Amaranth Leaves Thokku

Fresh amaranth leaves from the farmers market is something I am getting used to, but soon will have to let go as the fall rolls in and fresh produce tapers out when the farmers market closes for the season.

Thokku is a south Indian catch-all term that is used to refer to sautéed grated vegetables packed with flavor. My favorite is spicy Chilli Thokku, but, I make thokku out of just about anything, including Kohlrabi, Mango, Green Papaya Thokku which was all the rage last year and the year before when I canned a few jars of them.


Preparation:

1. Chop up the amaranth leaves finely, even run them in a blender till they feel pasty. 
2. Heat some oil in a pan, add some mustard seeds and when they pop, add the prepared amaranth; add in some salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, white vinegar, and a hint of brown sugar and allow to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently
3. Continue cooking, adding a bit more oil as needed till amaranth is fully cooked and the flavors meld
4. Cool and store in a mason jar in the fridge, or can it in boiling water bath

Lime Chili Garlic chunky pickle

I love the Indian style pickles - spicy and packed in oil - served as a side with any meal. Over the years, having been disappointed by the taste of packaged pickles, I started making my own... especially since I found the Joys of Home Canning :)

Over summer, when our garden is bountiful, it is always fun to can away the fresh produce for those dreary winter days. But, the pantry always has a dozen or more jars of assorted types of pickles... well... pickling away, till ready for consumption, pretty much year-round.

The only two kinds of pickles I absolutely relish and cannot make myself at home are: Spicy Mahali/Mahani pickle (a type of strong flavored root made into a pickle), and Tender Baby Mango Pickle (Kadugu Manga). My mom used to make these just the way I love them and the flavors still linger in my memory to-date... so, these are the two kinds I end up buying at the store to satisfy my cravings on and off...

At any given time, there would be Chunky Mixed Vegetable Pickle, Lime Pickle, Chunky Lime+Chili+Garlic Pickle, Spicy Chunky Garlic Pickle, Mild (Spreadable) Garlic Relish, Tomato Thokku, Chilli Thokku (green or red chilies) , Ginger Thokku, canned and labeled with the dates, patiently aging away in the pantry waiting to be consumed when ripe and ready :)

The picture above is that of lime+chilli+garlic pickle at the beginning of the process - I just dished some out for the picture... but at the end of the process, before it is ready for canning, they lose their rawness and are well sautéed and wilted. And finally, after maturing for about 8-10 weeks, the lime is soft and fork-tender, the flavors mellow and well-blended, looking absolutely irresistible.

Usually, it takes about 4-6 weeks for them to sit undisturbed so they can mellow out a bit and the flavors can meld before they can be relished.

Since I don't have an exact recipe and each batch of pickle turns out slightly different from the others depending on my mood and ingredients handy, I thought I should record the general procedure here rather than specifics. Sometimes the vegetables are diced nicely, sometimes they are ground to a fine paste (like for the thokku), sometimes they are minced (like for my garlic relish) and sometimes I like to leave them as large chunks...

Ingredients:
Lime
green chilies
garlic
salt
oil
extra hot dry red chili powder
toast: small amounts of mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, and grind them to a coarse powder
hint of brown sugar (optional)

Preparation:

• heat adequate amount of oil (can add more as needed later)
• add the lime, chilies and garlic, plus the spices, sauté and let it cook on medium low heat till well softened
• add a little oil at a time so the pickle is not too dry, stirring often
• when oil starts separating and is no longer "absorbed" into the dish, taste and adjust flavors
• can them if making a large batch OR just store them in an air tight container in a cool dark place to age a little
• if not canning, allow to cool a bit before storing in an airtight container

gooseberry pickle

I remember two varieties of gooseberries from my childhood - one was about the size of regular playing marbles, bright green, smooth skin, soft flesh and incredibly sour, the other was bigger about the size of chestnut, not as sour, firm flesh, with stripes on the skin (like the picture here) and sort of dull sage green. I used to like the latter more.

The only form in which I have relished gooseberries is as a spicy Indian pickle. I've had some raw gooseberries straight off the tree spiced with some salt and chili powder when I was little. My mom used to brine and sun-dry the larger variety firm green mildly sour gooseberries that was abundant in summers.

