Any Indian/Pakistani cooks out there?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone help me figure out how to use this? I picked up Pakistani "Ginger Pickle" and "Lemon Pickle" at an International grocery store. I've been eating them on crackers or even by the forkful, it is that good. Both of them are super spicy, and one is a combination of slivered ginger and mango in oil and spices, the other is halves of tiny lemons in oil and spices and is pretty salty. What are these "supposed" to be used for? I can't see anything on the label to point me in the right direction and when i google them, I get recipes for making them but not how they're eaten. Are they just served on the side of the plate like a condiment, or used as a marinade or what? TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone help me figure out how to use this? I picked up Pakistani "Ginger Pickle" and "Lemon Pickle" at an International grocery store. I've been eating them on crackers or even by the forkful, it is that good. Both of them are super spicy, and one is a combination of slivered ginger and mango in oil and spices, the other is halves of tiny lemons in oil and spices and is pretty salty. What are these "supposed" to be used for? I can't see anything on the label to point me in the right direction and when i google them, I get recipes for making them but not how they're eaten. Are they just served on the side of the plate like a condiment, or used as a marinade or what? TIA.

Side of the plate or on rice.

[Anonymous]

It's what's called "achar" -- it's just a condiment; you eat it the same way you'd eat a pickle with a sandwich or burger.

[Anonymous]

Oh, man, I live mango pickle.

[Anonymous]

It is usually used as an accompaniment to spice up the main meal to the person's taste. A little bit (about a tsp) is served on the side and each person mixes it into the curries/rice/naan according to taste.

[Anonymous]

Yep, a condiment. I take a small bit with my bites of vegetable or rice and dal. It's sort of used like wasabe is with sushi.

[Anonymous]

I am this way with harissa. Can't stop eating it on everything.

[Anonymous]

I like the mango pickle with my scrambled eggs. Yum!!

[Anonymous]

It's a condiment served with meals. You put a bit on the side of your plate or you can mix it in with your meal. You can eat the pickle (commonly known as achar) with rice or with roti. But really you can eat it with anything you want to spice up -- idli, dosa, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the others. I also use the ginger pickle with some greek yogurt (home) or sour cream (entertaining) for dips for a lot of things. It doesn't work as well with mango/lemon, etc.

In South India, pickles are eaten with curd rice. There are recipes for that online, but to be super quick, you can just mix some yogurt and rice (and milk/water if it's too thick for your taste) and use a little pickle in each bite. Still my favorite comfort food when I've had a rough day!