Pickles, Chutneys, and Morabbas

No matter where you are in India, you will always see bottled pickles sitting on the dining table. Indian cooks take great pleasure in sharing their pickle recipes, and many of these recipes have been passed down for generations. Pickles are usually served with rotis, parathas, and theplas, and are often packed in lunchboxes for long journeys on the train.

In addition to pickle recipes, in this chapter you’ll find the best recipes for morabbas, sweet pickles typically prepared with fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, carrots, or gooseberries; and homemade chutneys. Once, every Indian kitchen had a huge grinding stone with a heavy pestle, which was used to make chutney. These days, a mini food processor or blender most often replaces this traditional tool, but I think you’ll find that the flavor is just as authentic.