Sprouted Fenugreek Pickle

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Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Fenugreek sprouts (obtained from 500g seeds)	500g
Mustard seeds for seasoning	25g
Cleaned tamarind, obtain thick extract using water	750g
Jaggery, grated	125g
Chilli powder	400g
Turmeric powder	25g
Asafoetida, roast in oil and powder	10g
Salt	500g
Oil	750ml

Stir-fry the fenugreek sprouts over low heat for exactly 2 minutes, and set aside. Frying for longer makes the sprouts bitter.
In the same pan, heat some more oil, add mustard seeds, and allow to crackle.
Stir in the tamarind extract, jaggery and salt, and bring to a boil.Allow to thicken over a high flame.
Lower the heat, stir in the chilli, turmeric, asafoetida powders and the remaining oil.
Continue cooking for about 45 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Add in the fried sprouts and cook for 15 minutes until the mixture becomes jam-like and the oil separates.
The pickle is ready for use. It lasts for six months.

Sprouts are the cheapest and the most nutritious form of available food and an excellent substitute for expensive fruits. While the seed is already a treasure-house of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, its dormant enzymes become active during sprouting.
Sprouting is very easy. Wash and rinse good variety fenugreek seeds to remove any toxic chemicals. Soak the seeds in sufficient water overnight. Drain the water the next day and tie the soaked seeds in a clean cloth. Hang the bundle in a warm place for a day or two, keeping it moist.
Ensure that the sprouts are medium in size. Longer sprouting tends to make the pickle bitter. For instance, 1 1/2 tbsp of fenugreek seeds need to be soaked for about 8 hours, with water added twice a day. They take about three days to sprout one cup and the length of the shoot is usually 1cm.