Cranberry Thokku / Cranberry Pickle

If you have been reading food blogs, it is kind of a norm to make something sweet as a New Year post or the first post in the year. I am deviating a bit and posting a savory dish as my first post. But, even when it is savory, I wish you all loads of sweet things in your life this year and in future years.

This is the first cranberry preparation I ever tasted. We were invited to a dinner by a nice lady and she had made this. From that time onwards, I have been making it at least once every cranberry season. You could use frozen berries when these berries are not in season.

One Year Back - Thengol
Ingredients:
Fresh Cranberries - 3 cups rinsed and picked
Oil - 3 TBSP (Any oil except olive oil)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - generous 2-3 pinches
Turmeric - a big pinch
Dried Red chillies - 14 divided use (Alter per taste)
Fenugreek seeds/ methi seeds / menthya - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Heat a skillet. Dry roast 12 red chillies with fenugreek seeds. Keep moving the contents in the pan as fenugreek burns easily and gives a bitter taste. When the seeds start popping and are golden, remove from heat and set aside. In the same skillet, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the remaining two chillies (broken) and hing. Now, add the cleaned cranberries. Stir. Add salt, turmeric. Keep stirring often so that all the berries pop. When most of the berries have popped and made a mush, reduce the heat. Take the roasted red chillies and fenugreek and powder them in a blender/spice grinder. Add it to the pan. Mix well. Adjust the salt if necessary. Leave on low heat for a minute or two and then turn off the heat. When cool, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. This stays good for about 1 month in the refrigerator. About 3 - 4 days at room temperature. Goes well with idli, dosa, rice.

Notes:
Not everyone likes the tang /tartness of cranberries. If you are one of those who do not like it, this dish might not appeal you since there is no sugar involved in this to mellow down the tang. On a side note, you could add some brown sugar or jaggery to it to mellow down the tartness.

Enjoy.