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Life of Achaar
Pickle, comes from a Dutch word pickel which means brine, while Achaar supposedly has its roots in Persian, meaning powdered or salted meat, fruits, preserved in salt, vinegar or syrup.
The Humble beginnings... (source: new york food museum)
Archaeologists and anthropologists believe that pickling started way back in 2400BC in the Mesopotamian civilization.
A couple of centuries later our very own Kheera (cucumber) made its way up the ranks and was started to be pickled in the Tigris valley.
(Source: BBC good food)
Saviour (Savoury) in Long Voyages!
In the Age of Exploration, long voyages were common, and so was a crisis of food and sea-sick diseases such as Scurvy (a Vitamin C deficiency disorder).
During his journey to the New World, pickles were rationed by Christopher Columbus for his sailors. So crucial was this Achaar for the trip, that he even went to the extent of growing cucumber in Haiti, to restock his supply of pickle for the trip ahead.
Roger that! Pickles reloaded!
During the II War, pickles were chosen as the staple for US troops for their longevity, so much so, over 40% of the pickle produced was sent to the troops as ration.
Even Roman emperor Julius Caesar, fed pickle to his troops in the belief that it would make them stronger and more effective. Centuries later Napoleon did the same thing. To which Caesar exclaimed, “Et tu, Napoleon?”
“Tumhari khoobsurti ka raaz kya hai, Cleopatra?”
(Source: IMDb)
Even Cleopatra credited her legendary beauty and health on her consumption of pickles.
The romance of Garmi ki chhuttiyan & Achaar!
Summer vacations were incomplete without seeing your grandmas or your mom religiously putting out those jars filled with achar out in the rooftops. And us staring at them constantly, waiting for the green signals for an entire month to finally get our hands on them.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
1 achaar, 3 prakaar
Pickles usually are of three basic types in India, the ones preserved in vinegar, the ones in salt, and the ones in oil.
Oil-based pickles are the most famous in India. Although there are several other innovative methods to make pickles too, here’s an instant recipe you would want to look at, (Instant Aam ka Achaar).
India and Achaar-A'tuut bandhan
Pickles are engraved in India’s culture and cuisine since time immemorial, much before the western culture adapted it using brine mediated pickles.
Although literally every corner of the country has their own fundamental recipes, ingredients and flavours of achaars. It's virtually impossible to list all of them, here are a few unique ones you would want to look at:
- World’s Hottest! Assam’s Bhoot Jolokia is famous for being one of the hottest chillies found in the entire world. However fearsome it might sound, bhoot jolokia achaar is one to be savoured. Dipped in oil and sometimes laced with bamboo shoots, this one’s famous across the world.
- Orange Peels?! Orange tholi achaar is made out of orange peels, it doesn’t require any setting time and can be made instantly. Orange tholi achaar comes with a burst of sweet and tang in its flavour. This achaar is commonly found in south Indian kitchens.
- Kamal-kakdi ka achaar! This one comes right from the ‘heaven’. A Kashmiri delicacy, kamal kakdi ka achaar is made up of lotus stems mixed in mustard oil and fresh spices. Known to taste wonderful with parantha, it has a mildly spicy and tangy flavour.
- Non-veg yahan bhi! Chemmeen achaar is a delicacy from God’s own country down south. It's a prawn speciality and is loved for its spicy and unique taste amongst foreigners. While pork is a staple in the northeast, it was obvious there’s achaar with it as well. Pork and bamboo shoot achaar are a speciality of Arunachal Pradesh. A juicy blend of meat and bamboo shoot gives a certain unique taste to it.
Cooperative societies: A new ray of hope
Almost every bottle of achar we buy for our homes is prepared by some woman in some part of the nation, who’s striving to become self-sufficient by earning her own bread. Self-help groups in India have come a long way in empowering women who come from socially backward classes, or are from poor villages. It has given them confidence and hope; it has helped them to come out of the shackles of the society and hold their heads high with respect and dignity.
(Source: The News Minute)
Heath benefits & Cautions
Pickles, since usually made with raw fruits/vegetables, have high antioxidant properties.
(Source: Organic Facts)
Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot even put in words how much difficulty I have faced writing this blog while saving the keyboard from my ever-dripping saliva!
While I run and grab my mouthful of achaar, here are a few you can order ghar baithe from Moipot.
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