‘A good supply of home-made pickles and chutneys is the pride of a good cook.With the help of the pickle shelf it is always possible to conjure up a good meal even when it is an impromptu one. . . The art of Indian pickling and preserving is no longer a matter of tickling the palate or preserving food for a later date; it is, in addition, something which decorates the table, swells the pride of the housewife and delights the gourmet.’
(Shahi Tukre by Savitri Bhatia)
Ever since the first Indian restaurants appeared in London in the late 1950s, we have become familiar with the taste of sour lime pickle and sweet mango chutney. Only now, with the advent or more Indian vegetarian restaurants and special recipes from different regions of the sub-continent can we glimpse the sheer range and variety of Indian pickling.
Indian pickles have always been made in the home, by the family, for the family. Both Saroj Bajpai, lecturer and cookery instructor living in Leicestershire, and Meena Patak, wife of the boss of Patak’s Foods, based in Lancashire, provided us with vivid memories about the rituals and daily business of making pickles in their childhood homes. Mangoes and limes were always pickled in season: limes by the kilo, mangoes by the score. It was a task that involved virtually every member of the family in grinding spices, peeling and stuffing the fruit, packing them in huge jars, tending them and mixing them by hand as they stood in the sun to dry out and mature. Ironically, Meena Patak still makes domestic pickles for her family, despite the fact that the family dynasty is based on the daily manufacture of literally hundreds of tons of pickles and chutneys of every description. The instinct for home-pickling runs very deep.
Indian pickles are full of possibilities: there are hot pickles, sweet pickles, sour pickles, pickles for long keeping, thick chutneys stored for months before eating, and quick ones made and eaten the same day as a piquant relish. And the range of ingredients is astonishing: not only the ubiquitous limes and mangoes (of which there are literally hundreds of varieties), but chillies, carrots, aubergines, tamarind, coconuts, guavas, papayas, dates, coriander, garlic, ginger, and even shrimp and partridges.
Pickling in oil is perhaps the most ancient and classic method of preserving fruit and vegetables. It is also the most complicated and timeconsuming, as the process involves sun-drying and stuffing with spices. Mustard seed oil was the favourite medium and the pickles were often sweetened with jaggery (a kind of molasses). This method of pickling was the great family task in every Indian home, and the results were intended to keep almost indefinitely. But Meena Patak, who was recently awarded an OBE (perhaps for her services to multi-cultural pickling?), showed us it is possible to scale down this process and make it practical for any household with a taste for the real thing.
Other, so-called ‘water pickles’, are preserved in a dilute solution of brine, rather like some European pickles. They are sold in large glass jars on street corners in Delhi and other cities. They do not keep for more than a few weeks, and it is said real gourmets don’t eat the vegetables at all: they just drink the liquor.
Then there are chutneys—not just the sweet, gluey Major Grey variety that are a hangover from the days of the Raj, but also a whole array of instant chutneys and relishes that can be made in a few minutes with the help of a food processor, and are intended to be eaten the same day. They are so simple to prepare and can transform almost any kind of food, from plain chapatis and samosas to tandooris and tikkas.
Even when you have mastered all the skills and laid your hands on all the authentic ingredients, you will need something extra to make a perfect Indian pickle. Kirit Patak, head of the mighty and internationally renowned family concern, quoted the example of his grandmother, who used to send an annual gift of homemade hot mango pickle to her grandson every Christmas. ‘It really was superb’, he said. ‘You can always tell when a pickle has been made with a mother’s love.’
Apart from mangoes, the most important pickles for any Indian household have always been limes, which can be preserved in countless ways. This scaled-down version, provided by Meena Patak, is easily tackled and needs no great outlay of time or money. Asafoetida is a strongsmelling resin available in block and ground forms, with the ground being the easiest to find. For something a little more luxurious, Meena suggested adding walnuts, almonds or cashews to the pickle.
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) WHOLE FENUGREEK SEEDS, SOAKED IN WARM WATER FOR 4-5 HOURS AND DRAINED
½ x15 ml SPOON (½ TABLESPOON) GROUND FENUGREEK SEEDS, ROASTED
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) CHILLI POWDER
¾ x15 ml SPOON (¾ TABLESPOON) TURMERIC
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS, ROUGHLY GROUND
3x15 ml SPOONS (3 TABLESPOONS) SALT
12 LIMES, WELL RINSED
200 ml (7 fl oz) VEGETABLE OIL
10 RED CHILLIES
10 CLOVES
4x2.5 cm (1 INCH) STICKS CINNAMON
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) GROUND ASAFOETIDA
Mix the soaked and roasted fenugreek, chilli powder, turmeric, mustard seeds and salt in a large bowl.Make 2 cuts across the top of each lime so they are partially split into segments, taking care not to cut all the way through. Stuff each lime generously with the spice mixture.
