Mahali kizhangu

Mahali kizhangu is a rhizome usually available in the market this season. It has medicinal properties and smells good. It is pickled with curd and is a good accompaniment for curdrice, rasam or for sambar rice. The elders in my family pickle this and unfortunately when i ask them for the exact measure of the ingredients, they say 'Ivvaluvu'( approximately) and show their hand measure. This comes by practice and is called 'kai thittam' or 'kan thittam' meaning approx. measure. I am roughly rounding the measure here.

The tubers brought from the market has to be immersed in water overnight. Next day morning, scrap the outer layer and then chop them to pieces. They have a thick stick like vein which should not be included. The cut pieces will oxidise on exposure to air, so advisable to put in water till pickling.

Ingredients:

chopped Mahali kizhangu --- 1 cup
salt ------------ 1 1/2 teaspoon
haldi ------------ 1 teaspoon
fresh thick curd ---- enough to coat the cup of mahali kizhangu
green chillies ---- 4-5 nos.


MEthod:

Mix haldi,salt, slit green chillies and fresh thick curd with the mahalikizhangu and allow it to marinate for two days.

After two days, the mixture will release water and the rhizome will soak in the flavours. At this stage,if required, you can add one more cup of curd and toss them well. This is now ready for use.

My mom's variation and speciality:
*you can even add 1 teaspoon of ground mustard to the above mixture.
*you can add chopped lemons, green pepper corns and manga inji(mango ginger)along with mahalikizhangu.

Store it in an air-tight jar.

Enjoy it with curdrice, rasam or sambar rice.