The elaborate Malayali platter is incomplete without some spicy and tangy pickle in it. We have a special affinity to the spicy lime pickle, even as we love to pickle any fruit or vegetable that is abundantly available in our courtyards. Here is a special recipe of the lime-dates pickle, in which the sweetness from the dates perfectly complements the spicy, tangy lime. Many types of dates are available in the markets these days. Expensive dates which melts pretty quickly isn't suitable for this pickle. The ordinary dates would give it the perfect taste and texture.
Ingredients
500 gms kaffir limes
300 gms dates (sliced)
Sesame oil as required
Mustard seeds as required
1 tsp fenugreek
20 gms asafoetida
12 green chillies (chopped)
50 gms ginger (chopped)
50 gms garlic (chopped)
100 gms pickle powder
100 gms Kashmiri chilli powder
100 ml vinegar
Salt as required
Turmeric powder as required
50 gms sugar
Curry leaves
Preparation
Cut the kaffir limes into small wedges
Add some turmeric powder and salt into it and mix well
Heat some sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds
When the mustard seeds pop, add the fenugreek seeds and roast until it changes colour
Add curry leaves and chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies
Sauté for sometime before adding lime wedges
When the lime wedges turn softer, add the dates
Into it add pickle powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and asafoetida
When these powders are roasted well, add some vinegar and hot water to thin it
Add some salt and sugar
Mix well.
