Puli Inji - Ginger pickle

This is another pickle which we can make using ginger. This inji puli and pulikachal are different from each other. The main ingredients are as follows...

Ingredients:-

1. Ginger - 5 tbsp (Chopped evenly)
2. Tamarind(raw) - 2 tbsp
3. Green chillies - 1 or 2
4. Jaggery - 1 tbsp
5. Salt to taste

First take the raw tamarind (its better to use raw tamarind instead of tamarind paste), green chillies, jaggery and salt and grind into a fine paste. Do not add water while grinding. Now we can follow two ways of making this inji-puli. One is just mix the chopped ginger to the above paste and mix it well. Let it soak for a day. We can start using this as a pickle from the next day.

Other method is, take a pan, preheat a teaspoon of sesame oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add the grinded paste to it with half cup of water and let it boil for 5 to 7 mts. Turn off the stove and put the ginger pieces on top of it and mix it well. Let it soak in the tamarind paste overnight and can be used the next day.
The above said quantity can be used for a week.

Orange Zest pachadi

Orange zest (orange thol in tamil) is usually used for making face pack. This is something very different and tastes really good. The main ingredients are as follows...

Ingredients:-

1. Orange Zest - 2 tbsp
2. Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
3. Jaggery - 1 tbsp
4. Green chillies - 1 (add acc. to taste)
   
5. Salt to taste
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning:-

1. Sesame Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Curry leaves - few leaves
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

First chop the orange zest into very tiny pieces or can even use a shredder. Keep it aside. Now take a pan, pre heat the oil add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida powder, Green chillies and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Now put the chopped or shredded orange zest to it and saute for a minute. Now add the tamarind paste and add a cup of water, turmeric powder and salt to it and let the zest cook for 7 to 10 mts. When the zest is tender add the jaggery powder to it and mix it well. If necessary add some more water and let it boil for another 5 mts. This is a wonderful side dish for kootu rice, molagootal rice. This pachadi has variety of flavours like, sour tangy from orange zest, sweet from jaggery, sour from tamarind, spicy from green chillies.

Ginger Pachadi

This is another receipe most common in Kerala Iyer house. Ginger is good for digestion. The main ingredients are as follow...

Ingredients:-

1. Ginger - 2 tsp
2. Green chillies - 1 or 2 according to taste
3. Fresh Coconut - 2 tbsp
4. Sour curd - one medium cup
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil - 1/2 tsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

This pachadi is very simple and easy to make. First take ginger + Green chillies + Fresh coconut + salt and grind it into a fine paste. Add a little bit of water while grinding. Now add the sour curd (or thick Buttermilk) to the paste and mix it well. This is ginger pachadi. Take a small pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds and asafoetida powder, when it splutters pour it into the pachadi. Mix it well and serve it with Sambar Rice or any variety rice.