Green peppercorn pickle, an easy brine pickle with fresh green peppercorns. A quick and easy condiment to enjoy with curd rice.
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Pickles
Indian thali meals are incomplete without pickles. We take our pickles very seriously. Every year in April begins the season of mangoes, and so starts the pickling ritual in south-indian household. Mothers and grand-mothers make pickle that will last long for the whole year for their family, daughter’s family, son’s family, the known neighbor, unknown friend of the son/daughter/neighbor, the list is long.
Since it is seasonal, my first love is instant mango pickle, which you can find in almost every south-indian house-hold. Then there is this Kerala style mango pickle, also an instant pickle, but uses vinegar.
In South-India we have brined pickles like Turkey berries in brine and Gooseberry in brine. Brine pickles have a longer shelf life and they are very easy to make and great on taste. Even now, i have a bottle of brined gooseberries in my refrigerator, i love to enjoy it with simple curd rice or add it to chutney’s.
Kurumilagu Oorugai | Pickled Peppercorns
Love for this simple brine pickle with fresh green peppercorns started a few years back. Though as a child I have seen these pretty peppers sold in the vegetable market along with lemons and ginger. But amma has never made this pickle.
A few years back, one of my friend brought me a small packet of this deliciousness while returning back from her vacation from India. Oh my god, the burst of flavors in every bite was amazing. I felt bad for missing out on this taste for such a long time.
Thankfully for us here in UAE, we get these beautiful green peppers at Lulu supermarket or sometimes even Safeer Super market. The pickle takes just few minutes, to make but takes at least a week to get the mature taste, so there is a bit of waiting time. Don’t all good things take time.
The Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions to make Kurumilagu Pickle
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- Clean and wash the green peppercorns in water. By cleaning i meant picking out the ripened, black ones from the stalks.
- Some keep the peppers with the stalks, some remove it from stalks. I make it both ways, depends on my mood. If the stalks are tender i leave it, if they are a bit thick, i remove the stalk.
- Wash and drain the green peppercorns completely. I leave it in the colander for sometime to drain well. While they are draining, wash and peel the ginger and chop them fine.
- Take a clean, sterile glass jar. Add the drained peppercorns and chopped ginger, add salt and now fill the jar with lemon juice.
- The amount of lemon juice, depends on the jar used. The juice should fully submerge the peppers. Shake the jar well for the contents to mix well.
- Let this sit for a week, give it a shake once in the morning and evening. After a week, your pickle is ready to enjoy. I love the beautiful pink the ginger releases into the lemon juice. Lip-smacking good.
Today’s Lunch Thali
Today’s lunch thali features
- Banana stump thogayal
- Beans poriyal
- Jeera rasam
- Steaming hot rice
- Curd, not in picture
- Kurumilagu pickle
I love to add this green peppercorn pickle to my salads and have even made a soda with the brine water. Just 1-2 tablespoon of brine water and top it with soda, garnish it with few mint leaves and enjoy a punchy drink.
Recipe
Green Peppercorn Pickle | Kurumilagu Urugai | South Indian Lunch Thali #6
Ingredients
- 180 grams Fresh green peppercorns
- 50 grams fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoon salt, heaped tbsp i have used coarse rock salt
- 13 nos Indian lemon you might need 12-14 lemons, see notes
Instructions
- Wash the peppercorns in water and drain completely. You can chose to keep the stalks or to remove them. If keeping the stalks cut the strand into 3-4 pieces roughly. I chose to remove the stalks.
- Drain the green peppercorns completely in a colander. While they are draining, wash and peel the ginger and chop them into pieces.
- Take a clean, glass jar, preferably sterilized. Add the drained peppercorns, chopped ginger. Add salt tot this and mix well with a spoon
- To this now add lemon juice. I kept 14 lemons ready and used around 13 of them for the pickle. The lemon juice should cover the peppercorns fully. Shake the jar well for it to mix.
- Let this pickle sit for at least a week. I refrigerated it till that time. Shake the bottle once in the morning and again in the evening. After a week, the pickle is ready for use.
- I love to enjoy the pickle with curd rice. As a garnish to my salads, poha. There are innumerable ways to use this deliciousness.
Notes
- Keeping the stalks of the peppercorn is a personal choice. I have done both ways, this batch, i found the stalk a bit thick so removed it.
- The number of lemons depends on the size of the jar used. See to that the peppercorns are fully submerged in lemon juice.
- Adding ginger is optional. But they add a nice zing.
- To sterilize the glass jar, i just wipe it well with a plain cloth after washing and microwave it for a 30-40 seconds in high to remove any water.
I love to enjoy the pickle with curd rice. As a garnish to my salads, poha. There are innumerable ways to use this deliciousness.
More Pickle Recipes
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Rajani
I don’t remember having this pickle before, but I can imagine how delicious it must be!
Ritu
Have never seen green peppercorns here. I do make pickle this way but with green chilies. Love your idea of using brine water with soda to make a drink.
Srivalli Jetti
I have made pulikulambu with these fresh peppers Priya, the pickle sounds fantastic. I love that picture showing the glass and brine!..excellent click
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Oh wow! That is a brilliant pickle and just reading through it makes my mouth water. I miss getting these seasonal produce and I will definitely be on hint for the fresh peppercorn. Love the idea of using the brine for making soda.
Radha
Amazing pickle. I used to buy these in India when I see them in the market and include in curries and sambhar. Pickle is a great idea. Now I am longing to see the fresh peppercorns. Bookmarking it.
Archana
Omg! I must get some peppercorns from my neighbours. I did not know we can make such a yum pickle. Sounds so very delicious and love the thought of adding the green peppercorn pickle to soda! Just awesome!
Harini Rupanagudi
Wow! sounds lip smacking. I have never used green pepper corns but I can imagine the taste. When I can lay my hands on green pepper corns I shall have to try this one for sure.
NARMADHA
That is an interesting pickle with green peppercorns. So flavorful and delicious pickle. Now I am carving for curd rice with this pickle after reading your post. I need to find where I can get green peppercorns to try this soon.