Ginger and Dry Dates Pickle
Adrak aur Chu-a-re ka Achar
Radha Agarwal
This recipe comes from my younger sister's daughter in-law, originally her mother's recipe. It is quite delicious and so easy to make! The dates used are 'dry dates', called 'Chuaara' in Hindi. They are quite hard, not like the soft dates that you buy in supermarkets. In UK, they are available from many Indian grocers.
Ingredients
100 gm. dry dates (Chu-a-ra in Hindi
2 cups water
25 gm. raisins
250 gm. ginger
2 cups or 1/2 litre lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. black salt (use rock salt, if not available)
250 gm. sugar or jaggery or brown or muscovado sugar
1 tsp. Salt, adjust to taste after tasting
Instructions
Remove stones from the dates and shred into thin strips, using a sharp knife on a chopping board.
Pressure cook dates in 2 cups of water for two minutes or 2 whistles. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, peel and grate ginger or shred finely.
Dry roast cumin seeds on a griddle or tava. Grind them coarsely or break them using a rolling pin/belan.
Heat a pan or wok/karahi, add the boiled dates along with their water, raisins, ginger, sugar, lemon juice and ground cumin.
Bring to boil and cook briskly until it is thick, like sugary syrup. This takes approximately 20-25 minutes.
Cool and place in a jar, ready to eat.
Notes
Also see Pickle and Chutney Selection.
