LILA MARCHA NU ATHANU લીલા મરચા નું અથાણું

LILA MARCHA NU ATHANU.....(Green Chili Pickle)

I always marveled at my elder sister's Green Chilli pickle and could never duplicate it for the lack
of correct recipe.Now that I have it, I am sharing the same with you guys.

I have always eaten Green chilli pickle which has either Green Sour Mango or Vinegar or Lime
as the souring agent which double up as preservative along with salt.

The pickle I am talking about now does not use any souring agent and yet IMHO surpasses
any Green Chilli pickle in taste.

I set about making this pickle the way my sister in Jamnagar has been doing it for the
last forty five years. The result is a pickle which is just out of this wolrd in taste
and flavour.(Original recipe does not have mustard oil. I added it and found that
the taste and flavour are enhanced.)

The Lean Mean and Green Thai Devils




A Bowlful Of "dem hot beauties"




Finally Green Genies In A bottle



INGREDIENTS

250 Gms ............ Green chilies (Thai)cut in 1 to 1.5 cm size.
50 to 60 gms........ Salt (add as per taste)
30 to 40 gms........ Black/Red Mustard Seeds Powder( small variety)
1 tsp to 1.5 tsp.... Hing (Asafoetida Powder)
If you are using real hing, use about size of a green pea.
30 ml ...............Mustard oil
1 tsp............... Methi (Fenugreek) seeds

FOR TEMPERING

60 to 75 ml......... Oil (peanut oil)
1.5 tsp .............Asafoetida( Compounded)
If you are using pure Asafoetida, use 1/2 pea size quantity.
1.5 tsp............. Turmeric Powder
1/8 tsp .............Fenugreek seeds
1/2 Tsp to 1 tsp ....Mustard seeds

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Select firm Thai or any Hot/Mild variety of Chilli peppers as per your liking.
Wash thoroughly and remove stalks. Give a bath of vinegar for three to four minutes.
(Remove vinegar and you can refill the vinegar for future use) Wash once again
using cold water and rub the chillies dry.

Wearing gloves, cut the chilies in 1 to 1.5 cms length.
Do not remove seeds.
Take a spoon of cooking oil in a Tadka Pan and add 1 tsp of methi seeds .
Heat till methi seeds become brownish and emit fine aroma. Remove and let them cool.
Take 60 to 75 ml of oil for Tadka and add mustard seeds and Methi seeds. When mustard starts popping, immediately add Hing. Remove from fire and cool immediately .
Take 75 gms of Mustard seeds and powder.Take a handful of mustard powder and add fried Fenugreek seeds and Hing and powder the lot. Set aside.
Put cut chillies in a clean steel vessel and add salt, Turmeric powder and methi+Hing+Mustard powder and Mustard oil first and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture marinate for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add mustard powder and cold tempering oil mix. Mix the whole thing thoroughly and fill in a glass bottle.Forget about the pickle for 20 days.

Open the bottle after the pickle matures at the end of two to three weeks and enjoy the most heavenly tasting Green chilli pickle.

Note: I have observed that in cold place like Michigan, it takes a while to mature this pickle. Adding a couple of Table spoons of vinegar helps in enhancing the maturing as well as taste.

Enjoy