually told me that, this time she tried Nellikkai Thokku.Usually we make only Nellikkai Pickle by cutting them into pieces.So my thanks to her for her reference.She had sliced the Nellikkais into small pieces and ground them into a coarse paste. But I grated them as they were big enough to be held in the hand and grated.

Nellikkai Thokku

Ingredients :

Medium Size Nellikkai    8  to 10
Oil    4 tbsp.
Chilly Powder   2 to 3 tsp.
Jaggery Powder  2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek /  Fenugreek  Powder  1/2 tsp.
Salt,  Mustard, Hing,  Turmeric Powder

Method  :

1. Grate the Nellikkai or grind them in a mixer after slicing.Do not discard the 
    seeds. Pour 1/2 cup of water,take the dicoction after 1 hour. Drink it as it is 
    very good for health. Two or three dicoctions can be taken.

2. Heat the oil in a Kadai, add Mustard, Hing and later the Nellikkai paste.

3. Saute on a medium flame with constant stirring.Add Turmeric Powder.

4. After 5 mins. add salt, the Chilly and Fenugreek Powder.Mix well.

5. After 5 mins. add the Jaggery Powder and stir for 2 mins.Switch off.The 
    nutritious home made Thokku is ready.

Chilly Ginger Thokku

             Chilly Ginger Thokku is easy and fast to prepare.As I have said in almost all the posts on Pickles, home made pickles are free from preservatives and hence harmless.

            Ginger also is very good for digestion.The ingredients are very common in our kitchen.

Ginger Chilli Thokku

Ingredients :

Green Chillies   10
Ginger    50 grams.
Tamarind    1 medium Lemon size
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek   1/2 tsp.
Powdered Jaggery  1 tbsp.
Oil    4 tbsp.
Mustard, Hing, Turmeric Powder
Method :

1. Peel the Ginger.Slice the Ginger and Chillies. Soak Tamarind in warm water

2. Saute the sliced Chillies and Ginger in 1 tsp. of oil till the Ginger turns brown.
    Let them cool.

3. Grind the Chillies, Ginger,Salt, Turmeric Powder, Fenugreek, Jaggery and
    Tamarind to a fine paste with minimum water in a mixer.

4. Heat the remaining oil, add the Mustard, Hing and then the ground paste.
    Keep on stirring on a medium flame for 5 to 8 mins. till the oil separates.
    A digestion inducing home made pickle is ready.The quantity of ingredients
    can be altered to one's taste.   
 

Inji / Ginger Thokku

                                       Ginger, we all know is very good for digestion and this Thokku is also easy to prepare.Like all the other home made Pickles and Thokkus, this is also free from preservatives and chemicals.

Ginger Thokku

Ingredients :

Cleaned, peeled and sliced Ginger   1 cup ( about 200 grams of Ginger )
Oil      4 tbsp.
Tamarind    1 small lemon size
Chilly Powder   2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek   3/4 tsp.
Powdered Jaggery  1 tbsp.
Mustard, Hing, Salt, Turmeric Powder

 

Method :

1. Soak the Ginger in water for 30mins. and wash well. Peel off and slice. It is better to
    wash once again.

2. Heat 2 tsp. of oil and saute the slices of ginger till they turn brown, giving an aroma.

3. Soak the Tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. If the Tamarind is free from impurities,
    the soaked tamarind and Ginger can be ground in the mixi.Grind them fine.If the
    Tamarind is not pure, take 1/2 cup of extract with water.Grind only the sauteed
    Ginger.

4. Heat  the oil, add Mustard, Hing and then the Ginger and tamarind paste. Saute on
    medium flame for 5 mins. As the Ginger is already sauteed, it gets cooked fast. Then
    add Fenugreek powder and Jaggery. Let the mixture boil on low fire for 5 mins for the
   Jaggery to dissolve.

5. Switch off. A tasty and healthy home made Thokku is ready.Salt and Chilly powder can
    be changed to our taste.

Inji ( Ginger ) Pachadi II

                     This version of the Inji Pachadi. a combination for Sodhi was passed on to me by my cosister and sister in law. This is preferred by the people who like a slightly spicy combination for the Sodhi, full of coconut milk. This can be preserved for a day or two.

                 By adding more oil, this also can be refrigerated and used as a pickle to be taken with rice and tiffin items.
  
