Pickles are best to serve with rice, parotta, or any food item when you don’t feel like cooking. It reduces the cooking time and allows one to have more me-time. Kerala possesses a myriad variety of fish cuisines ranging right from the main courses, side dishes, snacks and even pickles (achar). Pickle serves the right amount of tanginess and spiciness to savour with any meal. Pickles are generally prepared by mothers and grandmothers at home. Indian pickles are loaded with an abundance of flavours and authentic spices that arouses the taste bulbs. They turn the boring meals into palatable ones. In Kerala, non-vegetarian pickles are especially an exclusive food item, which is no less than a dish. So, this Tuna Fish Pickle, or Meen Achar, amplifies the flavour of the meals. It is mouth-watering and fingerlicious. The achaar is prepared with a blend of fragrant Indian spices such as ginger, garlic, cloves, pepper, red chillies, turmeric, vinegar and so on. The fish on the other side is marinated and fried, which is then added into the tempering. Lastly, the vinegar is added to it and brings a tangy taste. Overall, the achaar is delectable. So, stop buying the pickles from the markets and prepare this spicy and tangy achaar at home easily.
Achar/pinterest.com
Pickles found its name from a Dutch word, pekel, meaning something piquant. They were originally made in India and were used as preservatives. Pickles are also known as achaar, pachadi, loncha, avakaai and so on. They are mainly prepared with fruits, vegetables, or meat along with oil and spices.
Here’s the recipe for Tuna Fish Pickle
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups oil
2. 1 kg tuna Fish
3. 2 teaspoon mustard seeds
4. 4 strings curry leaves
5. 2 big pieces ginger
6. 25 garlic cloves
7. 2 tbsps red chilli powder
8. 1 tbsp pepper
9. 1 tsp turmeric powder
10. ¼ tsp asafoetida
11. ¼ tsp fenugreek powder
12. 1 cup white vinegar
13. Salt, to taste
For grinding:
1. 3 slitted-cut dry red chillies
2. 1 big peeled ginger
3. Peppercorns
4. 15 garlic cloves
5. ½ tsp turmeric powder
6. 2 strings curry leaves
Method:
1. Wash and cut the fish into equal-sized, cubed pieces.
2. Dab the tuna pieces with clean cloth to remove the moisture.
3. And put them in a large, wide-open, dry pot.
4. In a grinder or silbatta, add ginger, garlic, dry red chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves, peppercorns and salt to form a masala mixture.
5. Now, add this freshly made masala mixture in the fish pot and mix properly so the flavours get infused in the fish.
6. Heat 1 cup of oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish properly without over-frying or under-frying it. Drain and set aside.
7. In a separate large skillet, heat half cup of oil, and add mustard seeds. Let it sizzle.
8. Then add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Saute them until it becomes light golden. Now add asafoetida, turmeric, fenugreek and red chilli powder. Mix them well for 2 minutes.
9. Now add the fried tuna fish in the pan followed by salt and mix well.
10. Then finally add white vinegar. Turn off the flame and let it cool at room temperature only.
11. The pickle is ready. Store it in an airtight container.
12. Serve and enjoy ordinary meals with tuna fish pickle.
