10 Popular Pickles of India
The word Pickle is derived from a Dutch word PEKEL which means brine. To pickle means to marinate vegetables or fruits in brine/vinegar/vinaigrette for preservation and longevity. Pickling as a process came into being some 4000 years ago, where the seasonal produce was pickled to be consumed in the non-seasonal period. Achar, uppinakaayi, lonacha, oorukai, ooragaya……different names- but all refer to one and only thing, our beloved, lip smacking, finger licking, yummy “PICKLE”. We are a pickle nation…. Pickling in India is not a process, it’s a tradition. A reason for the family to bond. We love our pickles like babies—tending and caring for months. The process of pickling involves a lot of discipline, dedication and patience. In many households pickling is done as an annual ritual, where ladies (mostly of a joint family) get together under one roof to set kilos of pickle for the entire clan. Every region has its favourite pickle and every family has a traditional and authentic re