Karonda (Natal Plum or Corinda) Pickle
Karonda Aachar
Abha Gupta
Pictures by Alok and Geeta Gupta
Karonda/Corinda/Carissa/carandas is a small, very sharp, acid fruit that grows in India on small, thorny bushes during the summer months. It is the size of an olive, with small pips/seeds and it is ivory white in colour, tinged heavily with dark orange or red. It is too sharp to eat uncooked but it makes a nice bhaji and a lovely pickle.
Ingredients
250 gm. karonda fruits
1 tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. kalonji, Kalaunji or nigella seeds (Nigella sativa)
60 gm. salt
50 gm. green chillies (optional)
1 tbsp. large Saunf or fennel seeds, ground
25 gm crushed rai or mustard seeds (smaller variety is used in pickles)
1/2 cup mustard oil, heated until smoking and then cooled
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala (optional as it will darken the colour of pickle)
Instructions
Wash fruits and leave on a towel overnight to dry completely.
Slit into half, lengthways, remove seeds.
Slice the green chillies in pieces of about one centimetre each.
Place halved karondas and green chillies in a bowl and add everything else to them. Mix well and fill the jars.
Allow to stand on a sunny window sill for 1 week.
Adjust seasoning (salt/chillies) and eat with Plain Paratha.
Notes
Also see Pickle and Chutney Selection.
