Chilli Pickle

I love chillies, I love the sensation of heat, the amazing impact they can have on food and I also love them as plants.  Seeing the chillies emerge from their flowers, grow and eventually, turn bright red, is a favorite part of the end of summer for me.  They make great house and balcony plants and are pretty easy to look after.  The only downside is that the possums like them as much as we do!

This year we have had an abundant harvest, far more than we can use at one time, so in the old tradition of preserving and pickling for the winter, I decided to pickle the last of our Indian long chillies as Indian Chilli Pickle.  I love this recipe as it is so easy and we get to eat it with curries for several weeks after.

Recipe

• 20 long green Indian Chillies
• 3 heaped teaspoons of coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 heaped teaspoons of fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoons of fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of mango power (Amchur)
• 1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
• splash of white vinegar
• spray of oil

Grind all the whole spices to a fine powder then add the ground spices.  Chop the chillies into halves lengthways and then into small 10 mm pieces.  

Heat a wok on hight heat and apply a good spray of oil.  Just as the oil starts to smoke, add the chillies.  Keep moving the chillies on the high heat for 2 - 3 minutes then add the ground spices.  Fry for another minute or so but don't let the spices or the chilli burn, then add the vinegar.  Turn the heat right down and make sure all the spices have been scraped from the bottom of the wok.

Transfer the chilli and spices to a sterilised (this is important!) jar, close the lid and let the pickle cool down.

Leave for two weeks, shaking every now and then.  Enjoy with curry or just rice!