Bitter Guard in tomatoes

We all know, being a Nepali, Tomato pickle is part of our daily food life. And without its pickle our meal will never come to a finishing line. Here in this country we have found many ways to convert this small juicy fruit in pickle in so many ways than just one. And what more to rejoice when this fruit is available around the year in market.

To make this pickle we better get the tomatoes that are grown in Panchkhal or in Kavre area. These areas are famous for its tasty and good quality tomatoes rather than other parts of the country. 

Ingredients :

Tomatoes                                 :   One kg (1000 grams of medium size)
Bitter Guard                             :   500 grams 

Green chili                               :   200 grams

Garlic                                       :  100 grams ( 100 grams each

Salt                                          :  As per taste

Yellow Mustard seeds               :   2 table spoon

Turmeric                                  :  One teaspoon

Mustard  Oil                             :  1/2 cup

How to convert all these ingredients into a tasty and delicious pickles ?

• Clean tomatoes and let its water dry up completely. for that you must keep leave it in dry Place for about an hour or so.
• After that cut in to two pieces.
• Cut bitter Guard in thin and about 1.5 inch length.
• Clean and peel garlic and then cut it into think and long shape.
• Clean and split the green chili.
• Grind mustard seeds and make its powder.
• Mix tomatoes, salt, mustard powder, ginger and garlic in a bowl.
• Put some oil also when you mix the pickle mixtures.
• Fill the bottle and then before you put the lid fill it with some more oil.
• Put it uder the sun for four days during winter time or only two days when its hot season.

Your pickle will be ready in two days.

This recipe is prepared as told by Poonam Dhakhwa. She is a Co-owner of a Boutique named RD Chahat, which is in Durbar Marg. She is a designer, mother of two girls and a food connoisseur herself. She comes from a Newar community, who are well known for their culinary art as they have mastered the art to tease the taste buds of  gourmet.

Hot and Sour Garlic

Garlic is one of the most important condiment in our daily life. No wonder, its a part of our daily food be it curry or pickle. This one condiment is also very good  for our health benefits. Garlic seems to bear with it loads of health benefits which is going to keep us healthy all the way. However, we all know that this is too hot and it has very strong scent almost makes it so unbearable at times but now we have found the solution to this fact also. 

Ingredients : 

Garlic                      : 500 grams

Salt                         :  two teaspoon
Green chili              :  50 grams

Timur                      :  20 piece

Anise seeds              : one teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds      : one teaspoon

Parsley seeds           : one teaspoon

lemon juice             : half bowl juice.

How to convert these ingredients into a pickle ? 

• Separate garlic and peel it and then clean it. 
• Make a small cut on each garlic, so that it will soak the juice in it.
• Dry fry anise seeds, fenugreek seeds and parsley seeds in a heavy gaze pan on medium heat.
• After that make the powder of these mixed seeds.
• Clean green chili and then make two long slice out of each chili.
• Grind Timur with salt to make its coarse powder.
• Take a big bowl and put garlic, chili, salt, Timur  powder, and then mixed powder of anise seeds, fenugreek and parsley seeds.
• Take one bottle and the put  he mixtures in a bottle [or in a plastic jar]. 
• After that pour the lemon juice from the top so that when it trickles down it will soak the garlic.  
• Now put the bottle in a cool and dry place for a little more than a month before you consume it

Now, your pickle will be ready in  about a months time !

Fresh green peas pickle

We know that pickles are mostly made using vegetables and fruits. However, we can also make pickles using condiments, spices, flowers and grains too. Gains can be fresh or seasoned both will work to make a pickle but here at this receipe we are going to make a pickle using fresh green peas. 

We can find it in the market at this time of the year and when I take a round of my city at the evening I still see this in the market so why not try it before it vanishes from the market !  

Ingredients :

Green peas                   :        250 grams

Ginger                          :        two big piece

Salt                              :        as per the taste

Red chili powder          :        one teaspoon

Mustard powder           :        one tablespoon
Turmeric powder          :        1/2 teaspoon

Fenugeek seeds            :        1/4 teaspoon

Lemon                         :        one small

Mustard oil                  :        one tablespoon

How to convert all these ingredients into a delicious pickle ?

• Take a small bowl and put the peeled green peas  on it.
• Clean and peel ginger before you chop it in small pieces.
• Add mustard powder salt, red chili and mix it well.
• Squeeze lemon juice over it.
• Heat the oil and put fenugreek seeds on it.
• Wait until it burns and then gas off.
• Put turmeric powder on the hot oil and then pour it over the bowl where peas mixture is.

The recipe is shared by Ramina Bajracharya. She is a fashion designer at RD Chahat, a mother and a food lover. She belongs to Newar community, who are well known for their culinary art; as they have mastered the art to tease the taste buds of gourmet.