Five ways to eat podi
Beyond rice and ghee: how Andhra kitchens use kandi podi every day.
Keeping pickle good for a year
A dry spoon, a tight lid and enough oil: the three rules that matter.
A well-made pickle can last a year or more, but most spoiled pickle is spoiled at home, by a few small habits.
Always use a dry, clean spoon. A drop of water or a spoon that has touched rice brings in moisture, and moisture is what lets mould grow.
Keep the pieces under the oil. When you take some out, press the rest down with the spoon. If the oil runs low after a few months, heat a little gingelly oil, let it cool completely, and pour it over the top.
Close the lid tightly and keep the jar away from the stove and the sun. A cupboard is ideal. Avakaya does not need the fridge, and cold makes the oil thick.
For a large jar, take out a week’s worth into a small jar for the table, and leave the big one undisturbed. That is how our grandmother kept a single batch good until the next May.
