Lonchyaso Pito | Pickle Powder | Mangalorean Catholic Style Spice Blend for Pickles
A classic, versatile pickle spice blend prepared by almost every Mangalorean Catholic household
Ingredients
- 1/4 kg dry red chillies long (Bedgi and short (Harekala) chillies mixed) * see note#1
- 200 grams mustard large grains
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds/methi * see note#2
- 4 tablespoons white sesame / til
- 1 " piece of dried turmeric or approx 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients on large steel platters and dry in the sun for 2-3 days - this is done to remove any traces of moisture in the ingredient and will help increase the shelf life of the pickles. * See note#3 for alternate method for drying spices if sunshine is not available.
- Heat a tawa/skillet and dry roast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and white sesame one by one. Do not roast the chillies, turmeric and mustard. Transfer onto a plate and once the roasted spices have cooled down grind to a fine powder. See note#4
- Store in an airtight container and use as mentioned in the pickle recipe.
Notes
1. If you are preparing this spice blend for shredded mango pickle (kosrache lonche) then use more number of long red chillies (Bedgi/Byadge).
2. Reduce the fenugreek seeds if you want the pickles slightly less bitter. However, do not increase it beyond 1 tablespoon.
3. If it is not possible to sun dry the ingredients you can dry them in your oven. Simply spread out the spices evenly on baking sheets and place them in a preheated oven on the lowest temperature (we placed it for 5 mins in a temperature of 50 degrees C). If you keep it for too long the spices will roast instead of drying and the aroma and flavours will completely change so be careful.
4. Make sure that each of the ingredients are dry roasted on a medium heat and care should be taken not to burn them. The sesame seeds should be lightly roasted, don't wait till they begin to pop on the tawa.
5. Prep time: 2 days (for sun drying) + 15 mins | Yield: Sufficient for pickles made from 25 raw mangoes (Bellary variety)
2. Reduce the fenugreek seeds if you want the pickles slightly less bitter. However, do not increase it beyond 1 tablespoon.
3. If it is not possible to sun dry the ingredients you can dry them in your oven. Simply spread out the spices evenly on baking sheets and place them in a preheated oven on the lowest temperature (we placed it for 5 mins in a temperature of 50 degrees C). If you keep it for too long the spices will roast instead of drying and the aroma and flavours will completely change so be careful.
4. Make sure that each of the ingredients are dry roasted on a medium heat and care should be taken not to burn them. The sesame seeds should be lightly roasted, don't wait till they begin to pop on the tawa.
5. Prep time: 2 days (for sun drying) + 15 mins | Yield: Sufficient for pickles made from 25 raw mangoes (Bellary variety)