Tuesday, January 4, 2011

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. Pin It

17 comments:

  1. delicious achaar! Wish u a very happy new year too.. Cheers

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  2. Very creative use of cranberry ! Looks delicious ! Wish you and your family a happy new year.....

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  3. Color looks lovely. Thanks for such an easy recipe that can be made in advance.

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  4. Happy New year!
    i love tartness but no stock of cranberries here...Can i use prunes instead?

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  5. Happy NEw Year Champa, Lovely chutney...

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  6. Sharada,
    Unfortunately, prunes do not have the tartness that cranberries have. You can make chutney out of them, but will have to use tamarind to compensate for that.

    Thanks everyone for taking time to leave a comment.

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  7. wow colour is so good,..must have been yum,..

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  8. Hey this pickle looks great..I have some berries....Must try this..book marked...Have great New Year...

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  9. cranberries...in a pickle??? new to me but looks delicious.
    Reva

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  10. Cranberry thokku looks yumm. Are they in season now?

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  11. Lakshmi,
    Cranberries come in season in November here. You can get some in December too. I had one bag from december. But, they are available year round in the freezer section which can be used too. Do you get cranberries in your place?

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  12. Cranberries look deliciously tangy. Love to try it out soon.


    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  13. Thokku is looking amazing and That achaar is maddening.I tried it and found both are very delicious and tasty.

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