Topic: Achari Recipes.

[tempest63]

I have recently started to experiment with Achari recipes, those cooked with the pickling spices, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, kalonji. I find I really like the spice combination.

As an aside I consulted an Ayurvedic practitioner recently for a long term health condition and the diet she has asked me to follow limits meat and chicken to three times a week, so Achari cauliflower, chickpeas etc, is making life a little more bearable.

T63

[Peripatetic Phil]

I genuinely think that I (a life-long carnivore) could live on masala dosa if required, T63 ...
--
** Phil.

[livo]

The pickling spice blend I use Tempest is completely different. I always use Yellow Mustard Seeds, Black Peppercorns, Dill seeds, Allspice berries and European Bay Leaves.  Sometimes I will add a few Coriander seeds.  I'll have to give the 4 spices you list a try.  My great grandmother (Mumma) used to do the best pickled onions using this blend and she would also stud the onions with whole cloves.  After a year in the jar with Cornwall's Malt Vinegar and a bit of brown sugar they were delicious.  Hmmm!  I think I need to go and see if I can buy some small pickling onions.

I've recently been experimenting with fermented foods, and I've turned out a few really nice Sauerkrauts. Green and red cabbage plus grated or julienned carrots are the base and then I add flavours such as dill weed and coriander seed or garlic, ginger and turmeric etc.  I work on a 2.5% - 3% brine solution and they are turning out really well.  No added water as you just allow the salt to draw the water out of the veggies for a few hours, tossing it over in a big bowl every hour before packing into the fermenting jar.  After a week or 2 depending on temperature and desired level of fermentation, you then transfer to sterile preserving jars and pop it away in the fridge.  Colder climate could go in the cupboard.  Really yummy and apparently very good for your gut as well.

[mickdabass]

I've recently been experimenting with fermented foods, and I've turned out a few really nice Sauerkrauts. Green and red cabbage plus grated or julienned carrots are the base and then I add flavours such as dill weed and coriander seed or garlic, ginger and turmeric etc.  I work on a 2.5% - 3% brine solution and they are turning out really well.  No added water as you just allow the salt to draw the water out of the veggies for a few hours, tossing it over in a big bowl every hour before packing into the fermenting jar.  After a week or 2 depending on temperature and desired level of fermentation, you then transfer to sterile preserving jars and pop it away in the fridge.  Colder climate could go in the cupboard.  Really yummy and apparently very good for your gut as well.

That all sounds really interesting Livo. It reminds me of Kimchi. I have seen some recipes for kimchi - cant for the life of me remember where...but I was put off by the addition of uncooked chicken in them

Regards

Mick

[livo]

It started back in November last year when we catered for a crowd at my mother-in-law's 80th.  We served little slider buns with pulled chicken, beef and pork and these required a kraut, so I went about making it.  It turned out so well that I've now made 2 more batches.  If I see cheap cabbage, I buy it. There are plenty of instructional videos out there and I watched a few, but I found this guy to be really straight forward and a reliable and repeatable process.  I did exactly as he instructs, and it worked.  The most important thing is to keep everything clean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Laj1-whtBs0

As for flavourings, I pretty much just copied the flavours that were in some ferments my wife had been buying from a business run by her work colleague, but you can have it plain or use whatever takes your fancy.

[tempest63]

I have a pickling crock at home that has never been used since it was gifted to me, and I have a week off work so this may be my next project.

[Secret Santa]

The pickling spice blend I use Tempest is completely different. I always use Yellow Mustard Seeds, Black Peppercorns, Dill seeds, Allspice berries and European Bay Leaves.

That's European pickling spices livo. Tempest is talking about achari pickling spices which are, as he stated, essentially panch phoran.

[livo]

The pickling spice blend I use Tempest is completely different. I always use Yellow Mustard Seeds, Black Peppercorns, Dill seeds, Allspice berries and European Bay Leaves.

That's European pickling spices livo. Tempest is talking about achari pickling spices which are, as he stated, essentially panch phoran.

Thanks Santa.  I had no idea.