Puli inji (sweet and sour ginger pickle). Featuring an amazing combo of ginger, jaggery and tamarind along with aromatic spices, this pickle is the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of ginger. Without a doubt, it’s a tasty addition to your meal.
So you are already familiar with the aromatic ginger that plays a key role in Asian style cooking. A small teaspoon of ginger never fails to level up the deliciousness of your favorite dish. For today’s recipe, how about an amazing pickle starring this flavorful rhizome?
I totally love the unique combo of flavors making this ginger pickle, also called puli inji (puli = tamarind, inji = ginger), extra tasty. The tangy, spicy, sweet combo of ginger perfectly blends with the sweetness from jaggery and tanginess of tamarind. And of course, the aromatic spices that add the extra touch.
Ok, first, ginger. Sauté ginger until it starts to change color. Make sure you chop ginger very finely and evenly. Fry the finely chopped green chilies along with ginger.
Now, the tanginess of this puli inji (ginger pickle). Tamarind pulp cooked with ground turmeric and red chili powder. Fresh tamarind has a raw smell, and you’ll need to cook it until the smell disappears. This will take about 15 minutes.
As I mentioned, the sweetness of this pickle comes from jaggery and asafetida. Let the jaggery dissolve and cook for further 5 minutes until you get a dark and rich texture. The tempered spices, obviously, add extra touch of aromatic spices to inji puli. You can store this in the refrigerator for about a week.
This ginger pickle is a quintessential part of feast (sadya) made to celebrate the harvest festival of Kerala (Onam).
More pickle recipes:
- Celery Pickle
- Green Apple Pickle
- Raw Mango Pickle |Kadumanga Achar
- Kerala Lemon Pickle/ Naranga Achar
- Kerala Fish Pickle
More Onam Sadya (Feast) Recipes:
- Sambar | Lentil and Mixed Veggies Curry
- Kalan | Raw bananas &Yam in Tangy Yogurt Sauce
- Olan | Ash Gourd in Coconut Milk
- Ulli Theeyal | Shallots In Coconut Sauce
- Pineapple Pachadi | Pineapple in Spiced Yogurt Sauce
- Beetroot Pachadi | Beetroot in Coconut Yogurt Sauce
- Payasam / Pudding Recipes: Parippu Payasam | Moong Dal Pudding, Semiya Payasam (Kheer) | Vermicelli Pudding, Paal Payasam |South Indian Rice Pudding, Ada Pradhaman | Rice and Jaggery Pudding, Aval Payasam | Rice Flakes Pudding
Puli Inji | Sweet and Sour Ginger Pickle | Video
Ingredients
Tamarind pulp:
- ½ cup tamarind
- ½ cup water
Ginger pickle:
- 2 teaspoon oil coconut oil preferred
- 1 cup finely chopped ginger
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ cup grated jaggery
- A pinch of asafetida
- Salt to taste
Tempered spices:
- 1 tablespoon oil coconut oil preferred
- ⅓ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
Instructions
Tamarind pulp:
- Place tamarind in a small bowl. Cover with water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Discard hard bits. Set aside.
Ginger pickle:
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add ginger. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until ginger starts to change color. Add green chilies. Sauté, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add tamarind pulp, ground turmeric and red chili powder. Season with salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until raw smell of tamarind disappears.
- Add jaggery and asafetida. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Tempered spices:
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds. Allow to splutter. Add dried red chilies and curry leaves. Sauté, stirring, for a minute.
- Add tempered spices to pickle. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Video
Nutrition
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Mimi says
This sounds divine, must be flavorsome. You are so creative and all your recipes looks healthy.