Indian Fresh Apple Pickle

This is a David Tanis recipe that I found on on the NYT cooking website. Try it as a salty-acidic accompaniment to your next curry. It pairs well with his recipe for Apple Raita.

Ingredients:

  • 4 sweet-tart apples

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp cayenne

  • 1/2 tsp tumeric

  • 3 Tbs untoasted sesame oil or neutral vegetable oil

  • 2 tsp black mustard seed

  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder (skip if you don’t have this)

  • Juice of 1 large lime

Directions:

  1. Wash the apples, cut into quarters and remove the core. Slice into thin strips about 1/2” thick by 1” long. Place in a medium bowl.

  2. Add salt, cayenne and tumeric. Mix well.

  3. Warm 1 Tbs sesame oil in your smallest skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, and cook until they begin to pop. (About 1 minute.)

  4. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the asafoetida, then mix the contents of the skillet into the bowl of apples.

  5. Add the remaining sesame oil and the lime juice to the apples, and mix well.

  6. Let the apples rest for 15 minutes so the flavors infuse the apples.

  7. Store refrigerated up to three days. Serve at room temperature.