Puli Inji | Tamarind Ginger Preserve -Kerala Sadhya Menu

My memories with Kerala feasts-Sadhya goes a long way because of the close Malayali friends that I have. It was always a sharing and caring fesival luncheon we would self invite ourselves to. An unwritten rule that it was;Onam and Vishu lunch will be at D's place while Diwali,Ugadi or any other festival will be at my place. As a kid I did not have much liking towards this Puli Inji as I had an aversion towards spicy food but recently I got to taste this at another friend's place and developed a liking towards it instantly and have been meaning to try it from then.

Thanks to Valli for letting me post under the Preserves and Sauces theme for Blogging Marathon #74.

Puli Inji is a sweet and tangy pickle made out of tamarind and ginger served as a part of Sadhya (feast) Menu in Kerala during Onam,Vishu and any other special occassion. This is generally served as an appetiser.It can be enjoyed everyday with idlis,dosas or even chappatis.  Those is made mainly out of jaggery,fresh ginger,tamarind and green chillies and can be stored for a long period if stored in a dry container and used carefully with a dry spoon.
Its an ideal food for long travel where we cannot carry any perishable gravy or sides during the journey.
Note: Do not compromise on the oil quantity if you want to store it for longer period.Since there are no added preservatives,it is the oil and tamarind that helps in preserving the puli inji.

Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 20-30 mins
Complexity : Medium

Ingredients
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger
10-12 green chillies - finely chopped
3/4 cup tamarind extract
1 tablespoon grated jaggery
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tablespoon gingely/sesame/til oil
pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste

Method

• In a kadai,heat the gingelly oil and splutter the mustard seeds,curry leaves,green chillies and asafoetida.
  
• Add in the ginger and fry until the ginger turns to golden brown color.Take care that it does not burn as burnt ginger will spoil the taste of the final dish.
• Slowly add the tamarind extract,little salt and jaggery and let it boil well and the raw flavor of tamarind is lost.
• Continue boiling until it reaches a slightly saucy consistency and the oil starts floating on the top.
• Remove from heat and let it cool and serve with rotis.idlis,dosas or even curd rice.
• Store in a dry glass bottle and always use a dry spoon for increased shelf life. Stays well for about 10-15 days without refrigeration but best to keep it refrigerated.

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