Tasty Pickles: Hot-Sweet-Sour Orange or Citron Pachadi (spicy citrus peel in a tamarind sauce)

This is a pickle, though referred to as pachadi, using oranges or citrons (naarthangai). It can be used as a side dish like vathakkuzhambu, or stored for a couple of weeks or longer in the fridge, and used as a pickle.

Ingredients:

1 C diced seville or bitter orange (picture), or regular orange, or citron (naarthangai) pieces (seeds removed)
2" diameter ball of fresh tamarind
1/3 C jaggery, powdered
1.5 Tbsp. salt
10-12 green chillies (the size of hatch chillies)
3 Tbsp virgin sesame oil (substitute with vegetable oil as second preference)
1 tsp. asafoetida powder
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 sprigs curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 3 C of hot water. Extract the pulp by kneading and squeezing with your fingers. Filter the liquid out and keep it aside.
2. Slice green chillies into thin strips.
3. Strip curry leaves from their stem, and chop coarsely.
4. Heat oil in a kadai or pan on high heat. When it is hot, add asafoetida, turmeric powder, and mustard seeds. Let the seeds crackle.
5. Lower the heat to less than medium, and add the urad and channa dals. Let them turn golden.
6. Next, add the curry leaves, green chillies, orange or citron pieces, red chilli powder, and salt. Saute briefly, for 2-3 minutes.
7. Raise the heat again to medium high, and add the filtered tamarind water. Bring the mixture to a boil.
8. Cook till the orange pieces are tender, and the liquid is reduced to about half the original amount.
9. Add the powdered jaggery, and keep boiling on low heat for another 3-4 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, cool, and store in a bottle for about 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Serve as a gravy on plain cooked rice; as a pickle with curd rice; as a sandwich spread; as a side for dosai or roti.

Note: Seville oranges are the dry, juice-less, very fragrant oranges used to prepare bitter marmalade. They are tart and bitter, and have not much juice in them. They can be used raw or ripe, as also the other citrus fruits mentioned in this post. The ripe ones that you see in the picture are from my daughter's garden in Arizona.

Enjoy!

Vasi maami