Red Chilli Pickle

Pickle at home and made by you!! That was my mom's first reaction when I narrated my success story to her over the phone. She could not believe her youngest can now even make pickles at home, leave aside running a food blog. Well, time flies Maa. Maybe oneday I will feel the same for my baby.

Ingredients

150 gms Green or red chillies (the original recipe called for 250 gms)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp methi seeds

1/4 tsp hing

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp olive oil (I added 2 extra tbsp of oil while mixing the next day)

2 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice, whichever is more

Direction

Chop your chilles, ideally into three parts. Make sure the chillies are washed and patted completely dry before chopping. Roast the cumin seeds and methi seeds in a pan. Turn off the heat and add hing while the pan is still hot. Transfer the contents into a blender and add mustard seeds. Make a smooth powder and empty the masala into a bowl. Add turmeric powder, garam masala, and 1 tbsp lemon juice and half the salt. Keep aside. 

In another bowl, preferably a glass one, put the chillies, salt, turmeric powder, oil, and the remaining lemon juice and mix well. Cover with a tight lid and either keep it in the room or in sunlight for few hours for best result. After 5/6 hours, add the prepared masala and mix everything well again. Now keep covered in the same bowl for 1 day occasionally stirring in between. Next day, transfer the pickle into a glass jar and add a little more oil. Keep bathing the pickle in the sun for a few days for best results. Remember to keep shaking the jar once in a while for proper mixing. Enjoy!