Lololikka pickle is a simple, tangy preparation made with ripe lololikka, sesame oil, fenugreek, dried red chili, asafoetida powder and mustard seeds. The key detail is to cook the fruit first, roast and grind the spice mixture separately, then combine everything in fresh sesame oil.
The oil should be floating on top after the pickle cools and is transferred to a bottle. This helps the pickle stay well-coated and gives it the rich flavor expected from a traditional oil-based pickle.
Ingredients
🛢️ Sesame oil
Half to one cup
🍒 Ripe lololikka
Two full cups
🧂 Salt
To taste
🌾 Fenugreek
One tablespoon
🌶️ Dried red chili
Six, thinly sliced
🥄 Asafoetida powder and mustard seeds
Asafoetida powder – one teaspoon
Mustard seeds – one teaspoon
Directions
1Heat a little sesame oil, sauté the lololikka, sprinkle some salt and set it aside. Do not use this oil again.
This first cooking stage softens the ripe lololikka and seasons it lightly. Keeping this oil aside and not using it again is an important part of the method.
Use only a little sesame oil for the first sauté. The remaining oil is heated later with mustard seeds, ground spices and the cooked lololikka.
2Again, heat a little oil, roast the fenugreek and dried red chilies, then remove from heat, grind them, add asafoetida powder, mix well and set aside.
Roasting the fenugreek and dried red chilies before grinding builds the deep spice flavor of the pickle. Asafoetida powder is added after grinding and mixed well with the roasted spice mixture.
3Heat the remaining oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add the ground mixture and the lololikka, mix well until combined, and remove from heat.
This is where the pickle comes together. The mustard seeds are spluttered in the remaining sesame oil, then the ground mixture and sautéed lololikka are mixed until combined.
4After it cools down, transfer it to a bottle. The oil should be floating on top.
💡 Pickle tip: After bottling, check that the oil is floating on top. This final detail is part of the original preparation method and helps keep the pickle properly covered in oil.
