Pickles hold a special place in Telugu cuisine, enhancing the taste of any meal. While we typically make pickles with mango, tomato, or sorrel leaves (gongura), you can also prepare a delicious and easy pickle using cauliflower. It pairs well not only with rice but also with breakfast items like upma, idli, and dosa.
This special cauliflower pickle recipe has been shared by Mrs. Peri Vijayalakshmi from Hyderabad.
First, take a medium-sized cauliflower, wash it thoroughly, and cut it into small pieces. Blanch the pieces in hot water, which ensures cleanliness and adds a great texture and taste to the pickle. Drain the water completely and transfer the cauliflower pieces into a bowl.
Now, add an adequate amount of tamarind paste to the cauliflower pieces. Add salt to taste, mix well, and set it aside to allow the tamarind sourness to absorb into the cauliflower.
Next, heat some oil in a small pan and prepare a tempering (popu) with mustard seeds and split bengal gram. Add two or three dry red chilies and sauté. The aroma from this tempering elevates the flavor of the pickle. At the same time, lightly roast a few fenugreek seeds in the pan. Be careful not to over-roast them; roast them lightly, let them cool, and grind them into a smooth powder. Adding this fenugreek powder imparts a unique taste and aroma to the pickle. However, use only the right amount, as excess fenugreek can make it bitter.
Now, add the prepared tempering to the tamarind-mixed cauliflower and mix well. Then, add about two spoons of red chili powder and mix everything thoroughly. Finally, add the required amount of fenugreek powder and mix so that all the ingredients coat the cauliflower pieces evenly.
Set this mixture aside for about 15 minutes so that the flavors of tamarind, chili, salt, tempering, and fenugreek blend well into the cauliflower pieces. Give it a good final mix, and your delicious cauliflower pickle is ready.
It tastes amazing when mixed with hot rice and a little ghee. It can also be served as a side dish with breakfast items like upma, idli, and dosa. Quick and easy to make, this cauliflower pickle stands out for its unique flavor profile—combining the tanginess of tamarind, the spice of chili, the aroma of tempering, and the distinct taste of fenugreek to enhance any meal. You can easily prepare this at home using readily available ingredients.
Recipe provided by: Mrs. Peri Vijayalakshmi, Hyderabad
