Jathikka Achar | Jathikka Thodu Achar | Nutmeg Fruit Pickle

Jathikka (Nutmeg) is a popular spice of Kerala which has a incredibly strong and distinctive aroma.We have plenty of nutmeg trees in our backyard at home and these are in season now. And so its a natural phenomenon for us to think ways to use all parts of this organic natural fruit available in plenty. Once the nutmeg seed ripens and is ready, it breaks open in two halves and the seed just pops out with the mace tightly wrapped over the seed.The nutmeg seed and its outer red flower like covering i.e. mace(see pic below) is used as spice and so has market value too. But the outer fleshy fruit part of the nutmeg isn't used much for sale though it has the same strong flavors like the seed. We end up using a few in pickle and making chutneys and the rest is just left out. I have heard we can make wine with jathikka and am very eager to try it out. Hopefully if I get hold of some fresh fruit before the season ends will definitely try it out. This pickle unlike other pickles is good for digestion and stomach ailments. It has a spicy tinge but believe me once the pickle sits for two days to blend flavors then the spice or the strong flavor is considerably reduced. Do try it out if you get hold of some fresh jathikka thodu or nutmeg fruit.

Preparation time~ 20 minutes
Cooking time~ 15 minutes
Serves a jam bottle
Ingredients
jathikka thodu (thondu) / nutmeg fruit 10-12
garlic sliced 2 tbsp
ginger chopped or julienne 2tbsp
chilly powder 2 tbsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
asafoetida/kayam podi 1/2 tsp
fenugreek powder /uluva podi 1/4 tsp
curry leaves a sprig
gingelly oil/ nallenna 3tbsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
*vinegar 2tbsp
salt 2 tsp

Method

• Wash the nutmeg fruit under running water. Now leave to drain water or wipe with a kitchen towel. Peel the skin of nutmeg fruit lightly. Remove the seed (nutmeg and the mace covering. They are not used to make the pickle. Only the thodu or outer yellow cover is used to make this pickle.Chop the fruit in small cube size pieces. Keep aside.

• Now,heat gingelly oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds. Add in chopped ginger,garlic and curry leaves. Saute until its slightly golden brown.
• Add in the spice powders on low flame and saute till the raw smell diappears. Add in half cup water and bring the mix to a boil. Add in salt and wait till the mixture thickens lightly.
• Slide in the chopped jathikka and combine well. Cover and simmer for 4-5 mins on low flame till the masala is well coated and jathikka pieces are wilted slightly. 
• Switch off flame and add lime juice if using or vinegar as mentioned. Cool completely before storing. Store in air tight glass containers.
• The flavors seeps in well only after 2-3 days so its better to use after 3-4 days or more. The jathikka pieces tends to soften as it sits.

NOTES
* I use a mix of the hot chilly powder and kashmiri chilly powder in the ratio 1:2. That way it balances the color and heat.
* Peeling the skin of nutmeg fruit is optional. The skin is a bit harder so may take longer to cook. So I just peeled.
* I used one lime's juice instead of vinegar.  Using lime definitely replaces distilled vinegar but this pickle only stays good in refrigerator and not outside.

Asafoetida Powder(Kayam Podi), Dry Ginger Powder (Chukku Podi), Pepper Powder (Kurumulakku Podi), Fenugreek Powder (Uluva Podi), Cumin Powder (Jeerakam Podi)| Spice Powders from scratch (Kitchen Basics)

I have found kitchen as a place where you can explore and explore many aspects regarding cooking, cleaning or any life saving hacks. It not only food that matters, there are many different factors added to it. Don't you feel so? When I initially started cooking after marriage, I used to know nothing must say as compared to today. I had never tried to learn even basic recipes but true, had an idea of all recipes as mom is a splendid cook. I had always relied on her homemade masala powders but gradually as I moved to US, I had no access to mom's masala powders frequently and so started to make it at home with her guidance.There are many podis( spice powders) used in our kitchen in different recipes based on the region or the state you belong to. Though all these spices and spice powders are available in the markets these days but I prefer not to buy any of the spices in the powdered form as you never know what goes into it. Though they may be fresh when packed but as it takes time to reach us, the flavors are very less.

