(Above): Aachari Santarey (Orange Zest Pickle) by Sudha Gupta. (Siliconeer)
It’s tangy, sweet, spicy, and bursting with flavor! Here’s a way to use up all those peels from oranges and make a healthy pickle out of them. Enjoy with your choice of breads, roti, paratha, mathri or just by itself, writes Sudha Gupta.
Ingredients:
  • 2 cup orange peels (orange zest) cut in thin and long strips
  • 1/4 cup  ginger (thin and long strips)
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped green chili
  • 1 tbsp. raisins
  • 6 pitted dates, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black salt
  • 2 tsp. black pepper powder
  • 4 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tsp. cardamom powder
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • One pinch of  asafetida
  • 1 tsp. fenugreek deeds
  • 1 tsp. kalonji seeds
  •  1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. peanut oil
Method:
In a microwave-safe bowl add washed orange peel strips with 1 tsp. peanut oil and mix. Microwave the mix for 4 minutes.
Remove bowl from microwave and add 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black salt and mix well with orange peel strips.
Put bowl back in microwave and again heat for 3 minutes.
Take out the bowl and add:
  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • vinegar
  • lemon juice
  • garam masala
  • cumin powder
  • black paper
  • cardamom powder
  • asafetida
  • fenugreek seeds
  • kalonji seeds

Mix well and then add:

  • ginger strips
  • chopped green chill
  • raisins
  • chopped dates
Mix everything in the bowl and re-heat for 2 more minutes in the microwave. Allow the mixture to cool.
Pickle is ready, enjoy! 😉