...p.e.l.i.c.a.n.o...
Mrs. Varada's limbe nonche
When I first tasted Shilpa's mother's kochla nonche (green-mango-cut-in-small-pieces pickle), I was in love and swooning...and promptly procured some green mangoes of my own to ensure an ongoing stock of that wondrous pickle...
But as I was preparing other various pickles, I became distraught over the waste of good lime peels used just for the juice. So, I saved them and decided to try making another of Mrs. Varada's famous creations by combining these peels with a much-juicier citrus: grapefruit!
I used the ratio of 2 cups of lime peels to one large grapefruit, but the pickle turned out a little on the dry side. 1 1/2 cups of peel to one grapefruit (or even two oranges) would have been better.
Nevertheless, I fell so in love with this pickle as well, that I made it in three variations: original heat, no heat (using paprika instead of ground chiles), and extra-hot (using a mix of Thai chiles and habaneros). Both the original and extra-hot batches were made in double portions! The mild version was made for my own mother to enjoy- which she certainly has since she discovered yoghurt(curd)-rice! Aren't moms great?!
After all of that, I don't think there is any need for me to say: "this pickle is fabulous!"
Mrs. Varada's limbe nonche
When I first tasted Shilpa's mother's kochla nonche (green-mango-cut-in-small-pieces pickle), I was in love and swooning...and promptly procured some green mangoes of my own to ensure an ongoing stock of that wondrous pickle...
But as I was preparing other various pickles, I became distraught over the waste of good lime peels used just for the juice. So, I saved them and decided to try making another of Mrs. Varada's famous creations by combining these peels with a much-juicier citrus: grapefruit!
I used the ratio of 2 cups of lime peels to one large grapefruit, but the pickle turned out a little on the dry side. 1 1/2 cups of peel to one grapefruit (or even two oranges) would have been better.
Nevertheless, I fell so in love with this pickle as well, that I made it in three variations: original heat, no heat (using paprika instead of ground chiles), and extra-hot (using a mix of Thai chiles and habaneros). Both the original and extra-hot batches were made in double portions! The mild version was made for my own mother to enjoy- which she certainly has since she discovered yoghurt(curd)-rice! Aren't moms great?!
After all of that, I don't think there is any need for me to say: "this pickle is fabulous!"