We are avid pickle lovers. Nothing perks us up as a jar of natural home made pickles. Indikhaa's pickles are made just the way nature intended them to be - natural and without any artificial preservatives. We all know that traditional Indian pickle is a scrumptious accompaniment that goes very well with a range of foods like idlis, dosas, parathas, curd rice, dal rice, khichdi - the list is endless. However, we will not bore our readers here with the mundane. In this blog, we will go boldly where no person has gone before - creative uses of traditional Indian pickles like Aavakaaya, Lemon Pickle, Tomato Pickle et al. Adding just a dash of the pickle masala/oil to various dishes will make them extra zingy and give a twist that family and friends will drool over. A lot of flavour is concentrated in the oil and special mixture of spices, used to preserve the mango or any other vegetables.
Here is a list of some adventurous ways one can put the mouth watering flavours of Indikhaa's pickles to great use and make their dishes spectacular:
- Add to paratha or Indian flatbread dough: Indians love their parathas. Each region has its own unique type of paratha. Methi/palak parathas are ubiquitous and have been adopted by all regions equally. Aloo/gobhi parathas are a staple of the wintry mornings in north India. Add a table spoonful or two of the Mango Aavakaaya (masala and the mango chunk; but be careful to discard the hard shell) to the dough while kneading. This small step will be a giant leap for one’s parathas.
- Focaccia Bread / Pizza Sauce: Pizzas are made using tomato ketchup. Why use an industrially produced insipid sauce brimming with artificial preservatives? Use a homemade tomato pickle instead. Dilute the requisite amount of the tomato pickle with water till it attains the right consistency and smear on the pizza base and top it up with all your favorite goodies and pop it in the oven. The Indian twist will have your friends and family craving for more.
- Achari Bhindi / Achari Aloo: These delicacies can be elevated to an orbit of pure flavourful ecstasy by adding the masala infused oil of the Aavakaaya during preparation. Why use aam chur when you have the masala oil that has distilled the essence of the mango pieces it covers. If you like a little sweetness in your food, use our Sweet Aavakaaya masala to prepare these dishes.
- Achari Paneer Tikka: Throwing a party for your friends? Try the achari paneer tikka recipe with a dash of the Aavakaaya masala oil in the marinade. The earthy flavours of mustard, fenugreek and mango will impart a uniqueness to this dish that will leave your guests licking their fingers.
To be continued in a future post...