Heat the oil in a separate pan and toss in the chillies, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and asafoetida. As they begin to pop, pour the oil and spice mixture over the stuffed limes. Set aside to cool to room temperature before packing in jars. This pickle should be left for 2–3 months before it is eaten.
MAKES ABOUT 450 g (1 lb)
450 g (1 lb) PREPARED CAULIFLOWER STALKS
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) SALT
½ x5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON) CAYENNE PEPPER
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) TURMERIC
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CRUSHED DRIED CHILLIES
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) PAPRIKA
150 ml (5 fl oz) CIDER VINEGAR
2 CLOVES GARLIC, PEELED AND CHOPPED
VEGETABLE OIL
Trim the cauliflower stalks, wash well and cut into sticks about 2.5 cm (1 inch) square. Blanch in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute, drain well and leave to cool. Put into a shallow dish and sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper. Leave overnight.
Drain off any excess liquid from the cauliflower.Mix the remaining spices with the vinegar until you have a smooth paste. Add this to the stalks, along with the chopped garlic. Blend well, transfer to cleaned, warmed jars and top up with oil so that the stalks are covered. Seal and store in a cool dark place for at least 2 weeks before opening.
2-3 GREEN PEPPERS, SLIT ON 1 SIDE AND CORED AND DE-SEEDED
175-225 g (6-8 oz) FENNEL SEEDS
600 ml (1 PINT) VEGETABLE OIL
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) DRY MUSTARD
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CHILLI POWDER
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) SALT
Stuff each pepper with the fennel seeds; the peppers should be well filled, and you may need to adjust the quantities depending on their size. Pack the peppers into jars.
Heat the oil in a pan, stir in the mustard, then add the chilli powder and salt. Cook over a very low heat for about 15 minutes. Pour the spiced oil over the peppers and seal the jars. Leave for at least 10 days.
The original recipe for this pickle calls for 25 fresh green chillies! Few of us could withstand that kind of fiery intensity, so this is a slightly toneddown version.
MAKES ABOUT 450 g (1 lb)
4 SMALL AUBERGINES, SLICED
SALT
6 GREEN CHILLIES, STEMS REMOVED
VEGETABLE OIL FOR FRYING
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) CORIANDER SEEDS
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CUMIN SEEDS
25 g (1 oz) GARLIC, PEELED
25 g (1 oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED
300 ml (10 fl oz) MALT VINEGAR
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) DRIED RED CHILLIES
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS
1 STEM LEMON GRASS, BRUISED
1 STICK CINNAMON
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) SALT
Put the aubergines into a bowl and sprinkle with salt, then set aside for 2 hours. Strain off the bitter juices and pat dry with a cloth. If the chillies are small leave them whole, otherwise chop into pieces. Fry the aubergine slices and chillies in oil until cooked but not browned. Remove from the pan, drain well and set aside.
Grind the coriander and cumin seeds, garlic and ginger with a little vinegar in a pestle and mortar, or use a blender or food processor for the job. Blend with the remaining vinegar until smooth. Add the fried aubergines and chillies, plus the lemon grass, cinnamon stick and salt and stir well. Pack into jars, seal and store until required. This pickle lasts for months.
Saroj Bajpai, gave us several quick, simple recipes. This one is from her hometown of Lucknow in the province of Uttar Pradesh. It goes well with all kinds of snacks and full meals, can be used to stuff parathas (shallowfried breads) and is even good spread on bread and butter.
Kalonji are small, black tear-shaped seeds with an earthy aroma. They are also known as black onion seeds, and are available from Indian shops. Like many chutneys of this type it is ready to eat as soon as it is made, although it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.
Try alternative versions using sour apples, green rhubarb or gooseberries.
MAKES ABOUT 350 g (12 oz)
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) CUMIN SEEDS
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) CORIANDER SEEDS
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) FENNEL SEEDS
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) KALONJI
1 LARGE OR 3 SMALL GREEN MANGOES
3 FRESH GREEN CHILLIES
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) ROUGHLY CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER
3x15 ml SPOONS (3 TABLESPOONS) ROUGHLY CHOPPED FRESH MINT
3x15 ml SPOONS (3 TABLESPOONS) SOFT LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
JUICE OF 2 LIMES
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) SALT
EXTRA MANGO PIECES, TO GARNISH
Dry roast the cumin, coriander, fennel and kalonji seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan until they start to turn brown and begin to pop. Set aside.
Cut off the stalk end of the mango, which can taste bitter, then peel off the skin with a sharp knife. Pare off the flesh and cut into small pieces. Cut off the stalks from the chillies, but otherwise leave them whole. Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor with a small amount of water, than blend to a coarse paste. You can vary the texture, but the chutney is best if it is slightly coarse, with whole seeds visible. Spoon into a dish, garnish with a piece of mango and serve.
