Homegrown guavas

Pickling is the art of preserving the seasons. Pakistani ‘achars’ (pickles) are creations that begin upon a canvas of seasonal produce; they’re then splashed with spice and layered over with sweet and savoury ingredients. The result is a balance of piquancy and flavour that means Pakistani pickles aren’t relegated to an accompaniment, but are sophisticated enough to serve as a humble meal atop a piece of roti or rice.

In restaurants in the West we’re served up a crispy mountain of poppadoms, mango pickle and chutney for starters, but in Pakistan this would be unheard of: instead preserves are presented as delicate morsels at the side of a piled dinner plate, adding extra enticement with their aroma as well as further layers of taste. In my family, food was served with a marinated pickle of homegrown raw mango, guava or beetroot, or a fresh chutney of seasonal berries like falsa or amla, fresh coriander, mint or tamarind, and dates. The preparation of these was almost ritualistic.