Puli Inji

Puli Inji is a special traditional Kerala pickle prepared during festivals feast sadya. It is famous for its special flavours it gets its heat from the chillies, spiciness and flavour from ginger, sweetness from jaggery, tangy taste from tamarind make this unique Kerala special pickle.

Ideally make this dish one day before sadya (feast), so the flavours can set and it tastes more delicious the next day.

Ingredients

• Ginger 1/2 cup / 200 gms finely chopped
• Green Chilli 4 -5 finely chopped
• Jaggery 1/4 cup
• Tamerind Pulp 2 medium lemon sized
• Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Fenugreek Powder a pinch
• Coconut Oil 3 tbsp
• Dry Red Chilli 2 broken
• Curry Leaves 2 sprig
• Salt to taste

Method

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for a 10-15 minutes then to squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice and filter the tamarind juice and dilute the tamarind paste with water. Set aside.

Take a Kadai or Manchatti (earthen pot), pour 2 tbsp of coconut oil; fry chopped ginger and green chillies over a medium- low heat until the ginger is brown and crispy.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and mix well for couple of seconds.

Pour in the tamarind water and jaggery. Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick, pulpy and reduced by half. Add salt and adjust flavors, as needed.

In a small frying pan , splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves and dry red chilies and saute until crisp, pour this over the ginger mix and mix well. Remove from the fire.

Cool and transfer into a sterilised jar or bottle and leave to settle for an hour and enjoy.

We can use this for a week or two by keeping in a refrigerator.