Pickle, the word itself is enough to water our mouth. Summer is that time of the year in India, which sees burstling activities in almost all households. Women folks get busy with their annual activity of making variety of papads, masalas, jams and last very interesting item - Pickle. There are varieties of pickles like amla (Indian gooseberry) pickle, lime pickle, mix vegetables pickle, but the word 'pickle' sounds more synonymous to mango pickle.
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Pickles have been around for thousands of years. We Indians, are the masters of the art of preparing pickles. These days we get lots of varieties of pickles in the market, still many people prefer to prepare this savory at home for various reasons. The main reason being "authentic taste and preservative free." The home made pickle has lots of benefits like, good quality mangoes, vegetables, spices, oil. Also some households have their own secret ingredient or a unique way of preparation that brings out beautiful taste.
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The simple process of pickle making starts with washing and drying raw mangoes. The mangoes are then cut into rough pieces and marinated for a day with salt, turmeric, chili powder and coarsely grounded spices. Finally medium heated oil is poured on the marinated pieces and stored in porcelain or glass jar for fermentation.
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You would be surprised to know that pickles not only enrich our taste buds but also have lot of minerals and vitamins like Vitamin A, C and K. They are loaded with antioxidants. Pickles made with vinegar help in reducing blood sugar level which in turn improves blood hemoglobin. People having diabetes are advised to stay away from salted pickles as they increase blood pressure.
These are some of the health benefits of this wondeful condiment. Pickles are a tasty and versatile garnish that makes any food we eat better. Eat pickle to your hearts delight but also keep in mind that Moderation is the key to good health.
