When Talking about Salt, can Pickle be far away!!??

Dear Reader

You will agree that pickle is the next obvious destination when the talk is of brine and preserving. The Celebrity chef Kunal Kapoor said we are a 'pickle nation'. We swear by it!!  Pickle substitutes any side dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Not only can we turn any vegetable, fruit, egg, and/or meat into a pickle. It is the common man's salad. 

   But here is some interesting history of pickles--

• It is rumoured that pickles were one of the famous and prized beauty secrets of Cleopatra 

• As far back as 2030BC, cucumbers were pickled in India in the Tigris Valley

• Pickle is considered to be the earliest form of preserved, mobile food 👌 and so much for modernity😋

• As geographical expeditions began, people travelled to new worlds, they carried food that would be with them for some time and preserve their health-pickles

• It is said that that's how kosher Dill Pickle was introduced to the USA by Jewish immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cucumbers were washed and piled in large wooden barrels with dill, garlic, spices, kosher salt, and clean water. They would be left to ferment for a few weeks to several months. Selling this pickle was one of the ways to survive in a new land. This became one of the most profitable businesses within the Jewish community. Today, it is one of the complimentary foods served in restaurants. 

Here are some (inter)national favourites from across the globe

1. Giardiniera is an Italian pickle made from onions, carrots, peppers, zucchini, and cauliflowers. The veggies are fermented in either red or white wine vinegar with a variety of herbs like chilli flakes, oregano, and garlic.  

2. L'hmad markad (Morocco) is their version of lemon pickle. The most basic recipe uses lemon, lemon juice, water, and salt. Since the lemons are tart, they are used to cut down the acidity. 

3. Torshi is the pickle of the Middle East. Derived from the Persian word torsh, which translates to sour, is made from any fresh vegetable. Pickling fresh turnips in vinegar, salt, water, and garlic is one of the refreshing pickles. 

4. Kimchi is supposed to be the national dish of South Korea as it is an integral part of their history. Typical kimchi has napa cabbage, garlic, and chile peppers. It has inspired poets who mentioned it in their poems. (Like Shakespeare who popularized the phrase 'in a pickle' . . . he mentions it in The Tempest (Act 5, Sc 1) and Antony and Cleopatra (Act 2, Sc 5 and of course, not to forget our own Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar's Bhootayyan Maga Ayyu) 

5. The pickled herring of Sweden is another interesting pickle. They have been pickling herring since the Middle Ages. The most basic version, I understand, combines salt, vinegar, and spices to the herrings. 

6. Sauerkraut of Germany has yet another interesting travel history. It is supposed to have travelled from China who pickled cabbage in rice wine. Mongolians who travelled to Europe in the 13th C introduced this to Europe. In Germany, this pickle gets an additional flavour from Juniper berries.  

The list is endless. the pickle that has caught the Indian imagination is undoubtedly Mango. there are as many versions of this as there are tribes and communities in India. But just to mention some exotic pickles of India-

       the bamboo shoot pickle of Meghalaya also has developed a dance style that resembles the process of making this pickle,        

         the lagan nu pickle of the Parsis is auspicious as it is customary to exchange it before finalizing the marriage 

         the mahal pickle of the Tamil Brahmins lasts up to two years-- the pickle is made from curds 

Here is another Indian pickle shared by a celebrity nutritionist --https://www.instagram.com/p/BoOZVTMlfsB/?utm_source=ig_embed

My own interest in this amazing food must be traced to my mother whose mouthwatering amate kaayi (hog plum, I believe in English) pickle I swear by. 

Disclaimer (this is necessary, pardon me)

          Today, there is a genuine concern regarding pickles as a form of food that gives us nutrition because of the high content of sodium in the pickles. As brine (saltwater) is used to ferment the main ingredients, a regular intake puts health at greater risk of high blood pressure and cancer. Ayurveda suggests a limited to moderate intake of pickles. (I found this blog by an ayurvedic doctor, do read if you would like to-- https://www.easyayurveda.com/2017/02/21/avoid-pickles-food/)    

do share your favourite pickle 👇 Looking forward to hearing some stories from you.   

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