                It can also be taken as a Lehiam by adding  1 tbsp. of honey as Ginger is good for digestion.

Inji Pachadi

Ingredients :

Ginger   100 gms.
Red Chillies  2 to 3
Tamarind    1 Amla size
Powdered Jaggery    1 or 2 tbsp.
Salt

Method :

1. Clean, peel and finely slice the Ginger.Soak the Tamarind in warm water and take 1
    cup of Tamarind water.

2. Heat 1 tsp. oil, roast the red chillies and keep aside.Instead of this, Chilly Powder can
    also be used.

3. In the same Kadai, add 1 more tsp. of oil and saute the ginger till they turn red, giving
    an aroma. Let them cool.

4. In a mixer, powder the red chillies and then grind the Ginger coarsely.If the Tamarind  
    is free from seeds and impurities, it can also be ground with the Ginger.

5. Boil the ground paste, 1/2 tsp. of salt, tamarind water and the Jaggery in a thick
    bottomed vessel for 3 to 4 mins. on medium flame with stirrings in between.
    When it reaches the semi solid consistency of Pachadi, switch off. To be used as a
    Lehiam,1 tbsp. of Honey has to added and boiled till a thick consistency is reached.

6. Seasoning with Mustard and Curry leaves is optional. The tasty Pachadi is ready.

Onion Pickle

                               Onion Pickle is being prepared by me for nearly 30 years. Earlier,with little awareness, I was using preservative and vinegar.Now for the past 10 years, they are avoided.Homemade Pickles are free from chemicals.Our own product gives us a sense of pride and joy. With little planning and shelling out time, pickles can easily and quickly be prepared at home.

Ingredients :

Big Onion ( medium size )    6
Oil                5 tbsp.
Chilly Powder              1 tsp.
Salt              1 tsp.
Fenugreek ( Roasted and powdered )    3/4 tsp.
Tamarind           1 big gooseberry size
Turmeric Powder, Hing, Mustard

Method :

1. Slice tho onions and grind them in the mixer into a paste.

2. Soak the tamarind in hot water and take a thick extract. If the tamarind is of a good
    quality and free from seeds and impurities, it can be soaked in hot water for 10 mins.
    and ground with the onions in the mixer.

3. Heat oil in a thick bottomed Kadai, add the Mustard, Hing and then the onion paste.

4. Saute well on a medium flame with constant stirrings.Add Turmeric Powder and salt.

5. When the onions turn colour, add the Tamarind water and mix well. Let it simmer for
    5 mins.

6. Add Chilly powder, Fenugreek and mix well.Let it simmer for 10 mins Switch off.The
    tasty Onion Pickle is ready.

Note :

In the original recipe, pods of 2 garlics were ground with the onions. Sombu was also added.But as the garlic and sombu smell lingers in the throat for a long time, I avoid them.Those who like their flavour can include them.


Half cup of Fenugreek is dry roasted, powdered and stored by me always. The Fenugreek powder is very handy for any pickle.


Salt, Chilly Powder and Tamarind can be adjusted to our own taste.

Gooseberry / Nellikkai Pickle II

                  Nellikkai Pickle I is the way, my MIL prepares the Gooseberry Pickle after slicing the Gooseberry. This Nellikkai Pickle II is the version passed on from my mother who makes the Pickle with the whole Nellikkai without slicing.The basic ingredients are the same.

Nellikkai Pickle

Ingredients :

Gooseberry            8 to 10
Chilly powder          1 1/2 tsp.
Oil         4 tbsp.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek    1 tsp.
Salt,     Hing,   Turmeric Powder, Mustard

Method :

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed Kadai and add the Mustard.

2. Then add the Hing and next the Gooseberries and little later, salt.

3. Keep on stirring on a medium flame.Within 5 mins. they become soft.

4. Make sure that the Gooseberries are cooked. Then add the Chilly Powder, turmeric
    Powder and Fenugreek.

5. Simmer on a low fire for 6 to 8 mins.The tasty  and nutritious home made Gooseberry
    Pickle is ready.

Gooseberry / Nellikkai Pickle I

                                       Gooseberry, every one knows is very good for health.There are said to be hundreds of varieties of Nellikkai. But in our country, only Arunellikkai and the big Nellikkai are mostly available.The medicinal value of this Nellikkai is so great that there is a saying,

                                A Gooseberry a day keeps the doctor away !

