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Performance Benchmarks for Indian Pickles
Qualitative and Quantitative time and ingredient performance benchmarks in making Indian pickles
These benchmarks are not applicable to meat pickles
Ingredients Guide for Punjabi Pickles
Salt
Salt is required for fruit and vegetable pickles such as Lime pickles
Minimum 10%, Optimum 12%, Maximum 15%. The measurement is the percentage by weight of the items being pickled. It Does not include weight of other ingredients such as spices oil vinegar.
Use Pickling-salt available in US stores
pH Level and Acid
pH Level: Below 3.5 Optimum, Equal or below 4.6 Minimum
Amount of acid greater than 2% uniformly dispersed
Vinegar
Use white distilled vinegar with 5% acid.
Amount varies depending on how much acid is already there.
For very low acid vegetables, add ¼ cup of Vinegar per pound of exemplar
2 Tablespoons of Vinegar in One cup of Pickle is recommended for very low acid items being pickled. You may add 1½ Tablespoon of packed brown sugar for each Tablespoon of Vinegar to counter the sour taste.
Moisture
Moisture content should be below 50%. Moisture is continuously reduced from initial drying to the end of aging. During storage, the drying continues at a very slow pace.
Oil
Cover the pickled items completely. Normally, 1½ cup of vinegar and oil is needed to top pickles.
Do not use rancid oils
Coating of oil chokes off oxygen to the item being pickled where Botulism toxin can grow in low acid foods with oil. This toxin effects nervous system and becomes fatal in 3 to 10 days
Acid prevents the growth of spores of deadly botulism bacteria.
Acidify pickle mixture before adding oil. Oil will coat the food creating a barrier to acid and oxygen making it vulnerable to botulism bacteria.
Storage Jars
Pickling Jars | How to sterilize jars?
Choose a proper size Imrit baan, Handi, or Stoneware Pickling Crock.
½ Gallon is good for 2 pounds of Limes, associated spices and oil etcetera
One Gallon is good for 4 pounds of Limes, associated spices and oil etcetera
The jars and lids must be sterilized
Use a wooden spoon to tamp down the pickles so they are densely packed
Blanching vegetables
Purpose of blanching is not to pasteurize or sterilize vegetables. Purpose is to inactivate enzymes responsible for deterioration of vegetables when frozen or pickled.
Under-blanched vegetables will deteriorate faster than un-blanched vegetables
Deterioration rate of properly blanched and over-blanched vegetables is same
Garlic Cloves, Ginger chopped, Onions chopped or rings, Serrano are not Blanched. These items are exposed to high heat for short duration when making Masala preserve
Bring one gallon of water per pound of vegetables to a boil. Put vegetables in boiling water. Do not turn down heat. Cover. Bring it to a boil. Now start the blanching timer. 2 minutes is a typical timer for ½" cut vegetables. As soon as timer expires remove vegetables and drain into a colander. Run cold water to cool vegetables
Firming Agents
What is Paan Choona? | What is Fitkari?
Make a solution of 2 cups water, ¼ teaspoon Alum, and ¼ teaspoon Pickling-lime.
Soak exemplar in the solution for 12 to 18 hours. After soaking, drain off the solution.
Soak in 4 cups of fresh clear water for 15 minutes. Wash drain rinse. Repeat at least 3 times with fresh water soak wash rinse and drain
Garlic
Use Garlic that has been aged for 3 weeks to avoid bluish greenish tinge
Mustard Seeds
Black Mustard seeds are preferred over yellow mustard seeds for their Antimicrobial properties
Cracked Spices
Cracked spices are preferred over powdered or whole spices. Flavor of powdered spices dissipates quickly and may make pickle look muddy.
Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Anise, Black peppercorn, Mustard seeds
Nutmeg is always grated coarse
Crushed hot red pepper flakes add to eye-appeal
Acceptable powdered spices are Asafoetida, Turmeric, Dried Ginger, Ground Cayenne pepper (Lal Mirch), and Amchoor (Dried tart mango powder)
Vegetative bacteria, virus, yeast and molds must be destroyed by heating to 180º F
Time-line Lime Lemon Mango Pickles
Dry 4 hours to 12 hours
Cure in salt 5 to 7 days
Aging: 3 to 5 weeks
Total time 4 to 6 weeks
Storage time at room temperature
Salt cured High acid pickles with sugar may be stored for up to 25 years
Properly blanched vegetable pickles with sufficient acid will last six months to one year
High protein (Meats) pickles even with acid and sugar have shortest storage period.