Apple Pickle (Indian Style)
Apples are overflowing at the markets and if you went apple picking like me and want to use up your pick in some savory ways. You are at the right place; I made this apple pickle (Indian style).
It’s so delicious with roti and subji or add it to dal and rice. Or just slather it on a roti or bread with it. Why not, make grilled cheese with it. Wow.
I have used firm apples like granny smith and any firm red variety of apple would also be good.
I have started using ‘Panch Phoron’ spice blend since few years after a recipe of grape chutney. I have become a huge fan of this five-spice blend. Panch Phoron or also known as Panch Phoran literally means five spices. It is very commonly used in Bengal and Bangladeshi cuisine. It consists of seeds of five spices – Cumin, Mustard, Fenugreek, Fennel and Nigella.
The blend is easily available in Indian grocery stores or you can make your own at home by taking equal parts of each seed and mix them. Store it in an airtight jar and keeps for months just like other whole spices. They should be toasted either in oil or ghee while making subjis or chutneys.
Use it in fruit chutney’s or subjis. It adds very fragrant flavor to the dishes and nice crunch. The flavors are indescribable, very robust and in depth.
I have used a little bit of jaggery also in the recipe if you do not have jaggery feel free to use brown sugar. It’s a very small quantity so it should be fine.
If you like you can keep apple pieces may be small chunks. You can also leave the skin on. I preferred grating the apples.
With garlic, I sliced them into thin slices. But, feel free to grate it.
Methia masala or Achar masala is also something I kept optional because it has very limited use but if you prefer you can always buy some. It roughly consists of some red chili powder, ground fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder and yellow ground mustard seeds etc. But, as I have already used some of these spices, its totally doable to leave it out.
Cook the apples until they stop releasing the water, and oil starts separating. It really won’t take long for this step. While storing the pickle, you can also add extra oil. I avoided it.
It’s a small batch of instant pickle so there is no need for extra oil. If you really like this, it will be consumed in few days anyways.
Apple Pickle
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 cup Apple grated, approximately 2 apples
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp panch phoran spices fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, black mustard seeds
- Pinch asafetida
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- 1 tbsp methia/achar masala optional
Instructions
- Wash the apples, peel off the skin with a peeler and grate them.
- Heat some oil in a small pan, once it is heated add the whole spices, followed by asafetida and garlic.
- Let it cook slightly and immediately add spices, salt and jaggery.
- Add the shredded apples and mix everything well.
- Let it cook for few minutes or until the water is evaporated and oil is separated.
- Add the achar masala. However, it is optional.
- Let it cool down completely before transferring to a jar.
- Keep it refrigerated. It can be stored for two weeks easily refrigerated.
Notes
- Use firm and slightly tart apples.
- Use brown sugar instead of jaggery
- You can always add more or less red chili powder
Let me know if you make it!
XOXO, Devangi