                              A popular legend goes that Adhiyaman, a reputed Tamil chieftain got a rare variety of Nellikkani, believed to confer immortality on the one who conferred it.The ruler had only one and he wanted the great poetess and his contemporary,Avvaiyar to take it as he felt, with her long life and verses of wisdom, she could lead the kingdom and the people in the path of righteousness.Such is the unique quality of this Gooseberry.

                            A tsp.of this Nellikkai Powder is also recommended to be taken every day. The powder is sold in the shop.Some people buy the dried pieces of the Nellikkai from the shop and powder it. In my opinion, as this Nellikkai is available through out the year, it can be bought, kept in the fridge and one can be eaten daily.That is genuine.
That is what I do when I buy Nellikkai.

 

Nellikkkai Pickle

               

Ingredients :

Sliced Nellikkai             2 cups.
Oil             3 tbsp.
Chilly Powder     2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered  Fenugreek      3/4 tsp.
Salt, Hing, Turmeric Powder

Method :

1.Wash the Nellikkai and let it dry for 1 hour.Cut them into thin long pieces and remove
   only the seed.

2.Heat the oil, add mustard and Hing.

3. When the mustard cracks, add the sliced Nellikkai and saute on medium flame.

4. Within 5 mins, the pieces get cooked and become soft.

5. Add salt and chilly and Turmeric  powder. Mix well and reduce the flame.

6. After 3 to 4 mins. add the Fenugreek and simmer for 2 mins. The tasty and nutritious
    Gooseberry Pickle is ready.

 

Pagarkai / Bittergourd Pickle

                   This is the first time I tried Pagarkai Pickle following the basic principles of using natural preservatives in pickles.I used the long variety of Pagarkai and the pickle turned out to be perfect.
               This Pickle is an excellent combination for all tiffin varieties, curd rice and variety rice.
                                         

 

Pagarkai / Bittergourd Pickle

Ingredients :

Finely sliced Pagarkai    3 cups ( 3 medium sized Pagarkais )
Big Onion                       2
Garlic Pods                   10
Oil                              5 tbsp.
Chilly Powder             2 tsp.
Powdered Jaggery        2 tbsp.
Roasted and Powdered Fenugreek     1 tsp.
Tamarind       1 Big Gooseberry Size
Hing,  Mustard,  Salt.

Method :

1. Soak the tamarind in hot water and take 1 cup of thick tamarind extract.

2. Finely slice the onion and garlic.

3. Heat 3 tbsp. of oil, add mustard, then hing, onion and garlic.

4. Once the onions turn brown,add the bittergourd and turmeric powder.

5. Keep on stirring and then add salt and the tamarind extract.

6.Let it simmer for 5 mins.When the bittergourd becomes soft, add the remaining oil,
   chilly powder and the Fenugreek.

7. Keep on stirring, add the jaggery and when all the tamarind water is absorbed and
    pickle reaches a thick consistency with the oil getting separated, switch off.
   
8. The tasty pickle is ready.Store in a clean and sterile bottle.

Note :

1. Onion and garlic can be avoided. Then the salt and the chilly powder must also be
    reduced. Adding jaggery gives a balanced taste.

2. As only natural preservatives are used, it is better to use it within 3 weeks, even
    if kept in the fridge.

3. Salt and chilly powder can be increased or reduced to an individual's taste.

Tomato Pickle / Thokku

                                          This Tomato Pickle along with the onion pickle,Mixed Fruit Jam
and the preservation of many juices, both fresh and synthetic were taught to me in a 10 days' course conducted by the Food Preservation, a wing of the Department of Food of the Central Govt. 3 decades ago in the Chokkikulam area of Madurai,as I started my married life.
                                 It seemed to be a great matter of pride in those days to attend such classes. Only mango, lemon and narthangai pickles were mostly made at home. I was very delighted to prepare so many varieties of juice, jam and pickles at home and pass on to my family members, relatives and friends. Buying all these products across the counters were not common.A word must be included about the use of chemical preservatives in all the products. 
                                Slowly, awareness of using the preservatives and vinegar became widespread and everything was available in several brands even in small  shops.Preservatives are unavoidable in the commercial products.But they are totally avoided by me.
                         In the recipe passed on in the course of study, it was for 1 Kilogram of tomato.Garlic was added. Preservatives were used.I started preparing the pickles in small  quantities with my experience, excluding garlic and chemicals.
                      This pickle goes very well with everything from Idly, Dosai, Chappathi,
curd rice etc.

