Allam Pickle

The English name ginger comes from French,  gingembre and is called allam in telugu. It is consumed as spice or medicine in Indian cuisine. In Western cuisine ginger is traditionally used mainly in sweet foods such as gingerbread, ginger  biscuits. It is also a spice added to hot tea and used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu.

Preparation time:30-40 min
Source: Ammamma(grand mother)
Cuisine: Andhra
Ingredients:
1/2 cup peeled n chopped ginger root
1 cup shredded jaggery
3/4 cup gooseberry paste
4-5 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp coriander powder
4 tsp salt
For tempering:
1 cup oil
10-15 curry leaves
2 tsp black gram dal
2 tsp chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp diced garlic
1/2 tsp asafetida

1. Heat the oil in a skillet, fry ginger for 5-7 min, let it cool
2. wash, dry gooseberries, slice them vertically, remove the seed, and make paste of it.
3. Add ginger to the mixer jar, paste it.
4. Then add gooseberry paste to it grind it for a minute again.
5. Add chilly powder to the mixer jar, let it blend.
6. Now add jaggery and salt to it, make a smooth paste of it.
7. transfer the paste to a bowl, add 1/2 cup oil to it, mix well
8. Add oil to the skillet, let it heat, then add chana dal, black gram dal, saute for a minute
9. Then add mustard seeds, let it splutter
10. Now add garlic saute them, finally add curry leaves and asafetida to it, saute for a while
11. Then add this tempering to the paste in the bowl, mix thoroughly.
12. This can be stored for couple of months.
13. tastes good with white rice.