Allam Pachadi (Ginger Pickle)

Ingredients

• 250 grams Ginger good quality fresh (young ginger does not taste good)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 100 grams tamarind (or use tamarind pulp as needed)
• 50 to 75 grams jaggery or sugar (adjust as per your taste)
• 6 tbsp Red chili powder
• Salt as needed
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds / methi / menthulu

Seasoning

• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard
• 90 ml oil (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 red chilies (broken)
• garlic Few cloves, (crushed)
• 1 Pinch hing

Steps

Preparation

1. Rinse ginger under running water to remove dirt and mud, peeling if desired. Dry on absorbent paper or a cloth for some time or overnight.
2. Soak tamarind in boiled, cooled water until needed. Use only enough water to soak it so the paste will be thick.
3. Dry-roast 1 tbsp. fenugreek seeds and grind finely. Set aside only 1 tbsp. of the powder for use.
4. Cut ginger into bite-sized pieces and fry over medium flame in a little oil until slightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely.

How to make Allam Pachadi

1. Blend the ginger in a mixer to a smooth paste without water, making sure the blender does not heat up.
2. Squeeze and filter the tamarind pulp to remove impurities. If the filtered paste is thin, boil to thicken it.
3. All ingredients must be cool now. Add tamarind pulp, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt to the ginger mixture and blend thoroughly again.
4. Add jaggery and blend again. Do not add sweetener until the other ingredients have been blended well, as it thickens the mixture and loads the mixer. Taste for sour, sweet, hot, and spicy flavors and adjust as needed.
5. Mix in methi powder to finish.
6. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add mustard and garlic, followed by curry leaves, red chilies, and hing. Fry until the leaves are crisp, then turn off the stove. Mix the ginger pickle into the seasoning thoroughly in the hot pan.
7. Allow to cool completely, then store in a glass bottle.