DRY GINGER POWDER (CHUKKU PODI)

 Have you noticed  that a curry made with freshly roasted spices is so aromatic rather than adding the store brought spice powders?? Yes,it definitely takes the same dish to  new level. I have been making garam masala, sambar powder, rasam powder, kayam(hing) podi, uluva(fenugreek)podi, jeeraka(cumin) podi and chukku(dry ginger) podi, kurumulakku(pepper) podi  since long at home. I know many of you may be practising the same at home too but this post is definitely for all the newly weds, beginners in kitchen so that they have a fair idea of the same. My mom used to make all this at home and I am carrying the same habit. I just prepare small batches so that the flavour is not lost. I have been using all these podis in many of my Kerala dishes and so thought to make a post for all these spice powders. Do save this page and keep it as a reference whenever you need to give it a try.


CHUKKU (DRY GINGER)
Wash and peel the skin of ginger. Cut in small pieces and sun dry for a week till it is reduced, shrinked and dried as in the pic. Flavorful chukku is ready for use. Use it in chukku kappi or any other dishes. The amount of ginger to be dried depends on your need and requirement completely and note that the ginger once dried is reduced to less than half the amount when it becomes chukku(dry ginger).

GINGER (on left) AND DRY GINGER(CHUKKU) on right

CHUKKU PODI (DRY GINGER POWDER)
Powder the dry ginger(chukku) in a clean dry blender jar. Blend until smooth, there may be dry strands of ginger, it is perfectly okay to have that. Store in air tight containers.

KAYAM PODI( ASAFOETIDA)
Ingredients
compound asafoetida 60gms or 120gms
wheat flour or maida 1tbsp (60gms) or 2tbsp (120gms)

ASAFOETIDA POWDER (KAYAM PODI /HING)

Method 

• In a pan, place the compound asafoetida or roll the asafoetida on a chapathi maker with a rolling pin ( it is pliable and so easy to be flattened).If the compound asafoetida is hard, then heat a little on low flame to make it pliable.

PREPARING KAYAM PODI (ASAFOETIDA POWDER)

• Then heat both sides of the flattened piece till its lightly browned and turns white as you do. The inner layer feels wet and stretches like melted cheese. If you can break in pieces then go ahead and do it as it becomes easier to dry roast the compound. Once it is crisp,turn off heat. Leave to cool and then in a dry blender jar, add the pieces and wheat flour/ maida. Powder it up until smooth. Leave to cool completely before storing in air tight containers.

PS : The kayam pieces sticks to the blades and mixer if you don't add the wheat flour or maida. Generally the kayam podi that we buy from super markets use maida but I tried using wheat flour and it worked fine. Use whichever as desired.

PEPPER POWDER(KURUMULAKKU PODI)
Heat a pan and dry roast half a cup of pepper corns. Leave to cool and then powder until smooth. Store in air tight containers.

PEPPER POWDER (KURUMULAKKU PODI)

FENUGREEK POWDER (ULUVA PODI)

FENUGREEK POWDER( ULUVA PODI)

• Heat half a cup of fenugreek seeds in a pan on low heat. Wait till it starts to pop, keep stirring frequently. When its lightly browned. Switch off flame and leave to cool. 

• Powder the fenugreek seeds once cooled in a dry,moisture free jar. Leave to cool completely before storing in air tight containers.
• The recipes that use uluva podi(fenugreek powder) are moru curry, egg masala, pickle powders, mambazha pullisery, spicy fish curry, sweet mango curry. 

CUMIN POWDER (JEERAKAM PODI)

CUMIN POWDER( JEERAKAM PODI)

• Dry roast half cup of cumin seeds in a pan until it starts to pop. Keep flame on low else it may get burned. Switch off flame and leave to cool. Blend in a dry mixer jar until smooth and store in air tight containers.
• The recipes that use roasted cumin powder are sharkara varetti, chakka kumbilappam, chakka varetti, chakka ada.

NOTES
* Make sure to use clean dry spoons each time to use these spice powders or just leave small ice cream spoons to take out these spices each time.
* Keep the jars or containers air tight so that the flavour is locked well.


RELATED POSTS
* Homemade Garam masala
* Homemade Sambar Powder
* Homemade Rasam Powder

ULUVA PODI