Whenever the word "pickle" comes up, there are many people around the world who get their mouth filled with water. The very thought of the taste of pickle sensitize the taste buds. Pickle has its own interesting history. Today we know it as a side food item which is used to enhance the taste of the regular food. But actually it was the food preservation technique used by people in the older days. Today we have the highly advanced food preservation technology which give us access to different food including grains, fruits and vegetable through out the year. But it was not the same in olden times. In those days, the seasonal vegetables were preserved by pickling them in oil along with lots of spices so that the vegetables are available for consumption even when its not their season of growth. Mango, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, lemons, chillies, even some legumes like chickpeas are used for pickling.
Not only preserving them for using them out of season, the vegetables were pickled for carrying along by the traders who used to leave their homes and travel to various places for weeks and months. For them, the pickles were a great way to enjoy food without having to bother about cooking the vegetables. They will just take the pickle with them and eliminating the need to buy and cook the vegetables as in those days, there was no culture of restaurants or food joints. All these things came up in the last century mainly.
The most commonly known pickle is the mango pickle. Mango pickle is made by using some specific spices but still there are variations for this in the country as the same dish can taste differently in North and South part of the country. Even though some spices will be different thus making it taste differently in the two parts of the country, there are some common spices in both variations.
While pickles have their own interesting past, potatoes are not behind either. Potatoes came to India just a few centuries ago but today they are the most integral part of the everyday Indian cooking in all parts of the country. The potatoes are cooked in so many ways in different parts of not just India but the whole world that this versatility makes it one of the most preferred vegetable. Out of many ways that you know, give this recipe a try. The achari flavours used in this recipe are the north Indian spices used to make the mango pickle. The pickling spices combined with the potatoes make them more delectable and enjoyable.
Make your everyday cooking more delicious with our innovative and easy to make recipes.
For 3-4 persons
- Potatoes cut in diced 4-5
- Panch phoran* 1 tbsp
- Green chilli chopped 1-2
- Ginger chopped 2 tbsp
- Red chilli powder 2 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Garam Masala 1 tsp
- Coriander powder 2 tsp
- Fenugreek leaves (dry) 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder 2 tsp
- Tomato paste 4 tbsp
- Oil 3-4 tbsp
*Equal quantity of Onion seeds, cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Method
- Heat oil in a wok.
- Add panchphoron. Saute for few seconds.
- Add diced potatoes.
- Mix and saute.
- Cook potatoes for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes.
- Add chopped ginger. Mix well.
- Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes paste and mix.
- Add green chilli
- Add kasoori methi, powdered spices and salt.
- Mix well.
- Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or till potatoes are soft.
- Add chopped coriander and coriander powder.
- Achari Aloo Sabji is ready.
- Serve hot with puri or paratha.
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