Coconuts in England are little more than fairground props, but in India they are highly prized symbols of prosperity and good fortune. They are also used in many ways in the kitchen. This recipe, supplied by our friend Saroj Bajpai, is from Gujarat in north-west India, and goes well with the vegetarian dishes of that region. It should be eaten soon after making.
MAKES ABOUT 150 g (6 oz)
1 FRESH COCONUT
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) CUMIN SEEDS
4x15 ml SPOONS (4 TABLESPOONS) ROUGHLY CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER
3 GREEN CHILLIES, STALKS REMOVED
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) SOFT LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
JUICE OF 2 LIMES
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) SALT
LIME SLICES AND CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI, TO GARNISH
Smash the coconut with a hammer, drain off the milk (use this for flavouring curries and soups), then cut away and discard the hard brown skin and cut the flesh into small chunks. Dry roast the cumin seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan until they are brown.
Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor, add a small amount of water and blend until you have a paste. Transfer to a dish, garnish with a couple of slices of lime and some chopped green chilli, then serve.
Making carrot pickle in India was often a complicated process involving sprinkling carrots with salt, then drying them in the sun for several days and ‘removing them before sunset’. They were then pickled in vinegar with whole chillies, ginger and sliced garlic. This recipe, provided by Meena Patak, is for an instant version that can be made in a few minutes and eaten the same day.
MAKES ABOUT 600 g ( 1¼ lb)
1½x15 ml SPOONS (1½ TABLESPOONS) SALT
6 x15 ml SPOONS (6 TABLESPOONS) MUSTARD OIL
3x15 ml SPOONS (3 TABLESPOONS) BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS, COARSELY
GROUND
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) LEMON JUICE
450 g (1 lb) CARROTS, CUT INTO 4 cm (1½ INCH) STRIPS
100 g (4 oz) LONG GREEN CHILLIES, CUT INTO THIN STRIPS 4 cm
(1½ INCH) LONG
Mix together the salt, oil, mustard seeds and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the carrots and chillies and stir well. The pickle can be served straight away; it will also keep for at least 10 days if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
A recipe from Indian Cookery for Young Housekeepers by an Anglo-Indian (the late Mrs J. Bartley), published in Bombay in 1935. This pickle can be made fresh each day.
‘Grind together one bunch of kotemar (coriander) leaves, a slice of fresh coconut, three slices of garlic, a piece of fresh ginger, half an onion, four green chillies, half a pod of tamarind, and a half teaspoon of salt; place the chutney in a saucer and form it into shape. The juice of half a sour lime can be used instead of the tamarind.’
Tamarind is one of the essential flavours of Indian cookery, providing a distinctive sharp acidity to many dishes. It is actually a kind of bean, and is normally peeled, seeded and pressed into a lump before being sold. If you buy a lump or packet from an Indian supermarket, it will need to be soaked and sieved before you can use it. This chutney is for long keeping.
MAKES ABOUT 1 kg (2 lb)
450 g (1 lb) TAMARIND
225 g (8 oz) SULTANAS
40 g (1½ oz) DRIED RED CHILLIES
25 g (1 oz) MUSTARD SEEDS
25 g (1 oz) GARLIC, PEELED
25 g (1 oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED
600 ml (1 PINT) MALT VINEGAR
750 g (1½ lb) LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) SALT
Put the tamarind into a non-metallic bowl or cup and cover with hot water, then leave overnight. Next day, mash up the pulp with the soaking water and strain through a sieve into a separate non-metallic bowl. Work the pulp through the sieve using a wooden spoon until you are left with only the seeds and fibrous tissue, which can be thrown away. Meanwhile, wash the sultanas and let them plump up in cold water for a couple of hours.
Grind the chillies, mustard seeds, garlic and ginger in a pestle and mortar with a little vinegar. Alternatively, grind them coarsely in a blender or food processor. Heat the remaining vinegar in a pan and add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the tamarind pulp and sultanas, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chutney is smooth and thick. Pack into warm jars, seal and store for 2 months before opening.
An exceedingly powerful and potent chutney which tastes brilliant and keeps well for months.
MAKES ABOUT 1 kg (2 lb)
450 g (1 lb) LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
600 ml (1 PINT) MALT VINEGAR
450 g (1 lb) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED
350 g (12 oz) GARLIC, PEELED
50 g (2 oz) RED CHILLIES, STEMS REMOVED
100 g (4 oz) BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS
Mix the sugar with enough vinegar to dissolve it. Pound the ginger, garlic, chillies and mustard seeds separately, then blend them together and pound again. Add the remaining vinegar.
Put into a large pan with the dissolved sugar and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chutney is thick, thinning with more vinegar if desired. Allow to cool, pack into jars and store for at least 2 weeks before using.
