#48 : Pandu mirapakaya Pachadi ~ Red Chilli Pickle

Yet another cold weather pickle with the tongue burning spice of Red Chilles. This is ONLY meant for the brave at heart. I thoroughly enjoyed learning to make this pickle even after suffering from the painful sting of the freshly ground red chillies.

Kalyan and I belong to Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in India that is popular for red chilli farming and for making the spiciest of the pickles. It was a moment of contentment and pride as I stored this pickle away.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup fresh Red Chillies
• 1 small lime sized ball of Tamarind
• 1.5 Tbs Salt  ( add more if needed later)

For Tempering

• 5 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek powder

Method:

1. Wash red chillies and pat dry on a kitchen towel. Remove the stems
2. In a food processor/blender grind the red chilles, tamrind, salt together to coarse  paste ( Do not add any water)
3. For tempering-Heat oil, add mustard seed, let them splutter. To it add asafoetida and fenugreek powder and fry for a minute
4. Pour the tempering over the ground red chillies. Can we stored away in a glass bottle for up to 2 months 
5. Serve with steaming hot rice and ghee. Enjoy the spice!

**Remember to wear gloves when you handle the red chilli paste. The sting is very painful!