The simple onion we use everyday in our cooking can be turned into a spicy tasteful pickle and can be stored for a long time. It is very easy to make with few ingredients and will not take more than 30 minutes for preparation.

This instructable will guide you on how to make the Onion pickle at your home.

Step 1: Ingredients

250 grams of Shallots or big onions ( we call them small onions or sambar onions)
25 grams of tamarind (seeds removed)
10 to 12 pieces dry red chilies (you can add or reduce the number as per your taste)
Salt to taste
Two tablespoon of gingelly oil (we normally use gingelly oil for pickling. You can use any cooking oil)

Step 2: Prepare the Onions

Remove the dry skin and wash the onions in clean water
Chop the onions into pieces. it is not necessary to finely chop. You can chop into large pieces also

Step 3: Preparation Step - 1

Add one tablespoon of gingelly oil in a frying pan
When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onion pieces
Stir fry till golden brown and remove from the pan

Step 4: Preparation Step - 2

Now in the same pan add tamarind and red chilies. no need to add additional oil.
Stir fry the ingredients to remove moisture.
Add salt, mix well and remove from pan

Step 5: Make Onion Pickle Paste

When all the stir-fried ingredients cooled down add them into a mixer grinder and make a rough paste. Do not make a fine paste

Step 6: Temper the Onion Pickle

Add the remaining tablespoon of gingelly oil in a frying pan and heat over medium flame
Add a teaspoon of Mustard seeds mixed with split black gram to the hot oil
When the mustard seeds start to crack, add the onion paste
Initially you may find frothing in the oil. That means lot moisture in the paste.
Continuously stir the paste in the pan.
When the onion pickle is done, the paste will not stick to the pan and the excess oil will start oozing out from the paste
Now put out the fire and remove the pan from the stove

Our Onion pickle is ready

Step 7: Store the Onion Pickle in an Airtight Container

When the Onion pickle in the pan cools down, transfer it to an airtight container. You can consume the onion pickle as much you like with rice, chapati and roti.

Properly cooked onion pickle can be stored for more than 2 months. Do not use wet spoons for taking out the pickle. Only use dry spoons, otherwise the pickle will be destroyed.

Try it at your home and post your comments...