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Cranberry Pickle / Cranberry Pachadi

A south Indian thali or menu is not complete without the addition of some kinda pickle or chutney with curd rice. Cranberry pickle is an Instant pickle that is tart, spicy, super easy to make and simply delicious!

Cranberry pickle in a white bowl with spices and cranberries in the background.

So why Cranberries to make the pickle?

Cranberries are these delightful berries that are native to North America and are sour and tart to taste. They are available only during fall, especially during thanksgiving season. My first taste of cranberries was at a thanksgiving feast as this amazing sweet and tart sauce. So, I assumed the cranberries to be sweet and got them from the store. Imagine my surprise when they turned out be extremely sour, So naturally, as a true South Indian, I made cranberry pickle with it and it turned out awesome!

Cranberry pickle in a mason jar with spices in the background.

Cranberries are a superfood that are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. They are a wonderful addition to your diet and are very beneficial for your gut. This pickle comes together extremely well because of the sourness of the cranberries. Please try this variation when the cranberries are available in your region. You can also freeze the cranberries and make this pickle whenever you want, cranberries freeze really well and last for a year in your freezer. I buy 2 bags during the fall and freeze one bag for later use. This pickle, in fact, is made using frozen cranberries as I used the other bag to make this awesome Cranberry rice/ Pulihora.

Cranberry rice with cashews on top and cranberries in the background.

What spices are used to make a south Indian Pickle?

  • Oil: In a typical pickle, Sesame oil is used but you can use any flavorless oil you like. Avocado, Sunflower or Canola oil work great in this recipe. I used avocado oil here.
  • Fenugreek seeds: Fenugreek seeds or methi seeds add a special kind of bitterness to the pickle that goes perfectly well with the tartness of the cranberries.
  • Mustard seeds: Mustard seeds, in my opinion, is the most important ingredient in a pickle. They have an amazing aroma when ground and remind me of summer back home.
  • Red Chili powder: Some pickles do not use red chili powders in their recipes, especially the north Indian style pickles, but its a must ingredient in a South Indian Pickle. Make sure you get a bright red one for a beautiful red pickle. Spice level is entirely dependent on the red chili powder you use, so adjust the spice accordingly.
  • Tempering the pickle or Tadka: Tempering or Tadka is when spices are infused in hot oil and then added to the dish to enhance the entire dish. It adds fresh aroma and textures to the pickle, do not skip this step. We use mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, chana dal, split urad dal and garlic for tempering here. However, if you don’t have all the ingredients mentioned, just add garlic to hot oil and use that as tadka.
Cranberries, Mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.

How to make the Cranberry pickle?

Cranberry pickle can be made exactly like you make tomato pickle. This is an instant pickle and needs to be cooked and not fermented. I am using my 3 quart Instant pot to cook my frozen cranberries and they get done without adding any water and babysitting. It can be cooked in a regular pan as well, but you need to stir them every few minutes.

  • If you are using fresh cranberries, rinse them under running water and air dry them for a couple hours. At this point, you can freeze them for later use or make pickle instantly.
  • Add fresh or frozen cranberries to your Instant pot insert and pressure cook/Manual mode for 5 minutes. DO NOT ADD ANY WATER.
  • The pressure will be released super quick because there is not much water. So, once the pressure is released, gently mash with the back of the spoon.
Pressure cooking cranberries in Instant pot for 5 minutes.

You can cook the cranberries in a regular pot too, if you don’t want to use an Instant pot. Just add cranberries to a pot and cover and cook in slow flame until they are mushy. Do not add any water.

  • While the cranberries are cooking, dry roast mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds for 1 minute or until they become aromatic.
  • Let them cool and transfer to a blender. Grind into a fine powder.
  • In the same blender with the mustard-methi powder, add the cooked cranberries, salt and red chili powder and blend only for few seconds. We do not want to make into a fine paste, we just want everything to be blended together.
Grind the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds and cooked cranberries with salt and chili powder.
Tempering the pickle:
  • In a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and when its hot, add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilies.
  • When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add crushed garlic cloves. I like to add ton of garlic to my pickles.
  • When the garlic starts to turn light brown, add the blended cranberry mixture and mix everything.
  • Cook everything for 10-15 minutes on a slow flame(medium-low) or until the oil starts to ooze out at the edges like in the below picture.
  • Let the pickle cool down completely and transfer to a dry and airtight jar.
Tempering the pickle and cooking till oil starts to ooze out.

Frequently asked questions about Cranberry Pickle:

What is Cranberry pickle served with?

Cranberry pickle tastes best with Curd rice or with plain rice. You can serve this with dosa, idli, Parathas too! It also taste amazing with quinoa pongal or any upma recipes.

How to store the Cranberry pickle?

Its very important to store the pickle in a dry container. This pickle stays fresh for 1 week at room temperature or up to a month in the refrigerator.

Which cranberries are used for Cranberry pickle? Fresh or Frozen?

Both. Cranberry pickle works great with either fresh or frozen cranberries. Do not use dried cranberries.

Important things to remember while handling pickles:

Its very important to use dry jars to store the pickle and equally important to use dry spoons when using the pickle.

Can I use a regular pot instead of Instant pot to cook my Cranberries for the cranberry pickle?

Yes, you can cook the cranberries in a regular pot too. Just add cranberries to a pot and cover and cook in slow flame until they are mushy. No need to add any water.

cranberry pickle in a mason jar with a burlap cloth wrapped around it.

More pickles on the blog:

Cranberry pickle

Cranberry pickle in a mason jar with spices in the background.

A spicy and Tangy South Indian style pickle made with Cranberries

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time in Instant pot 5 minutes
Cook time on Stove-top 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Instructions

  1. Add Cranberries to your Instant pot insert and pressure cook/Manual mode for 5 minutes.
  2. Once the pressure is released, gently mash with the back of the spoon.
  3. While the cranberries are cooking, dry roast mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds for 1 minute or until they become aromatic.
  4. Let them cool and transfer to a blender. Grind into a fine powder.
  5. In the same blender, add the cooked cranberries, salt and red chili powder and blend into coarse paste until everything is mixed through.

Tempering the pickle:

  1. In a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and when its hot, add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilies.
  2. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add crushed garlic cloves.
  3. When the garlic starts to turn light brown, add the blended cranberry mixture and mix everything.
  4. Cook everything for 10-15 minutes on a slow flame(medium-low) or until the oil starts to ooze out at the edges.
  5. Let the pickle cool down completely and transfer to a dry and airtight jar.

Notes

  • Spice level is entirely dependent on the red chili powder you use, so add only half of the quantity mentioned in the recipe and then add more if needed.
  • Both Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used in this recipe.
  • Do not add any water anywhere in this recipe. Make sure all your equipment is dry and clean.
  • Tempering or Tadka adds fresh aroma and textures to the pickle, do not skip that step. However, if you don't have all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe, just add garlic to hot oil and use that as tadka.
  • You can cook the cranberries in a regular pot too, if you don't want to use an Instant pot. Just add cranberries to a pot and cover and cook in slow flame until they are mushy.

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Cranberry pickle in a spoon in a close shot.

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