Sweet and Sour pickle of Jujube/Ber/Indian Sour berry

Clean these berries thoroughly under running tap, then spread them on a paper towel or on a newspaper or on a flat round plate. To increase its shelf life, we need to keep them under proper sunlight for at least 3 days or as long as you can.

The skin can crinkle a little, but that does not matter. After sun-drying, wash them again thoroughly, check for the good ones and discard the rotten ones from the lot.

Heat oil on a big wide wok, temper with panch phoron. When seeds turn slightly brown and start to crackle, add the berries. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Saute for a minute or two.

Grate the jaggery and add little by little in the pan. Cover the pan and let it cook on a medium flame. Berries will leave some water. If needed, add 1/2 cup of water, just to cook the berries.

Cook for at least 8-10 minutes or till berries are soft. With the back of the ladle, break some of the berries. Taste and check the sweet and sourness according to your taste. Adjust by adding jaggery if needed.

When berries are cooked and a little gravy is coated the berries, remove from heat. Add the grounded Panch Phoron powder in the pickle and sweet and Sour Berry pickle is ready to consume.

When cooled, keep in air-tight glass jars only to keep it fresh for longer time. And do not forget to put the pickle jars under bright sun everyday. If you put the jar everyday under the sun, then the pickle will stay fresh for at least a month.