Pickles And Chutneys-A Collection of Recipes

Aachar aur Chatni Selection

Mamta Gupta

Pickles are an important part of Indian cusine. It is a way of preserving vegetables that are out of season, as well of spicing up the everyday food and snacks. There are hundreds of pickles in India, each family has their own favourites. Here is a selection of some of my favourite pickles and chutneys. Do try a few, they can be used with non-Indian foods too, including sandwiches.

*The word Chutney comes from original Hindi word Chatni which is a tangy and spicy paste/sauce that makes you smack you lips, makes your tongue and mouth come alive! The word Chat/chaat means 'lick' and 'chatna' means 'to lick'. The original Indian chatni is a mix of uncooked fruit (raw mango/apple/other fruits), green chillies, herbs like coriander and mint, a few spices, lemon or vinegar or tamarind, sometimes sugar, all ground together to a paste. Other ingredients can also be added according to taste. In England, and the West, it is called Chutney and it generally means a spicy preserve/condiment, where fruits or vegetables have been cooked in vinegar, with spices and sugar, and then bottled.

Note: Mustard oil should always be heated to smoking point first and allowed to cool completely, before adding it to the pickle.