Puddighanaenae (Dry pickle) Part II I will be talking on the sun dried method of preparing the dry pickle. This method is especially used for Star fruit (‘Carambal’ in Konkani; ‘Varayan puli’ in Malayalam), Bilimbi (‘Birmicarmbal’ in Konkani; ‘Chemeen puli’ in Malayalam) and Raw mango (‘Ambo’ in Konkani; ‘Manga’ in Malayalam). The ingredients in the preparation of roasted powder is the same as the ones used in Puddighanaenae (Dry pickle) Part I only the amount of each ingredient varies.
Star fruit is of two varieties one is white in colour and the other is green in colour. Usually it is the green variety that is used in the preparation of the pickle. In olden times and even now in some Konkani houses the star fruit tree is usually seen grown in their backyards. You just have to go to the backyard and collect fruits.
In Puddighanaenae (Dry pickle) Part II I will talk on the preparation of dry pickle from star fruit and bilimbi. Raw mango I will be discussing in my future posts.
The puddighanaenae (Dry pickle) prepared from star fruit is called as ‘Carambala Thoro’ in Konkani and that prepared from bilimbi is called ‘Birmicarambala Thoro’.
I have not included all the photos as the method is almost the same as in the preparation of Nimbuvo puddighanaenae which I have discussed in my previous post.
FOR BIRMICARMBALA THORO (BILIMBI DRY PICKLE) PREPARATION
Ingredients
You need
- 12 medium sized Birmicarmbal/Bilimbi
- 1 tbspn gingili oil
For preparation of dry roasted powder (The amount is for 12 medium sized bilimbi)
- 15 numbers of red chillies
- 1 ½ tbspn of mustard
- 1 tspn fenugreek (Ulva)
- 3 tspns of Asafoetida/Hing
- 10 tspns of salt
Method
Collect fresh medium sized birmicarmbal (Bilimbi), remove their egdes slightly not deep and wash them thoroughly. Wrap them in a clean cloth to remove the washed water.
Slit them into 4 pieces length wise.
Roll the slit pieces in salt and keep them on a dry plastic sheet for sun drying. You have to sundry them for one whole day if it is very hot and sunny. Else keep out for another day. The dried birmicarmbal should be dry and soft to touch. It should not be hard.
Now prepare the dry roasted powder. Firstly dry roast the mustard, fenugreek and red chillies separately.
Add all these dry roasted ingredients in a mixer grinder and blend them to a fine powder. Now add the tawa roasted salt and asafoetida into the powder in the mixture and just give one turn of your mixer. This is for uniform mixing of salt and asafoetida along with the dry roasted ingredients. This is called dry roasted powder. Keep this aside.
Now roast the dried birmicarambal in 1 tbspn of gingili oil for 3 to 5 minutes. This is done to remove any extra moisture. See that while roasting you do not harden your birmicarambal else your pickle will not be soft to bite.
Now add the dry roasted powder to the birmicarambal and mix thoroughly and uniformly so that the dry roasted powder gets evenly coated on the birmicarambal pieces.
Your Birmicarambala Thoro (Bilimbi dry pickle) is ready.
Serve it after 15 to 25 days.
Shelf life: 6 to 9 months if stored in air tight and dry containers.
FOR ‘CARAMBALA THORO’ (STAR FRUIT DRY PICKLE) PREPARARTION
Ingredients
You need
For star fruit
- 12 medium sized Star fruit (green variety)
- 1 tbspn gingili oil
For preparation of dry roasted powder for star fruit (the amount is given for 12 medium sized star fruits)
- 15 numbers red chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 1 ½ tbspn mustard
- 1 tspn fenugreek/ulva
- 3 tspns of Asafoetida /Hing
- 10 tspns of salt (Salt has to be tawa dried before addition)
Method
Collect fresh medium sized carmbal (star fruits), remove their egdes slightly not deep and wash them thoroughly. Wrap them in a clean cloth to remove the washed water.
Slit them into thin pieces (not very thin) length wise.
Roll the slit pieces in salt and keep them on a dry plastic sheet for sun drying. You have to sundry them for one whole day if it is very hot and sunny. Else keep out for another day. The dried carmbal should be dry and soft to touch. It should not be hard.
Now prepare the dry roasted powder. Firstly dry roast the mustard, fenugreek and red chillies separately.
Add all these dry roasted ingredients in a mixer grinder and blend them to a fine powder. Now add the tawa roasted salt and asafoetida into the powder in the mixture and just give one turn of your mixer. This is for uniform mixing of salt and asafoetida along with the dry roasted ingredients. This is called dry roasted powder. Keep this aside.
Now roast the dried carambal in 1 tbspn of gingili oil for 3 to 5 minutes. This is done to remove any extra moisture. See that while roasting you do not harden your carambal else your pickle will not be soft to bite.
Now add the dry roasted powder to the carambal and mix thoroughly and uniformly so that the dry roasted powder gets evenly coated on the carambal pieces.
Your Carambala thoro (Star fruit dry pickle) is ready.
Serve it after 15 to 25 days.
Shelf life: 6 to 9 months if stored in air tight and dry containers.
Tips
See that you do not harden the star fruit or bilimbi during sun drying as well as roasting.
Always used dry containers for storing the pickle. Do not use plastic bottles for storing these pickles. While serving the pickle see that you always use a dry spoon.
For preparing the dry roasted powder it is better to have the mixer washed and dried in the sun the previous day. If you cannot sun dry them place the container of the mixer in an inverted position on top of the lid of just boiled water.
