Kothamalli Thokku:(Tamizhar Style)

Cilandro Pickle/Coriander Pickle, Kothamir Pachadi/Oorughai/Malli Oorughai/Dhaniya Patha Ki Achaar.

Ingredients:

Coriander washed(discard root alone )chopped along with stems - 2 bowl full
Tamarind - cricket ball size soaked in water and made into puree/thick extract
Chili powder 3 spoons
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 cup - roasted and powdered
Mustard seeds 1/2 cup - roasted and powdered
Salt
Turmeric 1/2 spoon
Sesame oil 1 bowl full
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1 spoon

Method:

Chop coriander along with stem....into 1 inch size bits. Spread them over a wide tray. Shadow dry them for 2-3 hours.

In a wok, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida. Let it pop and splutter well. Then add cut and semi-dried coriander leaves. Fry them well.

Now add salt, turmeric and chili powder to it. Then followed by tamarind puree. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes over low-medium heat. Make sure....that coriander is done well as well as tamarind is well blend to it. Generally it will be fragrant and oil shows up on sides.

When tamarind reduces and all the raw flavour is gone. Its time to add fenugreek and mustard powder. One should not prolong to keep it over the stove after adding this. Just couple of minutes only. Fenugreek and mustard have a very distinct flavour.....but when you heat them for long time, it would taste very bitter. So...its better to turn off the stove very soon after adding it. So...make sure, the coriander is done well, before adsing this powder. As we cant alter after this time.

Once it is over.....allow it to cool over your counter-top. Store them in air-tight ceramic or glass jar. Its good to smear the jar with spirit before popping your pickle in. Never use steal spoon for serving pickle....the tamarind reacts with it. Its better to use plastic/ceramic or glass spoons. Try to cook pickles with sea-salt/rock salt than an iodized salt, iodized salt gives a kind of metallic taste to the food.