Amita Nene's Yummy Expressions
Adding
flavour to creations…. Jalapeno pickle
Do
you recollect having had that feeling of weariness as you may have sunk into
the sofa late some evening? May be a marathon day with back to back meetings at
work or a long afternoon entertaining an assortment of relatives over an
intricate well spread out lunch menu…?
I
have been in similar situations plenty and I am familiar with an ardent desire
to become invisible for the rest of evening or a sincere hope that my comfy
sofa engulfs me to relax inside its fluffy cushions to be released next morning
fully rejuvenated, refreshed and ready to take on the brand new bright day!
Cut
to reality, there would be a long mental to do list of the chores I need to
finish and a dinner to be served before I can even think of hitting the sack! A
quick one dish meal idea usually comes to rescue on such occasions, decreasing
my work load to a large extent and at the same time ensuring happy faces and equally
happy tummies by bed time.
And
on this day, I chose to make one of the easiest one dish meals – a pan grilled
tofu with a stir fry of fresh veggies and a fresh tomato sauce. I finished it
with a toss of pickles that added an impeccable punch to the dish.
I
have taken a liking to storing some pickled marinates in my fridge because
nothing comes more handy in adding an oomph to many a gourmet meals and to a
myriad of quick fix meals!
Pickled
gherkins …. Olives…. Carrots shreds…. Marinated onion rings… pickled jalapenos…
are my favourites though there are so many of them available, the list can go
on and on….These and many more have been the secret to many a scrumptious
pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads that we would have relished in our much
loved restaurants, cafes and bistros.
I
used to get all these pickle jars of the shelf at my favourite store, and then
I had a friend of mine share with me his recipe of pickling jalapenos…. And
ever since, I always have handy in my fridge, a jar of some succulent homemade
jalapeno pickle, in order to add that distinct hot and sweet zing to any
cuisine.
Here’s
how you can make a marinade pickle…
To
get going, you need……
10-12
jalapenos, sliced into rings
2
large peeled cloves of garlic
1
large bay leaf
8-10
black peppercorns
1
cup white vinegar
3-4
tbsp honey
1-2
tbsp salt as per taste
1
mid-sized glass jar with an airtight lid (completely dry)
In
a sauce pan, add 1 cup of water, 1 cup vinegar, salt, garlic cloves, bay leaf
and peppercorns and heat it up to boiling point only. Add honey, mix well till
dissolved. Now add the sliced jalapeno rings into the liquid and press down
gently so that all the rings are soaked well.
Leave
for about 10-15 minutes and you notice the colour of the jalapeno rings changes
from bright green to a pale green.
Scoop
out the rings and put them into the glass jar. Now slowly pour the hot pickling
mixture along with the whole spices into the jar. Gently press the jalapenos
down with a spoon, so that air pockets if any are released.
Leave
uncovered till it cools down completely. Once at room temperature, put the
airtight lid and store away in the refrigerator.
These
will easily stay good for 6-7 months. And during this time, be assured that you
are going to elevate your pizza, pasta, salads and more to a very fine food
experience.
Have
a good time pickling… and Yummy Expressions!
See
you soon….
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