Papaya Pickle

A pickle adds that delicate tang to our lunch or dinner. It can even be a luxury item particularly during school boarding days when pickle jars would be brought out at night to be sandwiched in rotis or slices of bread stolen from dinner. In college hostels they were fuel for all night emergency study sessions. And for lonely graduate students they were a taste of home.

Ingredients:

Green Papaya - 750gms semi ripened cut into 1cm fingers

Garlic - 1/4cup finely chopped

Ginger - 1/4cup finely julienned

Kashmiri Red chilly powder - 3tbs

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Fenugreek Powder - 1/2tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Vinegar - to taste

Mustard seeds - 2tsp

Green chillies - 5-6 finely chopped

Jaggery  - 2-3tbs you could even substiute it with raisins or chopped up dates

Salt to taste

Into a large bowl, rub salt onto the papaya and keep aside. Into a saucepan, heat olive/ canola oil and splutter mustard seeds. Saute the ginger and garlic till evenly browned, add in the green chillies and saute till the aroma from the chillies are released. Combine in all the powders and saute till the fat separation starts to take place, and then add in the papaya. Cover and cook on low flame till the papaya becomes tender. Once the papaya is cooked add in jaggery and combine again on low flame. Take the pickle off the flame add salt and vinegar to taste. The pickle should be stored in the refrigerator.