Hi Naga I've just made a South Indian using garlic pickle as per the jb post.
I've never added the garlic flavour to this dish in this way, but it sounded like a fraction of the work of making the South Indian sauce.
I used Priya garlic pickle, with my own gravy, which I think is fairly neutral in terms spice oil, salt etc
and although I'm sure jb & his chef have the balance right , with their spice & gravy, mine turned out Achari like, due to adding pickle, and a fair bit overspiced due to the other ingredients in the Priya.
Didn't stop me tannin the lot, but I wouldn't have called it a south Indian
The Priya brand is quite red in colour
ELW