 


Tomato Pickle /  Thokku

Ingredients   :

Tomato                250 grams ( 5 medium size, well riped )
Oil                    4 tbsp.
Tamarind           1 gooseberry size
Chilly powder      2 tsp.
Salt                    1 tsp.
Dry roasted and powdered fenugreek            1/2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder,  Hing,  Mustard

Method :

1. Soak the tamarind in hot water and take only extract of 3 tbsp.of thick tamarind water.

2. Wash and finely slice the tomatoes. They can also be ground in the mixi.

3. Heat oil, add the mustard, hing and the tomatoes.

4. Keep on stirring and later the flame can be reduced.

5.When the tomatoes start shrinking, add the tamarind extract, salt, chilly powder and
   the fenugreek. Mix well.Let it simmer for 10 mins. with stirrings in between.

6. When the pickle gets cooled, store in a clean and dry glass bottle.

Note :

1. This can be outside the fridge for 4 or 5 days and in the fridge for 15 days.More
    oil can be added for taste.

2. Those who like the garlic taste can grind 10 pods of garlic with the tomatoes.
    They can also be finely sliced and added with the sliced tomatoes.

3.Half cup of fenugreek can be dry roasted,powdered in the mixi and stored in a bottle,
   to be handy for all pickles. One tsp. of it is advised  for the diabetic, .daily

                     

 

GARLIC PICKLE

     
                     Homemade pickles are totally free from preservatives and chemicals,which cannot be avoided in pickles bought from the markets.A little planning,however busy we may be, to spare some time to prepare the pickles at home gives us the satisfaction of using our own product with less oil and spices ,minus the various chemicals used for preserving.The pickles can be made according to the items available in the season at a cheap price.The traditional lime pickle,Narthangai pickle, vadu mangai,avakkai etc. can be stored for a longer time with salt ,oil,mustard,chilli powder and oil as natural preservatives.

                       Now  I made this garlic pickle as the price has come down from Rs. 150 to Rs.80 per Kg.The small ones are sold at Rs.40 per Kg.Garlic,also has a lot of medicinal properties,almost known to all.

Garlic Pickle

Ingredients:

Garlic                                                           : 250 grams or 2 cups of pods
Chilli powder                                                : 3 tsp
Fenugreek powder                                        : 1tsp.
Mustard                                                        :1/2 tsp.
Tamarind                                                      : 1 lemon size
Asafoetida                                                     : 1/2 tsp.
Salt                                                               : 2 tsp
Gingelly Oil                                                    : 4 tbsp.
Powdered Jaggery                                          : 1 tbsp.
Turmeric powder                                            : 1/4 tsp.

Method:

1.Peal the garlic into pods.This can be the time consuming part of this pickle, to be done while watching the TV or listening to music.

2.Heat the oil in a thick bottomed tawa and add the mustard.

3.When they splutter,add the asafoetida and and the pods of garlic.Saute well, to avoid burning.

4.When the garlics are half cooked, add a thick extract of tamarind,salt,turmeric powder and chilli powder.Keep on stirring.

5.Add the fenugreek and jaggery.Mix well.

6.Once the garlics become soft and all the water is absorbed, switch off the flame.

Note:

1.The pickle can be refrigerated for a period of 3 weeks.For a longer life,vinegar and other chemical preservatives are to be added.They are totally avoided by me as I prepare the quantity, that can be consumed within 3 weeks.

2.Whenever  tamarind is to be used,soak in hot water and take a thick extract.The left over tamarind can be used for sambar or rasam.

3.Fenugreek is one of the essential items for any pickle.So 50 gms. or a 1/4 cup of fenugreek can be roasted on a tawa without oil and powdered in a mixi.This roasted and powdered fenugreek comes handy for making any pickle.Also it is said to be a good fibre,recommended for people with diabetes,hypertension and for lactating mothers.

4.Salt,chilli powder and oil can be added more or less according to our own taste.