Ammiji likes her mirchi. She thinks bland food is the worst there is. She’s been known to spice up her plain raita with a spoonful of red chilli powder or add extra black pepper to her dal. For those who think she’s on the right track, here’s presenting a condiment that got the quickest nod of approval from her that we’ve ever got! 😉

Ammiji’s Bullet Mirchi is not a mere condiment – it’s a cross between a thecha, a dry powdered chutney or the sediment of a chilli oil. Red chillies are sun-dried at home and then stone-pounded with sun-dried garlic and peanuts with the aid of a little oil. There’s much deliciousness there. Also, much much fire. A quarter teaspoon is enough to have your socks rocking!

The first time we experimented with this recipe, we were literally blown away with the magic it added to our meals. Hence, the name. This is truly that blast you need to take your meals from the mundane to the oh-my-god-i-can’t-stop-eating level.

Works beautifully as a topping for snacks like vada pao, momos, grilled chicken, etc. Can also be added to marinades. Or we’ll tell you a secret – wrap it up in a parantha with a sabzi of your choice and watch the fire unfold!

Ingredients: Red Chilli, Garlic, Peanuts, Salt, Rock Salt, Curry Leaves, Mustard Oil.

Weight: 85 gms

A classic mango pickle, made in Ammiji’s inimitable style. Sun-dried raw mango, spices and very, very little oil…

Ask Ammiji what her favorite mango pickle is, and she’ll sniff and say, “Sukka waala.” And her favorite just had to be done.

Ammiji’s Dried Mango Pickle is made with raw Ramkela mangoes, which are cut up into bite-sized pieces and then spread out to dry under the sun on our terrace. They’re then pickled with the choicest spices and minimal cold-pressed mustard oil. The resulting pickle has the typical tang of raw mangoes, intensified many times over. The spices only serve to complement the inherent concentrated taste of them.

What you have here is a pickle that you’ll love spending your time over, slowly slathering the masala over a parantha and then picking up a chunk to take small nibbles out of it…and then when there’s no mango flesh left, sucking the juices from the left-over piece of mango pit. We don’t mean to make that sound kinda dirty…that’s just the way this pickle is! ;)

Get your hands on this super-tempting pickle, made with Ammiji’s traditional recipe, with handpicked ingredients. Thank us later.

Ingredients: Raw mango, Salt, Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Asafoetida, Red Chilli, Mustard Oil.

Refrigerate for longer shelf life.

Weight: 190 gms

Good For: 9 months

The rains hit India, and the entire country goes into a frenzy of deep frying. Because there’s nothing better than to be munching on piping hot pakodas while it’s pouring outside. Unless, the pakodas are accompanied by our brand new Aam Kasundi – that combination is infinitely better than anything else can ever be!

The goodness and sharpness of fermented mustard seeds are combined with the typical flavors of raw mango, green chilli and ginger to make a mustard sauce that’s a Bengali staple. Spread it on your sandwiches, dip your fried snacks in it or put it into your burgers – it’s a dip/spread that is as delicious as it is versatile.

Mustard comes with a host of benefits from promoting heart health to strengthening bones and aiding digestion. And when it is fermented, the goodness just doubles.

Ditch your bottled tomato ketchup in favour of a dip that’s not only nutritious, traditional and delicious, but is also homemade and preservative-free.

Ingredients: Raw mango, Black mustard, Yellow mustard, Ginger, Green Chilli, Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Salt

Weight: 185 gms

This is one classic that translates to a guilt-free indulgence. This no-oil pickle goes well with any meal and is the best way to make the most of the mango season.

Ammiji’s pickling prowess extended from the regular to the unusual. But the one ingredient that she absolutely loved playing around with was the popular summer favourite – mango. Chutneys, juices, puddings, desserts, curries and of course, pickles – everything was blessed with the goodness of sweet or sour mangoes as soon as the season started.

We, as children, used to love the mango goodies emanating out from her kitchen – all except one. For our unsophisticated senses and palate, the smell of strong hing was abhorrent, so we never got to taste her Heeng-Aam Achaar. But now, with more experience and refined palates, we asked her for the recipe of the classic which the family used to rave about. And boy, were we in for a pleasant surprise!

This pickle – if you like heeng – can be eaten by the bowlful. We kid you not. Who knew that the umami of asafoetida or hing would complement the sourness of mangoes so brilliantly! Oh, and the bowlful that we’re advising you to eat – you can do so guilt-free. This pickle contains no oil. It’s preserved in a perfectly balanced mixture of salt and spices. And of course, hing. The pickle contains only mango pulp. No seed or seed-skin to struggle with!

Ingredients: Raw Mango, Asafoetida, Salt, Rock Salt, Red Chilli, Turmeric

Weight: 150 gms

Good for: 3 months

Refrigerate for longer shelf life.

Fresh green chillies, pickled with jaggery. Is it sweet? Yes. Is it tangy? Of course. Is it spicy? Hell yeah! Warning: Insanely addictive.

Ammiji has this trick where she’ll add a pinch of jaggery to a dish at a particular stage of cooking. You can’t taste the jaggery but there’s this intriguing sweetness to any sabzi cooked by her. So when she first made this pickle, and called it GudMirchi, we thought she’d thrown her usual pinch of jaggery in. But boy, were we in for a surprise!

This sublime pickle is sweet. But it’s hella fiery too. Just when you feel the smoke starting to come out of your ears, you’ll be assailed by the umami sweetness of pure jaggery. And in between there’ll be tartness, saltiness and sheer, absolute wonder at the complexity of this pickle.

The jaggery used in this pickle is organic and the white vinegar is natural, in keeping with our tenets of using only the finest, most premium ingredients.

Coarsely chopped green chillies are cooked with ginger, garlic and spices before being drowned with a syrup of jaggery and vinegar. Khatta meetha is only one clichéd way to describe the end result!

Pair this achaar with paranthas, dal-chawal or mathris, and we promise you’ll be in heaven. (Psst, we also like the achaar with uttapams, but let’s keep that a secret.)

Ingredients: Green Chilli, Jaggery, Ginger, Garlic, Mustard Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Cumin, Vinegar, Mustard Oil

Net Weight: 175 gm

Good For: 12 months

Keep refrigerated for longer shelf life.

Let’s admit it – there are very few people who claim to absolutely LOVE karela or bitter gourd. Most of us, though, wrinkle up our noses at the mention of this humble vegetable. It’s bitter and pungent – but immensely beneficial and nutritious. It’s proven to counter high blood sugar and may have cancer fighting properties too. It contains several vitamins and micro nutrients that boost overall health.

Ammiji had a novel way of making her grand children eat the magically medicinal karela – she pickled it till the natural bitterness of the vegetable was overwhelmed with tanginess and deliciousness. The karela pickle was had with everything – but our favorite way was to mix it into dal chawal!

Karela are usually fried to reduce the sharp bitterness, but these are sun-dried and then pickled. It’s the perfect way to get in a good dose of health daily!

Refrigerate after opening for longer shelf life.

Good for: 3 months

Ingredients: Bitter gourd, Salt, Black Salt, Turmeric, Fennel, Fenugreek, Red Chilli, Lemon juice, Mustard Oil.

Weight: 120 gms