Most commercially produced, supermarket versions of this classic chutney are a great disappointment, which is hardly surprising if you look at the ingredients listed on some of the jars. All the more reason to make your own! Use fruit that are just ripe, but still firm: if they are soft or overripe the chutney will be very liquid and sloppy.
MAKES ABOUT 1 kg (2 lb)
450 g (1 lb) RIPE MANGO FLESH (ABOUT 3 LARGE MANGOES)
25 g (1 oz) DRIED RED CHILLIES
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) MUSTARD SEEDS
25 g (1 oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED
25 g (1 oz) GARLIC, PEELED
300 ml (10 fl oz) WHITE VINEGAR
450 g (1 lb) SUGAR
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) SALT
Peel the mangoes, pare off the flesh and cut into small slivers. Discard the stones and weigh the fruit. Grind the chillies, mustard seeds, ginger and garlic with a little vinegar in a pestle and mortar or process in a blender or food processor.
Put the remaining vinegar in a pan, add the mango flesh and sugar and simmer until the fruit is just soft, stirring well.Mash some of the flesh as you stir, but keep some pieces intact for texture. Add the ground spices and salt and continue to simmer for 15–20 minutes until the chutney is thick. Pack into warm jars, seal and use as required. It will keep for 2 to 3 months.
Eminent Devon restaurateur Joyce Molyneux neatly adapted our recipe for sweet mango chutney (see previous page) when she found herself with a glut of peaches. Serve this pickle as an accompaniment to hot, spicy curries and braised game dishes.
MAKES ABOUT 2 kg (4 lb)
1.5 kg (3 lb) PEACHES
75 g (3 oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED
5 FRESH RED CHILLIES, SPLIT AND DE-SEEDED
3 CLOVES GARLIC, PEELED
2x15 ml SPOONS (2 TABLESPOONS) WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS
600 ml (1 PINT) WHITE-WINE VINEGAR
675 g (1½ lb) WHITE SUGAR
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) SALT
Peel the peaches, remove the stones and chop the flesh into thin slices. Transfer to a large pan. Slice the ginger, chillies and garlic, add the mustard seeds plus a little vinegar and grind together with a pestle and mortar; alternatively make use of a food processor.
Pour the remaining vinegar into the pan, add the spicy paste and stir in the sugar and salt. Bring slowly to the boil stirring all the time.When the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chutney is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat, allow to cool a little, then pack into cleaned, warmed jars. Store in a cool dark place for at least 2 months before opening.
An unusual, syrupy pickle that needs delicate handling and acute timing, otherwise the bananas are likely to become soft and pulpy. Serve with curries and cold rice salads.
MAKES ABOUT 1 kg (2 lb)
1 STICK CINNAMON
6 CLOVES
2 BLADES MACE
300 ml (10 fl oz) CIDER VINEGAR
225 g (8 oz) LIGHT DEMERARA SUGAR
1 kg (2 lb) BANANAS, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1 cm (½ INCH) SLICES
Tie the cinnamon, cloves and mace into a piece of muslin and put into a pan with the vinegar. Add the sugar and stir well until dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the bananas to the pan. Cook very gently for 5 minutes until they just begin to feel soft. Allow to cool in the syrup, then strain off the liquid, discard the bag of spices and pack the bananas very carefully into jars. Pour the vinegar over the fruit and seal the jars. This will keep for up to 1 month.
A friend from South Africa gave us this recipe with the note that it was an excellent breakfast dish with plenty of bread, and was always eaten in his family on Good Friday—with hot cross buns!
The method of pickling is a mixture of west and east. From Europe— particularly Portugal—comes the style of hot pickling called escabeche; from India come the spices. The curry spice mixture varies from family to family, but there’s always plenty of ‘booster’—fresh cayenne pepper to add fire to the dish.
Use white fish with meaty flesh and a robust flavour: cod and haddock are obvious examples, otherwise choose grey mullet, monkfish or hake.
SERVES 4
450 g (1 lb) WHITE FISH, SKINNED, BONED AND CUT IN LARGE CUBES
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
PLAIN FLOUR FOR DUSTING
VEGETABLE OIL
2 LARGE ONIONS, SLICED
300 ml (10 fl oz) MALT VINEGAR
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) BROWN SUGAR
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) CURRY POWDER
Rub the fish all over with salt and black pepper, then set aside for 1 hour. Dust in the flour and fry in oil until just browned. Lift out the pieces and drain well.
Put the onions into a pan with the vinegar and sugar. Blend the curry powder to a paste with a little water and stir into the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring well.
Arrange the fish in a shallow dish and pour over the pickle, making sure the pieces are well covered. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving. The whole dish—soft fish, crisp onions, fiery sauce—is eaten soaked up with plenty of bread.