Kumquat pickle (instant kind)

Hello everyone, this was a while ago......one of my friends gave me a bunch of kumquats from her garden. For those of you who don't know, kumquat is a kind of citrus fruit. Looks like a mini orange. You can eat the skin and seeds too. It is rich in vitamin C and fiber. So coming back to my story; after my friend dropped of a batch, we ate as much as we could but still had a bunch of them lying around. So decided to make a pickle out of them. Turned out to be a hit and everyone loved it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients: Kumquats: 15-20 halved or whole (you can de-seed but I prefer to eat the seeds - sometimes they might be a bit bitter), Red chilly powder - 5-6 tsp, cumin powder - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, pickle masala - 3 tsp, apple cider vinegar - 5-6 tsp, sugar - 4-5 tsp (adjust per taste), salt to taste. Tempering: oil - 3 tbsp, mustard seeds - 1 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, turmeric powder -1 tsp.

Method: Cut the kumquats into halves and add 1/4th cup water and pressure cook them for 1 whistle till soft (you can also cover and microwave them in microwave cooker - add 1/4th cup water). Once done, add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, pickle masala and apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt and keep it aside for a while. Meanwhile take a pan and add oil for tempering. Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seed and a little turmeric for color. Pour the tempering over the pickle and mix thoroughly. 

Enjoy with paratha, rice or roti. Tastes heavenly!!! blend of sweet, sour and spicy flavors to tickle your taste buds :) Till my next post, take care everyone!