Fiddlehead Fern, Lingudi or Kasrod – the pickle is more exotic than the name sounds. A highly nutritious, short-lived green, found growing wild in the mountains, now available at your table…

The Himalayas are a literal treasure trove. And one of the most unique or exotic treasures to be found there is a curiously shaped green. The Fiddlehead Fern gets its name because of the way the tip of the frond curls inward, forming the spiral usually found on a violin or fiddle. They grow wild in the mountains in late winter or spring, and most locals forage for them.

Fiddlehead fern is known as Lingudi or Lingri in the Kullu valley, Kasrod in Himachal and Kandhor in the lower vales of Jammu and Kashmir. In Assam, the locals stir-fry the greens and call it Dhekia Xaak. In Himachal, especially in the Chamba valley, the locals find the crisp, asparagus-like taste of the fiddlehead most suited to pickling, and so that’s what they do!

Fiddlehead ferns are a rich source of Iron, Vitamin C, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. And if that weren’t enough, the greens are also loaded with antioxidants.

Ammiji was a regular visitor to the mountains of Himachal in her younger days. And that is where she fell in love with this unusual pickle. On all her subsequent trips, if made before the monsoon hit, she would pick up some raw Kasrod on her last day there and get it back home. (The greens have to be cooked within 48 hours of being harvested, otherwise they lose their nutrition and taste.) She pickled them in two ways – one with the fiddleheads and a bit of the stem, and she would use up all the leftover stems for another pickle, made with a slightly Kashmiri touch to it. And that is the formula we are following with the batch of fiddlehead ferns we managed to procure.

We have Ammiji’s Kasrod pickle, which has the heads of the ferns and a bit of stem, and the Kandhor pickle which is made solely with stems.

Ammiji’s Kasrod Ka Achaar is a mildly spiced pickle – the star is undoubtedly the Fiddlehead fern. The oil used is cold-pressed mustard oil, and the spices used in this pickle only enhance the grassy, crisp taste of the greens.

Bring home the Chamba valley with this pickle. Eat it as a side to your meals or make it the main star by pairing this nutritious with a parantha.

Ingredients: Fiddlehead Fern, Mustard Oil, Salt, Red Chilli, Turmeric, Asafoetida, Ginger Powder, Mustard Seeds, Cumin,  Caraway seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Nigella seeds.

Refrigerate for longer shelf life.

Weight: 220 gms

Price: Rs 550 500

Ammiji firmly believes that every meal must be accompanied with palate-ticklers, or what she calls “chatpata samaan”. And this Andhra Tomato Pachadi is as chatpata as it can get. Fresh tomatoes, red chillies, curry leaves and garlic come together to make a pickle-chutney that has nothing subtle about it.

An Andhra pachadi is a side dish, made of finely or coarsely ground elements, sometimes pickled. The Tomato Pachadi will pair brilliantly well with anything that you choose to eat it with. It’ll fire up your arhar dal and chawal combo. It’ll add a kick to your khichadi. It’ll give you something spicy to lave your paranthas with. We even love to have it with plain sabzi-phulka. You decide where you want that extra kick of this chutney!

Ingredients: Tomato, Tamarind, Salt, Red Chilli, Curry Leaves, Mustard seeds, Ginger, Garlic, Sesame Oil.

Net Weight: 165 gms

Best Before: 12 months

Refrigerate after opening for longer shelf life. No preservatives.

Admit it, the only time you pick up French Beans at the sabziwala is when you want to use it in stir-fries, or as a side to your grilled dish. No? Okay, then maybe once in a blue moon, you’ll make the tepid beans-alu or the more interesting poriyal.

Well, we’ve found a way to include these power-packed string beans into your daily diet! Presenting Ammiji’s French Beans Pickle – crunchy, nutritious string beans pickled in classic Indian spices and mustard oil. They make an excellent addition to your plate whether you’re piling up the dal-chawal or the biryani.

French beans are high in folate and fibre, and they contain a decent amount of protein too. Indulgence here will be totally guilt-free!

Ingredients: French Beans, Salt, Turmeric, Red Chili, Pipli, Mustard seeds, Nigella seeds, Coriander seeds, Cumin, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard Oil.

Weight: 170 gm

Good for 6 months

Refrigerate for longer shelf life.

This is Ammiji’s attempt to make the best out of what we usually waste – and this is literally the best! Cauliflower or Gobhi has multiple health benefits but a lot of their nutrition resides in their stalks. We usually discard those stalks – but here, we take those very stalks and make them shine in this tangy and spicy pickle!

Cauliflowers are high in fibre and antioxidants and are known for their disease-fighting properties. They’re also low in calories and carbohydrates, making them excellent for weight loss. But the nutritional benefits of the cauliflower does not only reside in the flower; the stalks are equally nutritious. The delicate tasting flesh of the stalks is a delicacy all by itself. 

And that is why Ammiji never wasted the gobhi danthal! They were made into a sabzi or stored in the fridge till she had collected enough for this pickle. Flavoured with chilli and garlic, this pickle is a delight to pair with anything.

Ingredients: Cauliflower stalks/stem, Garlic, Green chilli, Salt, Red chilli, Mustard seeds, Mustard Oil.

