Allam Pacchadi (Ginger Pickle)

As promised, the ginger pickle recipe follows the puli inji recipe. I love this pickle with Idli, Dosa, and steamed rice. You can make it as hot as you wish by increasing the amount of red chilly powder that you add. I prefer medium spicy, and so my dish turned out to be less pickl-ish than normal Andhra pickles. The recipe is also a much simpler version than the original, as I did not want to spend too much time making this.

(Forgive the curry leaf standing out in the picture, but it was not deliberate, if you can believe me!!)

You will notice that there is less oil, and that is because I do not like the taste of gingelly oil that is normall used to preserve the pickle. If you use less oil, you can refrigerate the pickle to make it last longer. Things you will need:

Ginger - peeled and cut into small cubes - 4 cups ( I used 1 kilo)

Curry leaves - 3 strands (optional)

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp (optional)

Red chilly powder - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup

Methi (fenugreek seeds) powder - 1/2 cup

Jeera (cumin) powder - 1/4 cup (optional)

Coriander powder - 1/4 cup (optional)

Jaggery - grated - 1/2 cup

Tamarind paste - 1 cup

Gingelly oil - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Soak the grated jaggery in tamarind paste for 1-2 hours
• Heat the tamarind-jaggery mixture in a pan and keep aside when thick
• Roast the ginger along with the turmeric, red chilly, and methi powders
• Once cool, grind the ginger and powder mixture with the tamarind-jaggery paste
• Add salt to taste while grinding into thick paste
• Heat gingelly oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds and curry leaves
• Add the ground mixture into the oil and keep stirring, do not boil
• Keep aside to cool and store in air-tight glass container

Serve with Idli, Dosa, and rice