Quick Pickled Jalapenos

Yesterday I was at our local farmer's market. They have the most beautiful and colorful stuff all around. I go crazy around all the fresh produce they have. The sight, the smell, just too good to resist. I began picking all different kinds of vegetables. The pretty one... the colorful one... the new kind (which I had no idea what to do with) whatever I could get my hands on. Hubs was watching from a distance waiting with the kiddo, pretending to not know the crazy lady raiding all the vegetables ha ha. I love my trips to the local farmer's market for our regular quota of vegetables and fruit. There’s always an excitement waiting to see what produce has arrived. Every season seems to bring some new variety of vegetable and fruit. Lot of new varieties, kinds that was never familiar to me growing up. Nowadays, I take a lot of them for granted because they are easily available.
For those who are not very familiar with Jalapenos, they are thick skinned and a moderately hot variety of Mexican green chillies. A smoked and dried Jalapeno is called Chipotle.
Pickle or achaar to me as like every fellow Indian is the tangy, hot thick raw, mango/ chilli pieces drained in hot spices infused oil and oh so mouthwatering. I have had my share of pickles (the pickle monster as I was named by my mom). Though, for the most part, I detest vinegar based western style pickle, but this one I absolutely love, I keep buying a jar whenever I visit the supermarket and eating like a side not a condiment much to my hubs surprise. That was until yesterday when I saw these fresh, beautiful (and to my pleasant surprise, so very inexpensive) peppers yesterday in the market. The idea to pickle them was instant and I am glad I did. These can jazz up any boring meal - nachos or tacos, wraps or sandwiches, pizza - just about anything! To top it all, it takes just about 15 minutes to put it together (of course beside the couple of days in the fridge for the pickling process). If you are a fan as big as I am of tangy and hot stuff, trust me, this pickle is absolutely addictive.

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Jalapeno Pickle

 Jalapeños are a pod type of Capsicum used for many Mexican and Spanish recipes best to preserve pickled  tasty jalapenos pickles adds wonderful flavor to sandwich and other traditional mexican foods.

Jalapenos can be found in various super markets in Bangalore...I would recommend namdharis for fresh jalapenos available year round.

Ingredients:
200 Grams Jalapenos
4 Tbsp Coarse Salt
450 ML Vinegar
We also need 2 to 3 Sterilized bottles

Method:

• Wash the Jalapenos and pat dry with a clean cloth.
• Spread the chili on a dry cloth or plate allow to air dry.

• Cut the chili into coins.

• Fill the chili in to clean sterile bottles.
• Make sure you make few extra bottles of  pickle they make wonderful gifts for friends.

• Fill the top with salt.
• Add vinegar and close the lid place in a dark place for 3weeks. best served after 3 months...:)

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:

2 Kilo Tomatoes  

6 Tbsp Chilly Powder

1 Tbsp Turmeric Powder 

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Medium Lime Size Tamarind 

3 Tbsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 Tsp Fenugreek Seeds 

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

2 Tbsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Citric acid (if needed)

1/4 Cup Vinegar (if needed)

Lets Prepare:

1. Try to use super ripe tomatoes for this recipe blanch & deseed the tomato if possible how ever i was unable to either blanch or deseed. chop into small cubes.
2. Heat a heavy bottom pot or try and use a nonstick heavy bottom pot tip in the tomato cover and allow the tomato to wilt down a bit for 10 mins try to keep stirring constantly 
3. In a small pot add 1/2 cup of water bring to a boil and add the tamarind and cook till tamarind goes into a mush for 15 mins remove from flame and allow to cool before extracting pulp. once cooled squeeze the tamarind to extract pulp strain in a tea strainer and reserve. you can also use 2 tbsp of ready to use tamarind pulp which is available in the market.
4. Heat a fry pan and toast the 1tbsp of mustard seeds try to toast the seeds well on low flame once the mustard seeds stops popping reserve in a plate and allow to cool in the same fry pan add the fenugreek seeds fry well and reserve in the same plate and allow to cool before preparing a powder. in a coffee blender add the toasted seeds and prepare a powder and set aside.
5. Constantly keep stirring the tomatoes the moisture from the tomato should completely evaporate in 1 hour time now add the tamarind pulp, chilly powder & turmeric powder mix well and allow to cook till everything has gone dry in 1 1/2 hour.
6. Heat a fry pan add oil and heat well add the 2 tbsp of mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp of asafoetida and fry well tip the hot oil mixture in the tomato mix well and fry the tomato ensure the moisture has completely evaporated from the tomato while frying. add 1tbsp mustard and fenugreek powder mix well and fry for another 10 more mins till the oil surfaces on the top switch off the stove allow the pickle to cool completely before you bottle. serve the super duper pickle with curd rice, lime rice or sambar rice...Enjoy...:) 

Suggestions:

• While tempering for pickle you can fry garlic and curry leafs and add to the pickle.
• citric acid and vinegar can be used to preserve the pickle. add vinegar or citric acid once the pickle has cooled completely.
• Try to blanch peel and deseed the tomato before you prepare this recipe.
• If you add preservatives try to reduce tamarind pulp and add bit more chilly powder. as both the preservatives are sour the sour taste will increase more in the pickle so reduce tamarind pulp add more chilly as the sour taste will reduce the hot and spicy taste.

I learnt this recipe from mom as she was working she had to make things simple and straight she did not have time to sundry the tomatoes to prepare this pickle as that process consumed a lot of time and we have to wait for summer to enjoy this recipe but mom always had her way of preparing this pickle fast and simple i remember when i was a kid during Saturday or Sunday our house used to smell so good with all the pickles she prepared she never let her mother-in-law down by giving reasons that she was working and did not have time for not preparing traditional recipes. this recipe is so simple and easy for working women in just 2 hours you can prepare this wonderful recipe and enjoy. if you want to sample this recipe then try to prepare with just 1/2 kilo of tomatoes and use 1/4 amount of the given ingredients i'm sure everyone will love it try it your self and post your comments...

Thanks mom for sharing your recipe...:)

I've also done a video demo watch and enjoy...