Vakkaya North Indian style pickle ( Karuvanda North Indian style pickle)

Vakkaya is well known as Karuanda in Hindi and also Bengal Currant. It is also known as pickle berry! The fruit is quite tangy. Variety of chutneys and pickles are made using these fruits. Vakkaya contains pectin and accordingly is a useful ingredient in making jelly, jam and chutneys.

Vakkaya is a rich source of iron, so sometimes it is used in treatment of anaemia. It contains a fair amount of Vitamin C. The fruits are available during monsoon season. Ripe fruits exude a white latex when severed from branch.

Vakkaya is very similar to cranberries, available in USA at Thanksgiving time. Many Indians who reside in USA, use cranberry as an equivalent in many vakkaya recipes.

In this recipe, I made a pickle with ingredients like saunf, dhania, kalonji etc. which are used in North Indian pickle making.

                                       

                                   

                                                                           

   Ingredients:

• 1 Cup vakkaya cut into pieces and deseeded
• 3 Tablespoons saunf (fennel seeds)
• 2 Tablespoons dhania (coriander seeds
• 1 Teaspoon methi seeds (frnugreek)
• 1 Teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 Teaspoon kalonji
• 1 Teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 Teaspoons chili powder
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of hing (asafetida)
• About a cup oil

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean the vakkaya.
2.      Cut the vakkaya into 4 pieces (lengthwise).
3.      Deseed the pieces.
4.      Set aside.
5.      Heat a thick pan and add saunf seeds. 
6.      Roast all the seeds separately and leave them to cool.
7.      Heat 4 to 5 Tablespoons of oil in the pan.
8.      Add the vakkaya pieces and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes.
9.      Keep stirring.
10.      When the pieces are slightly soft, turn the heat off.
11.      Grind all the roasted seeds in a grinder.
12.      Coarseness of the powder can be according to your taste.
13.      Add turmeric powder, chili powder and salt to the ground mixture.
14.     Mix well.
15.     When the pieces are cool, add the powdered mixture and stir well.
16.     Set aside for a few hours,
17.     Heat the rest of the oil, add a spoon of mustard seeds and hing.
18.     Pour it over the vakkaya mixture.
19.     Cover and leave it for a few hours.
20.     As the pieces are slightly cooked, the pickle can be eaten soon after it is made. 
21.     Kind of instant pickle!