Puli Inji
Filing another pickle this stay at home period :). As the name says this pickle has a lot of inji (ginger) and puli (tamarind) and also molagai (green chillies). Mil got this big stock of ginger one day which she did not know how else to use up without letting it go waste. My mom does this awesome version which needs to be documented some day (one of my favourite dishes ever). Mil’s version is awesome too but am partial to my mom on some dishes and one of them is this :D.
And oh, on a completely different note – Adya is in a major rajnikanth craze phase and I am not complaining. Always wants to wear jeans pant & shirt which needs to be left unbuttoned. Declares every half an hour that he is ‘Rajni police basha’ (no clue what this term implies in his own kutti mind) but its too cute to see it.
- 2 cups finely chopped ginger
- 3/4 cup finely chopped green chilli
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 5 tsp gingelly oil
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 2 heaped tbsp rock salt
- 3 tsp jaggery
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 lemon size tamarind balls
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Prep work – Soak tamarind in 1/4c warm water. Finely chop ginger & green chillies into tiny pieces.
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Heat a heavy bottom kadai/ pan with 1t gingelly oil.
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Once hot, add 1t fenugreek seeds, 1t asafoetida. Roast till it browns.
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Turn off heat. Remove only the fenugreek seeds. Once it cools down a bit, pound with mortar/ pestle. Set it aside.
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Heat the kadai/ pan with the rest of the oil (4t).
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Once hot, add 1t mustard seeds.
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Once it splutters, add 1/2t turmeric powder.
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Throw in the ginger & green chillies.
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Saute for 5 minutes on medium heat.
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Add 2T rock salt & saute for medium heat for another 5 minutes.
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Remove excess fibre from the tamarind & pour the tamarind water.
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Let the mixture come to a boil.
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Reduce to low flame & let the water evaporate.
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When most of the water is evaporated & the mixture thickens, add pounded fenugreek seeds. Mix.
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Wait for the water to evaporate more (almost fully) & finally add powdered jaggery.
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Mix well & wait for all the water to evaporate. Turn off heat.
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Let the mixture cool down completely. Transfer to an airtight container & enjoy. This keeps well outside for 2 weeks. You can refrigerate and use beyond that.
- We froze half batch of this pickle. Rest was used within a week and was not refrigerated so :).
- Make sure to have the water completely evaporate before turning off heat.
Stepwise pictures
Prep work – Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water.
Finely chop ginger & green chillies. Set it aside.
Heat 1t gingelly oil in a heavy bottom vessel. Add 1t fenugreek seeds & 1t asafoetida. 
Roast till they brown. Turn off heat. Take only the fenugreek seeds/ asafoetida out of the pan. 
Let it cool & pound it using a mortar/ pestle. 
Add the rest of the oil (4t) and heat. Once hot, add 1t mustard seeds. 
Once it starts to splutter, add 1/2t turmeric power. 
Add the ginger & green chillies. 
Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes. 
Add 2T rock salt & saute for 5 minutes. 
Add tamarind water (discard excess fibre). 
Bring it to a boil. 
Reduce to low flame & let the water evaporate. 
When most of the water is evaporated & the mixture thickens, add pounded fenugreek seeds. Mix. 
Wait for the water to evaporate more (almost fully) & finally add powdered jaggery. 
Mix well & wait for all the water to evaporate. Turn off heat. 
Let the mixture cool down completely. Transfer to an airtight container & enjoy. This keeps well outside for 2 weeks. You can refrigerate and use beyond that.