For about two decades now I have not had gooseberries as it was not available in any of the stores near where I lived. Imagine my thrill when I spied boxes and boxes of crisp, bright green, tempting little gooseberries at New Seasons Market! I love shopping at the New Seasons, even if it is a bit pricey, as I love their philosophy and service (any store that says, "if you spill or drop or break something, oh well, accidents happens, we'll clean it up, you go on shopping", has my business).

These were not quite the same variety I remember from India - the flesh was not as firm and sour - must be a nicer hybrid... so, right away I got down and pickled a batch.

Recipe for this pickle is very simple: heat some oil, pop some mustard seeds, add the gooseberries and spices*, some brown sugar and some salt, cook a bit, adjust to taste, and can immediately; or, allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

*spices: I dry roasted and ground some fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies, coriander seeds, brown mustard seeds and khus-khus (white poppy seeds)

Home Canning: thokku and pickles

As a newlywed, I discovered the delights of canning.

When I was in my mum-in-law's kitchen for the first time, she opened a can of salsa she had made for one of our meals. D was pretty matter-of-fact about it, but, it made a deep impression on me.

My mom has always made pickles, vadams, snacks and such at home, stored them appropriately and served them year round.

I hadn't done any canning and was new to the Art of Putting Food By. So, I read books, scoured the web, and experimented with boiling water bath for canning.

First summer after we moved to Oregon, we went garage-sale-hopping and found a wonderful pressure canner for $2! Of course, the pressure gauge was broken, but D was confident of finding one online and getting it fixed. Which he did, of course, the gauge cost 20$! Still, at 22$, it is a steal for a 5 gallon pressure canner.

Now, even though I have a precious pressure canner for all my canning needs, boiling water bath remains my favorite as it meets the needs of most of the foods I can, like: indian pickles, salsa verde, salsa roja, veggies, tomatoes, pasta sauce, marinara sauce, berry jams and fruit syrups.

Indian pickles are not quite the same as pickling with vinegar.

Generally, they are packed in oil with spices and salt; some undergo a bit of cooking; some, like thokku, are sautéed, simmered, and undergo reduction till oil separates.

Many need to sit in a cool dark place for a few weeks to mature and develop.

Some are simply brined.

Some are simply allowed to soak in a blend of spices, salt, and oil, and served along with the savory liquid - my favorite of this kind being the tender/baby mango pickle called "maavadu", or "kadugu manga" when mustard seeds are used.




Tomato Thokku and Green Chili Thokku
Thokkus are almost like paste: smooth, not chunky. Generally, I blend the thokku ingredients into a paste when raw, then roast it in oil, stirring frequently till oil separates and is reduced to a thick, spreadable consistency. Can immediately. Store in a cool dark place for 2-4 weeks before serving.

Tomato thokku: tomatoes, paprika, red chili powder, salt, jaggery or brown sugar, oil
Green Chili thokku: green chillies, asafoetida (tiny bit), salt, oil, brown sugar, brown mustard seeds, tamarind

I am omitting exact measurements here. Adjust to taste. Make small or large batches as you desire... I usually make large batches and can them and let them mature in the cool dark basement:-)

Tomato thokku mixed in with some cream cheese makes a great sandwich spread.

Chili Lime Pickle
Green chilies, slit; fairly thin-skinned lime, cut into pieces; garlic cloves, chopped (optional); salt; chili powder; asafoetida; fenugreek, crushed; black mustard seeds,crushed; oil
sauté chilies and lime in oil, add the spices and salt, adjust to taste, cook over medium high heat stirring constantly till oil separates; can immediately; allow to mature for 6-8 weeks before using.

As it matures, the chilies mellow out, and the tanginess of lime takes over in a pleasant way, balanced with the salt and brown sugar; the lime skin gets soft and fork-tender. It goes perfectly with south-indian style yogurt rice, aka "thayir shadam".

If not canning, store in an air tight container in a cool dark place (or in the fridge) for a few weeks before using.

Again, I am omitting exact measurements here. Adjust to taste. Make small or large batches to suit your needs...

Also, substitute chili and lime with mixed vegetables, or just garlic for variation.