Indian Pickles

Vegan Mofo 2010 – Day 3
This is one of my favourite recipes that I got from the book “The Alternative Vegan” by Dino Sarma. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve made huge jars of this stuff to keep handy to add to all kinds of food that need spicing up from Indian dishes, to pasta sauces an especially on wraps and sandwiches. Dino has kindly given me permission to use this recipe and for that I’m really grateful.
Here is the description of a pickle taken from the book :

“A pickle, in India, is something (vegetable, fruit, etc) that is preserved in salt, oil and spices – not vinegar, Think of it like a sort of combination pickle/relish/other preserved food. It’s meant to be a hot/salty addition, and is meant to be eaten in VERY small amounts (no more than a teaspoon per meal).”

Ingredients :
1 cup oil (peanut or corn)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 small onion, minced fine
1 head garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
5 tablespoons salt
1 lb tomatoes, diced finely
1 lemon, minced and de-seeded
1 cup chillies, minced finely
1 tablespoon chilli powder
extra oil to add to the jar (sesame or canola)
Add 1 cup of oil to a wide shallow pan, and allow to heat on high. Add mustard and sesame seeds, and allow to pop like mad. Add onions, garlic, curry powder, and 1 tablespoon salt. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, until the water is mostly evaporated from the onions.
Add the tomatoes and lemons and stir vigorously. Add the rest of the salt. Drop the heat to as low as it’ll go. Cook 20 minutes. Add the fresh chillies and chilli powder. Cook 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour the cooked pickles into a jar, and fill the jar until it’s about 90% full. Pour oil over the pickles to fill out the rest of the jar. Place a sandwich baggie on top. Screw on the lid. Allow pickles to sit in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) for about two weeks before eating.

This is lovely mixed with rice, pasta, or noodles. It also perks up any dish that’s too bland. It can spread onto roti, with some vegetables for a quick wrap on the go.
If you like this recipe you can find the book at one of the shops below.

Alternative Vegan: International Vegan Fare Straight from the Produce Aisle (Tofu Hound Press) (South Africa – Kalahari.net)

Alternative Vegan: International Vegan Fare Straight from the Produce Aisle (Tofu Hound Press) (International – Amazon.com)