A beautiful & divine culmination of a hectic week with a fleeting trip to Tirupati to get the blessings of lord Vishnu incarnate began with a pleasant early morning drive. The few seconds in the sanctum of the lord energized & loaded us with positive energy. Happy and content we drove back. The weather was beautiful, with just the right amount of sunshine and warmth. The villages and small towns whizzed by and the huge tamarind trees with plentiful tamarind fruits caught my eye. Oh, it’s going to be a bountiful year I thought reminiscing the words of my grandmother….. ‘PULI PONGUM’ she would say …if the tamarind crop is in plenty so will be the prosperity that year.
Tamarind or the Assam tree indigenous to tropical central Africa was introduced by the Ethiopian traders and naturalized in India. The acidic fruit also known as the Indian dates has been an important component of Indian cooking. The unripe and ripe pods, the tender leaves, and the flowers, all with their tart and acidic taste are lavishly used in rustic preparations. The ease of procurement from avenue trees makes these a favourite element of a homely meal.
Foodialogues shares a spicy and tart tongue-tickling recipe of Chintakaya Pachadi/Green Tamarind Pickle. A minimalistic preparation with good shelf life this lip-smacking fare is a great accompaniment with just any food…creativity is the key in its pairing.
Chintakaya Pachadi Recipe
Ingredients for Chintakaya Pachadi:
- Raw tender tamarind pods 500 g
- Turmeric powder 2 tbsp
- Salt 100g
Preparation Method for Chintakaya Pachadi:
- Wash and towel dry the tamarind pods. Ensure that there is no external moisture. Chop roughly.
- Mix in the turmeric and salt and leave it in a covered bottle for 2 to 3 days.
- Remove and grind coarsely and pack into airtight glass bottles. Check for salt. The tamarind should taste a bit too salty. Store in a cool dry place till use. This will stay good for 1 year.
For the Pickle
Ingredients for the pickle:
- Sesame oil ½ c
- Mustard seeds 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
- Asafoetida 1tsp
- Red chilly 12 long
Preparation method for the pickle:
- Ground salted tamarind 1 c compacted.
- Take 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Splutter mustard and fry fenugreek till golden brown. Remove and set aside. add the chilly and fry well. Cool all fried ingredients. Powder them.
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan. Heat the remaining oil. Add asafoetida. once it fries add the tamarind and the powder. Fry on low flame till the oil separates from the side. Cool and store in an airtight jar.
Tangy & Spicy “Chintakaya Pachadi” is Ready 🙂
