Gongura Pickle

Gongura Pickle

By : Reshma AP

Gongura, nammude naattil ithine pulivendayennum puliyaral ennumokke vilikkum. Ippol naattin purangalil kanan kittunnundo ennu samsayamanu, but it is available in other states like Tamil nadu, Andra etc. In Andra, they call the pickle pachadi, it s different from our pachadi. You can make it sweet and hot. The leaf itself is very sour. So i made a sweet, hot, and sour pachadi.

Ingredients

Gongura 1 whole bunch

Oil 2 cup

Fenugreek seeds 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Red chillies 15

Jaggery syrup 1 cup

Black gram 2 tsp

coriander seeds 2 tsp

Bengal gram 2 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Garlic cloves 6

Shallots chopped 2 tbsp

asafoetida

salt

Method

Wash and dry the gongura leaves without the stalk. In a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and saute the leaves in it till it becomes pulpy. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Then grind the leaves into smooth paste and keep it aside. 

In the same pan, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil and add coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, benga gram, black gram, cumin, asafoetida, and 10 to 12 red chillies. You can add more red chillies according to your taste. Fry all these ingredients till done. Add the red chillies after all other ingredients are done and don't let the chillies to burn. Let it cool for sometime. Take it out from the oil and grind to a smooth paste without adding water or oil.

In the same pan again, add the half cup of oil or as much oil as to preserve the leaves. Add mustard, shallots, garlic, and the remaining red chillies. Saute well. Then add the ground paste and saute for 2 min. Then add the gongura paste along with the jaggery syrup and salt. If u dont want to make it sweet, u can avoid jaggery.Keep stirring. Let it cook for sometime. Switch off the stove when the oil seperates. Allow it to cool. Store in an airtight container.