Ingredients:

6 cups chopped apples (tart and firm apples are best
1 cup ground mustard seeds
1 cup salt
1 cup red pepper powder (Kashmiri variety or other hot chili pepper used in pickling)
1 tablespoon ground fenugreek seeds (aka methi)
1 tablespoon whole fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup garlic cloves (whole or coarsely chopped)
2 cups Indian sesame oil (note: Indian sesame oil is also know as gingelly oil)

Directions:

  • Wash apples and chop into 1 inch chunks.
  • Dry roast fenugreek seeds until light brown; grind to fine powder. Dry roast mustard seeds; grind to fine powder.
  • Peel garlic cloves. Chop if desired. (Note: some recipes lightly mash up to half of the garlic).
  • In a large bowl, mix together: red pepper powder, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, fenugreek seeds and salt. (Note the spice mix is the masala)
  • Add apple pieces and mix well to coat with the masala.
  • Add garlic and 1 1/2 cup of oil and mix well again.
  • Place the apple pickle with the masala in a large (ceramic or glass) container, preferably sterilized. Pour remaining 1/2 cup of oil on top (there should be about a half inch of oil)
  • Let rest a few days. Mix on days 2 and 3. Add extra oil if needed

* This pickle can be stored in a pantry; many recipes suggest it will last until the next season’s fruit is ready

* This recipe was adapted from an Andhra Avakaya Mango Pickle recipe.