Raw guava pickle ready in ten minutes, a tangy side for plain dal-rice

Guavas have arrived in the markets in large quantities these days. Most people eat the fruit cut up, sprinkled with red chilli powder and salt. It is available through the year and is good for health as well as taste.

Many dishes are made from guava. It contains plenty of fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants, which is why eating one guava a day is advised to raise vitamin C levels. Eating guava also keeps digestion healthy.

Here is an easy way to make a tangy guava pickle. Pickle made this way goes well even with plain dal and rice, and it stays good for two to three weeks.

The ingredients first. The pickle needs guavas, mustard oil, yellow mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder, dry mango powder, lime juice and ordinary salt.

Now the method. Wash the guavas well in water, then dry them and cut them into medium-sized pieces. Remove the seeds inside while cutting. This keeps the seeds from getting stuck in the teeth and improves the taste.

Next, put the fennel, fenugreek and mustard seeds in a pan and roast them on a low flame until lightly browned. Roasting reduces the raw taste of the spices. Let the roasted spices cool, then grind them fine in a mixer jar to make a powder.

Now heat mustard oil in a pan. When the oil has cooled to lukewarm, add asafoetida, nigella seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder, ordinary salt, black salt and the prepared spice powder, and mix.

Finally, add the guava pieces and lime juice and mix well. Fill the pickle in a glass jar and set it aside. The tangy guava pickle is ready.