Dates Pickle (An accompaniment for Malabar biriyani)

Ingredients (Makes around 3/4 cup pickle)

1. Dates, pitted – 10 – 15, chopped (makes around 3/4 cup)
2. Gingelly oil / nallenna – 2 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
   Dried red chilly – 1, broken
4. Ginger – 1/2 tsp, sliced
   Garlic – 4, chopped
   Green chilies – 2, finely chopped
5. Water – 1 cup or as needed
6. Kashmiri chilli powder – 1.5 tsp
   Fenugreek powder – 1/8 tsp or to taste
   Asafoetida / hing / kaya podi – 1 pinch
7. Tamarind – 2 tsp (Soaked in 1/3 cup hot water for 15 minutes and squuezed well to extract the juice)
8. Vinegar – 2 tsp or to tasteMethod

1. Heat gingelly oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Fry dried red chilly and then add ginger, garlic and finely chopped green chilies. Stir till they turn light golden. Add chopped dates and cook for a minute. Add 1 cup hot water, chili powder, fenugreek powder, hing and enough salt. Bring to a boil and cook till dates get soft and gravy turns thick. Mash some of the dates slightly. Add tamarind juice and cook for a few minutes. Taste-check for salt. Finally add vinegar (to taste) and switch off. Serve with biriyani.