Maagaali Kizhangu, Thayir Oorugai (Pickle)

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This pickle is my son's/my family's favourite and I was asked by many in the family to give the recipe for a long time and here it is.
Maagaali Kizhangu (Decalepis root) pickle - this is a very famous pickle in South India.  In Kannada, we call it Maagaali beru, in Tamil, Maagaali kizhangu.  This is a root vegetable, which has got a very strong smell (flavour) which some people do not like and people who like the smell, love it.    This pickle can be prepared in two types.  Let me  give you the pickle recipe in which curd is used.

The photo of the maagaali kizhangu above, was taken after it was washed, so looks glossy!

This root is available in the vegetable markets during season, around September to January, I think. Trichi in Tamilnadu (as far as I know), is famous for this root vegetable.  We have to select the roots by scratching the skin of the root.  It should be tender and nearly white inside. If the root is not tender, it will not soften after we prepare the pickle.   I bought 1 Kg. of this root. But after cleaning, I got only 3 cups of cut pieces.  So I will give the ingredients for 3 cups of pieces.

First step:

Soak the roots in a tub of water for sometime.  The mud, which is sticking, should come out. Then peel out the outer skin and drop them, one by one, immediately in a big vessel filled with water in which a half cup of butter milk is added.  Butter milk prevents the root from becoming dark brown in colour.

Second step:



This root has got a stick-like thing in the center (thandu).  So take a root from the water, slice it and cut into very small pieces, as shown in the photo.  Throw away the stick.  These pieces also should be dropped into another vessel with water and buttermilk.   No need to measure the water in the vessel because we will throw away this water, later! Only this step will take more time.

Cut pieces in curd and water mixture.

Let me give you the list of the ingredients now, for the third step:

1.  3 Cups of cut pieces of the root
2.  1 Cup  sea salt
3.  1 tsp. Turmeric (haldi) powder
4.  8 - 10 Green Chillies (sliced into two pieces - you can add more if you like)
5.  3 Tsp. Mustard seeds
6.  10 - 12 Red Chillies
7.  5 - 6 cups curd (no need for sour curd, if it is slightly sour also, no problem)
8.  3 Lemon (juice) - optional.

Third Step:



Measure the cut pieces of maagaali root.  Put them in a vessel.

Grind/powder, mustard seeds and red chillies in a mixer.  Now, add this powder and all the other ingredients into the vessel.  If you add more chillies, please remember to add more salt. If you like lemon flavour, add the lemon juice also.
Mix well and store in a glass or non-corrosive (tupperware - I was a tupperware dealer and has got this habit of recommending it and it is good for storing pickle also, really!) bottle.  I am storing it in an old 1 litre Horlicks bottle (I have got 2 for the past many years - old treasures!) for the past one year.  I am not storing it in the fridge but it is still good.  The curd has not become sour!

This root has got many ayurvedic properties and is used in preparing medicines, I believe.Wiki says so!

Try it and let me know if you like it.  I would also like to know if the way I write,  is easy to follow.
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