parsi eggplant pickle

finally back in the berkshires of massachusetts and you know what i've
realized?

fall is hot!

i know, i know, summer is a preservationist's dream

right?

well true dat, but
have a look at these babies:


and where i am they are in abundance. to be fair i did get them at the union square green market in nyc before we headed up here but still

if they're not in your garden i am sure they are coming to a market near you.

i know you all think that i am some medenthusiest, ...medophile perhaps?
ok, there's farther things from the truth, and i won't argue that them thar in that region know their way around a melanzana.

but

if you wanna know who can really funk an aubergine right, not to mention chiles (ban)galore, well then you have to travel a bit further east.

and perhaps it's my fault that you haven't been as privy to the east end of my kitchen, but in actuality if i had to choose i would say that this type of pickle, the kind that never has an 's' - even if you have more than one - are my favorite,

as in favourite.

know what i mean?

for a lot a reasons, starting with the fact that it is the perfect opportunity to break out these:

little katori bowls and a thali plate!

ok, so you don't need these but you should have some type of little bowls handy because believe it or not mise en place is imperative in indian cooking.

don't worry, i'll explain later.

one other thing you should know is that this pickle (see no s!) must be kept in the fridge - at least according the the USDA, i have a feeling in india that is not so much the case. but anyway

keep that in mind. it does last up to a year in the fridge as long as the top is covered with oil. this recipe is a year's supply for me, i would suggest cutting it in half or even a third on your first try, or if you are concerned about fridge real estate.

this pickle is amazing with chapatis or any type of flatbread, or i imagine any type of bread at all, any type of rice, grain, even potatoes, and yogurt or raita of course.

here's the thing; this pickle is so good that if you don't make sure to spice it and salt it up right you could be at risk of eating it in a bowl as a veggie and having it last about a week. sooo...remember it is a condiment and should be potent. when you do the final tasting at the end make sure it is hot, salty & sour enough to be used as such.



parsi eggplant pickle
adapted from my bombay kitchen by niloufer ichaporia king

2 cups peanut or sesame oil (not the dark kind) - i recommend loriva peanut oil. great flavor!
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
3 tablespoons cayenne powder (or more, or less)
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
5 pounds eggplants - skin left on, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup fresh chiles (red or green, cut into thirds)
2 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, maple sugar or best of all jaggery if you can find it.
3 tablespoons salt (or more)
1 large non-reactive (no iron) stock pot or other wide, deep pot
clean jars in various sizes with non-reactive lids

yields approximately 4 quarts

1. wash jars in hot soapy water or run through a dishwasher cycle.

2. prep eggplant, garlic, ginger and fresh chiles. measure out spices, salt & sugar and have them ready by the cooktop.

3. pour oil in stock pot and heat until very hot, it should not be smoking but should be hot.

4. important: in succession drop the fenugreek, cumin & fennel in the hot oil. let them sputter, but don't let them burn! depending on how hot you've let your oil get, they should sputter for approximately 30-45 seconds. you want them to get a shade darker but not to burn. the easiest way to determine this is to watch the fenugreek, it should get a dark golden color but not a deep brown. i hate to say it but if you burn the spices you will ruin the taste of the pickle. that said

it's easy, don't be afraid.

and err on the side of less if you are unsure.

5. once you've determined this, quickly drop in the garlic and ginger, let the garlic get lightly golden, not crunchy though. the second you detect this, bring the heat down a bit.

6. add the tumeric & chile powder, stir for 1 minute. note: if you really don't like things too hot, you might want to start with 2 tablespoons chile powder here with the possibility of adding more later.

7. add the chopped fresh chiles and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.

8. add the eggplant, vinegar, sugar & salt, give it a stir to coat eggplant and bring to the boil.

9. once boiling, bring it all down to a simmer. let simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. important: you must continue to simmer until the oil separates and floats to the top. this is when you know the pickle is done, it is also what ensures that the pickle will last long.

it should look like this when it is done

see how the oil has separated and is floating on top?

as it is simmering you don't want to stir it too much but now and then you can give it a stir to make sure it is not sticking. it shouldn't, but if it gets dry before you reach this point and you are worried about sticking, add very small amounts of vinegar. important: do not add water.

10. when you reach this point, let it cool just a bit. when it is still warm, give it a taste. at this point you can adjust salt & cayenne, you can even add a bit more vinegar & sugar if you deem it needs it. the sugar should be a base note, giving it a fullness, it should not be sweet. the sourness should be fine with the amount i've given but vinegar taste & strength varies, you don't want the sourness to be overpowering but you definitely want it tangy. salt & hot is an individual taste - this should be potent as it is eaten in tablespoon quantities as a condiment.

11. once cool, fill clean jars, use a clean spoon to push eggplants and chiles into the oil. there should be a film of oil as the top layer of each jar. place filled jars in fridge.


there are a few rules to follow that will ensure the shelf life of this type of pickle:

1. if you have the space in your fridge, use small jars and open them one at a time. barring this, you can have one or two 'master jars' - meaning large ones. instead of opening a large jar every time you eat the pickle, have one smaller one that you fill and refill from the master jar.

2. always use a clean spoon when taking pickle from the jar.

3. don't leave opened jar sitting out, take out what you need right away and if you do not eat it all do not return it to the jar. place in a separate container and put back in fridge to eat next time.

4. make sure a thin layer of oil is always at the top of the pickle jar when putting back in fridge, the best is to push the veggies back down with a clean spoon, but you can always add more oil on top if needed.

ok! this post was a mouthful, but once you get a mouthful of this pickle you'll see why

i had to!

it's delicious!