This recipe is from my ancestral cookbook which has been tried and filled by my great grand mothers. This hot pickle with rice and yogurt makes a good lunch for a normal day.
Ingredients:
- A medium size bitter gourd
- 1Tblsp of chopped garlic
- 1Tblsp of chopped ginger
- 2sprigs of curry leaves
- Half Tblsp of mustard seeds
- 1Tblsp of red chilly powder
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- A safoetida to taste
- 5Tblsp of white vinegar
- 5Tblsp of gingelly oil
- A pinch of sugar.
Method:
Cut the bitter gourd into thin 1 inch slice and mix with salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
Keep a deep pan on flame and when it is hot pour the oil into it. Reduce the flame and pop the mustard seeds in it. Now add bitter gourd into it and cook uncovered until brown. Remove it from oil and then cook ginger till it is brown. Remove it from oil and now its garlic's turn .Cook until brown. Now remove it from the oil and cook curry leaves till it is crispy.
Now remove the pan from the flame and before it cools down add the red chilly powder to it. Wait for a second and now add all the ingredients and mix well in that same pan. Add more salt if needed.
Empty the pickle into a tightly closable jar when it is cold. Pour a few drops of gingelly oil on the top of the pickle. Leave it unopened for a week.