Good for 3 months.

Refrigerate for longer shelf life!

Weight: 200 gms

India is a vast subcontinent, with a plethora of indigenous cuisines, each of them distinctly different. We, at Ammiji’s, aim to bring regional specialties to your table, after they’ve undergone Ammiji’s homemade treatment, and have been approved by the matriarch herself. Ammiji is a picky eater and at any mealtime that includes a dish that’s not familiar to her, you’ll hear her muttering about too much salt, or too less spice, or the oft-heard “We never had this when we were young!”. But she’ll persevere, in the interest of foodies everywhere. And then she’ll take that unfamiliar dish, turn it on its head, analyze it to within an inch of its life, and breath new life into it. That’s how we got a garlic bread that was topped with mashed potatoes after we tried to feed her a fancy meal. (That garlic bread is now a breakfast favorite incidentally!;))

Ammiji is partial to pickles and has spent a substantial portion of her time pickling everything under the sun – literally! Her family has been treated to pickled chicken drumsticks, pickled mustard greens, pickled yam and even a hybrid pickle-chutney that’s made of pure spice. So obviously, when it came her turn to pickle beans, carrots, turnips, lemons and green chilies all in one jar, she was predictably excited.

Any Andhra pickle uses chilies and other spices to create fiery magic in the mouth. And when ordinary vegetables like carrots and beans are given the Andhra treatment, they take on a new, special avatar that is addictive and fun. Each time you dig a spoon into this jar, you’ll come up with something special. The carrots are sweetish, the beans are still crisp, the lemon is tangy, the turnips have absorbed the flavors the most and the green chilies are bomb! There’s something for everyone in this one little jar!

This pickle uses groundnut oil as its base since it is neutral enough to let the spices shine through. No preservatives or additives have been used to make this pickle.

Ingredients: Carrots, French Beans, Turnips, Green Chilli, Lemon, Salt, Ginger, Garlic, Cumin, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek, Groundnut Oil.

Note: Please refrigerate after opening. Good for 12 months if refrigerated.

How do you immediately take a boring, routine meal and turn it into a lip-smacking experience? You add Ammiji’s Gongura Pachadi to it! Made from indigenous Gongura or Sorrel leaves, this pickle-chutney is that fantastic amalgam of the spicy, the sour and the umami.

Gongura leaves not only taste good, but they’re a powerhouse of vitamins and antioxidants. They’re rich in folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. The antioxidants in them boost your overall health quotient immensely. 

Combine this Andhra delicacy with dal-chawal, and you’ll be delighted. Pair it with dosas or appams, and you’ll be in seventh heaven. Or just have it with plain steamed rice and a dollop of ghee, and you’ll be in for an unforgettable experience. This pachadi has the power to transform any meal – we kid you not.

Ingredients: Gongura Leaves, Red Chilli, Salt, Mustard seeds, Ginger, Garlic, Sesame Oil 

Weight: 165 gms

Best before: 12 months.

Refrigerate upon opening for longer shelf life.

We’re taking exotic to a whole new level with this one. Fresh bambooshoots from the hills of Himachal, pickled and bottled for your leisurely tasting. ;)

Amritsar’s proximity to the hills of Himachal meant that we had lots of impromptu vacations as children. A mere 3-hour drive away, the hills of Himachal were like a shining beacon for us – a haven where long, lazy, idyllic days were spent clambering up trails, climbing trees, gazing at snow-capped peaks, eating delicious food and sipping warming drinks. For Ammiji, the proximity to the hills meant that she had even more ingredients to bring into her kitchen. Bambooshoot was one of them.

Himachal Pradesh is the only state in North-Western India where Bamboo grows wild and in abundance. The Northeastern states have been including the tender, young shoots of bamboo in their brilliant cuisine for years now. But in Himachal most bamboo grows to maturity, and is put to other uses. It is only a small percentage that is picked at the onset of the monsoon season, when still young, and is used for culinary purposes. This year, we managed to lay our hands on a small portion of that harvest, and of course, brainstormed with Ammiji about how to go about pickling it. Ammiji had all the answers for us – and that’s why she’s our Ammiji!

So here it is. Crispy, crunchy, woodsy young bambooshoot, pickled in selected spices and cold-pressed mustard oil. Full of dietary fibre, amino acids, proteins, vitamins and minerals, bambooshoots are what some would term a superfood. They have antibacterial, antiviral and anticancer properties, which make them the ideal addition to your mealtimes.

And the taste! We ourselves were pleasantly surprised by the matured pickle – the complexity of the flavours, the fragrance of the spices and texture of the shoots themselves makes for a pickle that is not only an exotic treat, but a rare delicacy too!

Ingredients: Bambooshoots, Salt, Red Chilli, Turmeric, Clove, Cinnamon, Brown Cardamom, Dry Mango Powder, Fenugreek Seeds, Nigella Seeds, Pipli, Black Pepper, Mace, Nutmeg, Garam Masala, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Cold-pressed Mustard Oil.

Weight: 300 gm Net

Price: Rs 750  700

Good for: 6 months

Refrigerate for longer shelf life. Always use a dry, clean spoon.