Usirikaya pachadi | Andhra style amla pickle | Indian gooseberry pickle

In India we have pickle for every season.Winter is the season of lime,amla(indian gooseberry),fresh turmeric.Actually there is science behind particular pickles for particular seasons.Indian meal is incomplete without pickles.As summer is horrid in India mango pickle pickle is made and devoured .Now what is the science behind it ?Green mango or avakaya is said to be a natural body coolant hence preferred for summer pickling mainly in the months of march and April .

Same is the case with winter specialities like amla and lime.Both theses are a store house of vitamin C and proved efficient in combating cold and flu virus and all the other winter ailments(seasonal).Hence amla and lime for winter pickling .In a traditional Indian house hold pickles are made in such a way that the house is never void of pickles.Like mango /avakaya pickle is made in such a way that it lasts until November- December.And once when the winter bounty of lime and amla is in the market it's time for those pickles.Again lime and amla pickles are made in such a quantity that it lasts until summer or the season of mangoes has arrived.

Hyderabadi gosht ka achaar |Hyderabadi lamb pickle

I think India is the only country where you can find pickles made from every possible fruit, vegetable and what not.India is a pickle lovers paradise.Pickles are made on a yearly basis and are preserved for the rest of the year.If there is a marriage or a gathering of the family then extra care is taken to hoard the pickle for the guest or the family visiting during the un season. Hyderabadi gosht ka achaar is a speciality of Hyderabad which is  made during Eid ul Adha(bakrid). Its not that you can not make it on other days.Definitely you can.Commonly beef is used for this pickle but here i have used mutton .

Gosht ka achaar can be relished with steamed rice or chapati .It goes really well with any thing or as it on its own.Though mutton is a perishable item it can stored in the form of pickle for a month and over.My grand mother use to tell that the story behind mutton pickle dates back to the haj pilgrimage when Pilgrims used to travel by ship and it used to take months for them to reach Mecca.So they would prefer to carry those food items along with them that would not go stale and as well lend them the taste of home.Though the scenario has changed a lot now and Alhamdulillah we reach in hours to mecca but carrying on the trend still people take along with them this pickle while travelling. 

Fresh turmeric and ginger pickle |Kacchi haldi aur adrak ka achar |How to make pickle from scratch| Indian style turmeric and ginger pickle

India is land of pickles.Pickle making is an 'art ' an 'un - sung art'.The process of pickle making is under taken with UT- most care ,as the pickle has to last the entire year-Yes you read it right.I have seen my grand mother(s) and till today my mother and MIL too make pickle for the entire year.Especially if its Mango pickle in summer and lemon and green chilly pickle for winters it has to be hoarded in the form of pickle.Special care is taken in selecting good quality spices especially red chilly powder, turmeric, mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds as these are the soul to any pickle.The spices are then sorted of any mud or pebbles ,sun dried to remove moisture and ground on a mortar and pestle .The aroma and texture of spices ground in a mortar and pestle is just incomparable .