The Importance of pickle and sauce in Indian cooking

Pickles and sauces have been an integral accompaniment of the Indian cuisine since ancient times. Their presence in the daily food of both the rich and the poor has been ensured because theylend taste, flavour and variety to the Indian palate. Everest Foods provides you some interesting insights into the importance of pickles and sauces in Indian cooking.

It should be noted that almost all the ingredients which make pickle and sauce have health and medicinal values.While fruits and vegetables are the base products for making pickles, other accompaniments include oils, salts, spices and herbs, which have invaluable medicinal properties.

Some of these additives include salt- white and black/brown-sendhanamak or gypsum salt- fenugreek seeds/methi, fennel seeds/saunf, mustard seeds/sarson, nigella seeds/kalonji, vinegar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida, garlic, sesame oil, refined groundnut oil and   mustard oil, to mention only a few.

The most popular fruits and vegetables used for making pickles include raw mangoes, lemons, green chillies, carrots, gooseberry and several others depending upon the region and season.

Similarly sauces too are made with vegetables, salts, spices and herbs. The most popular vegetable for sauce especially in India is tomato. Sauce also adds taste, colour, flavour, zing and variety to the food.

Sauce is also used as marinate before cooking veggies and especially a variety of meats. Often meal is not considered complete without sauce.  Sauce is known to add visual appeal to the food. It said that we first eat the meals with our eyes. The very sight of pickle and sauce whets our appetite for food.

Why is sauce and pickle found in every home?

In fact the most important reason whey sauce and pickle are found almost in every home is their shelf life.  Well-prepared pickles can last for months and their taste and tanginess remains as fresh as when they are made on the first day.

Making pickles and sauces is one way of preserving a host of vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices for months together without storing them in refrigerators. Remember our old, old forefathers did not have freezing machines in their times.

This explains why sauces and pickles are quite often used as the only ‘dish’ with the chappattis or even bread slices especially when the housewife is not in a mood to cook vegetables or during emergencies.

As mentioned above, the ingredients of sauce and pickle have immense medicinal value. The Indian rulers- rajas, maharajas, sultans and nawabs- all ate them regularly not only for their taste but also for their health and nutritional benefits.

Here are the medicinal benefits of some of spices and herbs used in the pickles and sauces by Everest Foods:

Turmeric

 One of the most nutritional supplements in the world, its main ingredient curcumin is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and brain-derived neurotrophic properties. It strengthens the functions of brain and lowers the risk of brain and heart related diseases.

Fennel seeds- methi

Fennel is one of the most popular ingredients in pickles. It is useful for curing anaemia, respiratory disorders, indigestion, diarrhoea, flatulence, mental disorders colic and visual problems.

Vinegar

Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, is rich in acetic acid which has strong biological benefits. It is a powerful antimicrobial agent, which means it kills a variety of harmful bacteria. It reduces blood sugar levels in diabetes patients and also helps in weight loss.