Shital's-Kitchen: Gud Keri

Making pickle is indeed an art. Traditional art of storing and preserving seasonal fruits and veggies that can be enjoyed rest of the year. Pickling is a science...the entire process involves science of life. Living microorganisms and probiotic bacteria impart delicious flavor and longevity to food. The concoction of vitamin and antioxidant rich fruit cured with salt, mixed with spices, and sweetened eventually forms delicious pickle that can be stored for the entire year.

Gud keri is a gujarati style pickle made with raw and sour mangoes, spices, and sweet gud/jagerry. The pickle turns into sweet, sour, and spicy concoction that pairs well with gujarati farsan like thepla, khakhra, muthia, bhajia, and even dhokla. This was my first experience of making gud keri. I have seen my mom making this pickle probably many years back. But actually trying out and getting my hands on this unique pickle was a wonderful experience. I was surprised to see how dry mixture eventually turns into the delicious liquid brine or syrup and is preserved for long time. I tried 3 different batches, the one that my grand mother used to make and taught my mom, one that my grandmother learned from her mom that was made with a variation by adding dry dates and soaked chana or chickpeas, and one which my mother-in-law used to make. The difference between my mom and mom-in-law's recipe is very slight, based on the family preference and palate.

The batch of gud keri with dried dates and brown chana comes from my great grand mother, Waddi Dadi. Waddi Dadi came from Karachi and she used to add dry dates and soaked chana, and as it pickles it turns into delicious soft berries. My dad has best memories of this pickle and he never fails to recite amazing stories. I feel this technique is very similar to North Indian style pickle of adding white chana/chickpeas. Maybe this technique is based on the demographic and got its way to Gujarat!! It indeed is an art and I have enjoyed a lot learning the art and keeping up with our family tradition.

Ingredients:

6 cups diced keri/raw mangoes
1+1/2 tbsp. salt
3/4 rai kuria/pickling yellow mustard (crushed mustard seeds)
3 tbps. mirchi powder/red chilli powder (or to taste)
3 tbsp. crushed dhaniya seeds/coarsely ground coriander seeds
2 tbsp whole dhaniya seeds/coriander seeds
1 tbsp. methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp haldi/turmeric powder
1/4 tsp hing/asoefoetida
1/2 tsp. lavang powder/cloves powder
1/2 tsp. tej powder/ cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp. kali mirch/whole pepper corn
4 cups crushed gud/jagerry

Peel and dice raw mangoes. Apply salt and turmeric powder let it rest for 30 minutes.
Squeeze out water from raw mangoes and keep it aside. (we will use this water later)
Dry out raw mangoes on a piece of clean cloth and place it in sunlight for 5-6 hours.
In raw mango water that was left aside in a bowl, add rai kuria (crushed mustard seeds) and whisk it well. Add chili powder, crushed coriander seeds, whole coriander seeds, methi seeds, cinnamon powder, cloves powder, whole pepper corns. (If your family is not fond of whole spices, you can surely avoid them).
Mix well.
Add 4 cup chopped gud. and mix well.
Add sundried raw mangoes and mix well.
The mixture may appear dry and not anywhere close to syrupy gud keri, but do not worry. It is amazing to see how the entire mixture is reformed in a day or two. You need not add anything to the pickle. Also this pickle is not kept in sunlight. It is store in a glass jar that has to be sealed well.
Mix twice a day for 3-4 days.
Eat after that.

Here is step-by-step-pictorial recipe:

I forgot to peel the mangoes, but did it later.

Another batch of gud keri using above recipe with 1/4 cup Kharek/dry dates and 1/4 cup brown chana.

This is my Grandmother's recipe:

Brown chana must be soaked in water for 4-5 hours. Then pat dry them with a towel. Soak in raw mango and salt water for 5-6 hours before adding it to gud keri. This pickle needs to be matured for some days before eating.