Pickled Strawberries recipe

Some fresh strawberries have been lying in my fridge for the past few days and it had become  not so fresh anymore…jam and milkshakes have been in my mind but I dint want to make those. Cakes, cookies, scones too went thru my mind, dint want to do that either.

All of a sudden thought of pickling it … has no idea how that spark came in. I was quite uncertain about the outcome too... But yet just gave it a try. I must say I am digging the berries from the jar whenever I pass by.

And the best thing there is no added sugar, efforts or any other frills attached. Simply chop add salt, sugar, green chillies and few spoons of vinegar.

Now the recipe looks like this

Strawberries (cut into 4 ) – 250 gms

Water

Salt and sugar – as per taste

Vinegar – 1-2 tbsp. (depending on the sourness of the strawberries)

Green chillies – 2-3 (finely chopped)

Method

Take a clean glass jar and fill in with the chopped strawberries. Add the salt, sugar and chopped green chillies and shake the bottle. Add water just above the level of the berries. Add the vinegar too.

Shake again and leave it aside.
Let it sit for few hours and then enjoy nonstop 

Note: You may reduce the heat by reducing the number of green chillies you use 

Thanks and regards

Chaithanya

Pickled carrots

That was a weekend when my refrigerator was empty leaving behind few carrots and was thinking of making something quick and low calorie.. Of course carrot halwa went through my mind but they say it tastes better with orange carrots. Hence thought of pickling it and it hardly took anytime. And it harldy took time to see my jar being emptied too. But would recommend to let it sit for few hours/days for the flavor to get into those carrots. The recipe is as follows

Ingredients
Carrots ( I used the thin ones) - about 1 kg
Water - 1 cup
Vinegar - 1/3 cup ( if you want more sourness you can increase the measurement)
Salt and sugar -as required.
Green chillies, ginger and garlic - optional and as required.
Sugar - a few tspns (optional)

Method
Wash the carrots well and if you are used to peeling carrots, I know few people who wash it thoroughly and not peeling it , its up-to you :) Chopthe carrots into strips, may be one carrot should yield about 6-8 depending on the thickness of the carrots.
Once the carrots are chopped steam in a steamer for about 5-7 minutes, make sure you don't cook it, you just have to make it slightly tender or if you choose to skip this step, please feel free to do so too.
I steamed for 5-7 mins and then dipped those carrots in cold water to avoid further cooking.
Once your carrots are ready, put it in a clean glass jar.
Pour the water and vinegar and add all the other ingredients and please leave it untouched for atleast 12 hours ( preferably)
If you feel you need more sourness you can add more vinegar too
If you have taken more carrots and if you feel you need to add more water and adjust the other ingredients feel free to do so 
You can also add crushed peppercorns, powdered jeera, options are endless. I am for sure going to try this with few other vegetables too.
Try pickling a no fuss carrot pickle and enjoy!! 

Tomato pickle

Been to a local  'chantha' (vegetable fair)  recently and got hold of some cute little fresh tomatoes, priced cheap too. Thoughts of jam, sauce and pickle came in my mind and just to avoid the sugar/sweet part I tried pickling those lovely tomatoes. It did come out fine except a little high on salt, but I am fine with it as they say salt is a good preservative too and anyway we are going to have it as pickle and not as a side dish.So here  is the recipe for the sweet and sour tomato pickle. 


Tomato pickle


Ingredients


Tomatoes- 1 kg
Methi seeds ( fenugreek seeds) 1 tspn
Mustard seeds- 2 tspn
Sesame seeds- 2 tspn
Green chillies - 4 -5 ( or to your taste)
Turmeric powder-  1 tspn
Asafoetida powder- 1 tspn
Lemon - 2 med size
Salt - as required
Sugar- 1 - 2 tspn
Sesame oil - 2 tspn


Method


Wash tomatoes thoroughly, chop and keep aside.
Dry roast methi seeds, mustard seeds and sesame seeds , let it cool and powder in a coffee grinder and keep aside.
Heat 2 tspns of oil in a pan and add in the chopped tomatoes. Keep stirring till the tomatoes becomes soft. Add in the turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, slit green chillies, lemon juice, salt and sugar.. Keep stirring again . Then add the ground powders and let everything come together. Remove from flame after around 10 minutes. Let it cool, store in a sterilised glass jars and refrigerate. 
Can be served with rice, parathas, chappathis.