Apple Thokku

We Indians can adapt so well....we are creatures that make the best use of what we have.

Granny Smith Apples are not so common in India and I had not had one until I came here to the US. These are firmer, sourer (is this even a word?) variety of apples. Our indian tongues are not accustomed to this taste of apples - so what do we do....we make pickles out of it! We add red chiili and lots of oil and make it greasy and pickely...and our tongues love it!!

Last weekend, my inlaws had gone to someone's house for puja and they got a lot of granny smith apples back as prasad. It just sat on my counter for about 3 days - no takers...I had red apples right next to this and plums, cherries, strawberries, watermelon and cantaloupes - all of those were getting over at a steady pace....but not these apples! And I did not want to waste them.

So, I decided I'll make a thokku out of this - I've had that before in someone's house. I used the same recipe I did mango thokku with (click here).

Ingredients Reqd -

Granny Smith Green Apples - 5-6
Oil - If you have 'nalla ennai' - sesame seed oil, use that - But i just used regular olive oil to make this - I can't tell the difference.
Red Chilli powder
Salt
Tumeric powder
Fenugreek seeds - before you start the pickle, dry roast about 1-2 tbsp of fenugreek seeds and grind them to a fine powder.
Mustard seeds
Hing

Wash the apples well and wipe them with a dry cloth or paper towel. Then, cut the apples into big chunks - remove the center. I did not peel the apples. If you prefer, you can peel it - the peel pretty much gets completely cooked - so I just kept it easy.

Add them to a food processor and grate them well. If you don't have a food processor, call you husband - he can grate it for you!

Add about 1 tbsp of oil to a pan. Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot and wait until it splutters. Add hing to the oil - about 1/2 tsp.

Now, add the grated apples and mix well with the oil. Add the tumeric, salt and red chilli powder - 1:6:6 tspoons respectively.

Add some more oil on top and let it cook in medium flame for a while.

As it cooks, you will see it coming together - just mash it a little bit with the back of the ladle as you mix it.

Here, it's pretty much done. Taste and add salt or chilli powder if required. Store in a air tight container and refrigirate. This can stay good for atleast a month - unless you eat it all up earlier than that!

I ate this along with Cauliflower Paratha - and it was good. Loved it. There was a hint of the natural apple sweetness and that mixed with the spicyness of the red chilli powder gives a great taste to the whole thing!