Geetha's Kitchen

Indian style Cucumber pickles is another way to enjoy the bounty of cucumbers. I needed to make a big batch of pickles quickly to serve with yogurt rice for a big, huge really, group. Although unripe mangoes would be the ideal ingredient, all I had in the fridge were a big bag of cucumbers and carrots! Since there was no time to run out to the store, I made the pickles using the cukes and the carrots. The luscious pickle turned out to be a great hit - juicy, cool cucumbers and crunchy carrots, what's not to love? They have a faint aroma reminiscent of mangoes - even looks like it! Note: You may use hothouse cucumbers or other kinds instead of the Persian. If the cukes are mature, use a teaspoon to remove and discard the core and seeds. Peel the cucumbers only if their skins are waxed; otherwise peeling is not necessary. The sesame oil used here is the Indian type; if it is not available, use your favorite mild-flavored vegetable oil. Citric acid is a white crystalline...

Amma always shared all good things she made with her neighbors and friends and they reciprocated. I cannot forget the delectable taste of stuffed red chile pickles that a neighbor brought over when I was visiting Amma. Succulent, ripe, red chiles redolent with fennel seeds and other spices, they were so good that we ate them up without giving them a chance to mature! I have tried to recreate the taste here as best as I remember. Red or green chiles may be used to make the pickles; I use green chiles when red chiles are not in season yet. Green Serrano or Jalapeno or red Fresno or Jalapeno chiles work well. With a touch of tart from the lime juice and fragrant with fennel, the green chiles retain their crisp texture and are decidedly delicious. Paji heartily agrees with me when I say that this recipe is a keeper and one to add to our chile repertoire :D. Ingredients: 12 red or green chiles (Jalapeno or Serrano) 1 Tbsp Fennel Seeds 2 Tsp Fenugreek Seeds 2 Tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 1...

I was very fortunate to receive a grand gift of a citron (Citrus medica) which is an enormous citrus fruit. It was my first encounter with this citrus giant. Aside from knowing that it grew in the Mediterranean region and was valued by the Romans of antiquity, I had no idea on its usage. I also had heard that it is used ceremonially for Jewish holidays but my Jewish friends had no idea how to incorporate it into any recipes; they had only seen it being used ceremonially to "just parade and wave around" according to Brett and Wendy :D. Citron at the top Lower row from left: Lime, Meyer Lemon, Regular Lemon Since Citron is a rare acquisition, I took a lot of pictures of it. I included the regular lemon (thick rind), the Meyer lemon (thin deep gold rind), and a Tahitian/Persian lime for comparison. At the time I did not have Key limes which are about half as big as the Tahitian limes. Longitudinal sections What does one do with citron anyway? I cannot imagine ...