(From top) Pickled beetroots and eggs is a favourite with guests at Afraa, Calcutta; Taj Bengal’s pickled Bhutanese banana red chilli is a treat for your taste buds; Jars of garlic pickle are retailed from the Hyatt Regency Kolkata; The Italian antipasto, offered at KK’s Fusion and Mio Amore, consists of herbed fish, prawn and broccoli pickle

A Lebanese pickle made with fresh turnips, beetroot and cauliflower is being paired with Chicken Shish Taouk, a Lebanese delicacy. A Golabki or cabbage-roll stuffed with minced beef comes with a Polish pickle of plums, pumpkins, mushrooms and cabbage that have been soaked in a solution of red wine vinegar, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns and sugar. And a Rouladen or beef roll is being served with German pickles like Sauerkraut as accompaniment.

Today, when you think pickles, look beyond the standard (and sometimes seasonal) mango, vegetable, chilli, amla and what-have-you bites. For, exotic pickles — like trout en papillote and Bhutanese banana red chilli — from across the world have landed in India, routed via top notch restaurants and high-end hypermarts. And they come in a bouquet of options: they could be fruit-based, non-spicy and even oil-free.

That’s good news if you love your pickles. Top chefs are saying that pickles are not just the flip-side of Indian dishes but are tarting up global cuisines as well. “Indians have become quite experimental with what they eat. And as far as pickles go, they are favouring international options,” says Chiranjib Chatterjee, executive chef, Afraa, Calcutta, who says pickled beetroots and eggs is a hit with guests at his restaurant.

Exotic pickles of pineapple and gooseberry have entered Indian stores, and gherkins (largely ignored in the past) have picked up in popularity.

On the other hand, chefs are trying to revolutionise traditional Indian pickles by adding unique flavours. So, raw papaya, kaffir lime and plum are dunked in mustard oil to create a quirky pickle at Taj Bengal. And raisins are generously added to green chilli pickle to give it a twist at Swissôtel Kolkata.

Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor insists that pickles shouldn’t just be reached out for as an accompaniment to a meal. “Given their salty flavours, pickles can also be used as taste improvers and palate cleansers between meals,” he says.

So, get set to spice up that dish with some uncommon — and delicious — pickles. Here’s how…

Foreign affairs

The Park Kolkata’s achari bhindi is a tangy pickled dish

Exotic Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian or German pickles are everywhere. And the best part is that they aren’t too spicy. “Indians are travelling all over the world. So, they want to enjoy a pickle back home that they’ve savoured in another country,” says Suresh Kumar, masterchef, West View — The Grill, ITC Maurya in Delhi.

The rooftop restaurant pairs a striking variety of pickles with Continental dishes. So, a grilled chicken is complemented by pickled mushroom in Balsamic vinegar, while lamb chops can be dipped in pickled eggplant.

“The use of ingredients like olive oil and Balsamic vinegar in the pickles makes them mild-flavoured,” says Kumar, who feels that the popularity of heavily-spiced and fiery hot pickles in India is on the decline.

And don’t be surprised if Italian pickled peppers or Giardiniera (Italian mixed vegetable pickle) are served at Italian restaurants, or, if Gari (Japanese pickled ginger) is served between your sushi platters. For, Sharad Dewan, director of food production, The Park Kolkata, says Italian and Japanese pickles have become hugely popular in India.

You can also relish Italian pickled dishes — in which a pickle is used as an ingredient in the cooking — like pesce marinato (pickled fish), herbed fish with broccoli pickle and insalata siciliana (cottage cheese and tomato pickle). And you might just get addicted to the Spanish line-up like pickled mussels and pickled octopus, which are specialities at KK’s Fusion and Mio Amore in Calcutta.

“Pickles that could be paired with international cuisines are available in abundance now and people are ready to pay a premium price for them,” says Dewan.

There’s a lot more to look forward to. “In the coming years, sauces and glazes in finished food will be replaced by pickle oil drizzles and pickle reductions,” says Suj-an Mukherjee, executive chef, Taj Bengal.

The pickles are not just tarting up

dishes but are a chef’s delight because they are easy to prepare. So, Deepak Mishra, executive chef, Swissôtel Kolkata, says that exotic pickles like Granny Smith apple pickle can be prepared in a jiffy. Exotic fruits like Granny Smith apples and berries like raspberry and blueberry are cooked in dessert wine to prepare a piquant concoction.

Pradip Rozario of KK’s Fusion and Mio Amore says, it’s easy to dish up Scandinavian pickled fish. Bekti is marinated with salt, pepper and lime juice, and fried and then steeped in a solution of vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, shallots and bell peppers . It needs to stand for three days.

Pickles are also being paired with drinks. “Pickled lemon, pickled walnut and Scandinavian pickled fish go best with wines and cocktails,” says Rozario. Kapoor recommends sweet and sour pickled veggies (carrots, cucumbers, turnips, radishes) with drinks.

A twist in the tale

(From top) The trout en papillote, offered at Swissôtel Kolkata, comes with baby vegetable escabeche and watercress sauce; ADF Foods’ Soul pickles are olive oil based

Would you like to bite into a mixed vegetable pickle that’s flavoured with Chettinad spices — rather than attempt the usual, tart mango pickle? Or do you fancy a spicy mango and preserved fig pickle?

Chefs are giving the regular Indian pickles a distinct twist. “If traditional Indian pickles are served with a variation, the taste undergoes a subtle change. Vegetables soaked in mustard oil will taste different when soaked in brine or white wine vinegar,” says Mukherjee, who serves pickles like raw papaya, kaffir lime and plum in mustard oil.

Chatterjee adds galangal and roasted garlic paste to green chilli pickle. He also gives a twist to aam kasundi pickle by adding red jalapeno chillies to it.

But if you’re not into the hot and spicy, oil-free Indian pickles are the latest to do the rounds. Says culinary expert, Tarla Dalal: “People have become very health-and calorie-conscious. So, oil-laden and spicy Indian pickles are losing ground slowly.” She has innovated with water-based pickles — she pickles baby onions and garlic in spiced and sweetened vinegar while fresh winter veggies are pickled in tangy mustard-flavoured water.

Even dishes cooked with Indian pickles are scoring high with those who love tangy flavours. Martaban ke chhole at Taj Bengal is a dish of chickpeas cooked with stuffed Rajasthani red chillies and murg khatta pyaaz is chicken cooked with pickled onions soaked in vinegar and beetroot. Similarly, The Park Kolkata serves pickled dishes like achari paneer tikka, khatti bhindi and dum ki raan.

On the shelves

Hit gourmet stores to get yourself a bottle of any exotic pickle from across continents. Spencers Gourmet has introduced brands like American Garden from the US, Fragata from the UK, Olicoop and Verdu Canto from Spain. These brands specialise in mango, tomato, peanut, gherkins and olive pickles, which are sold for Rs 150 to Rs 200 for every 450gm jar.

According to Mohit Kampani, chief of merchandising and operations, Spencer’s Retail Limited, food connoisseurs and expatriates are their target consumers. “Imported food products, including pickles, are in great demand from a small but rapidly growing urban population in India,” he says. Kampani adds that Indians are now very familiar with foreign food brands and find it convenient to buy them here. Also, a spurt in popular international food shows on television has added to the rise in sales.

Godrej Nature’s Basket has pickles from all over the world sitting on shelves in its stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore. So, take your pick from brands like the Italian Saclà, Jamie Oliver from the UK and the Australian Goldyna. “The bulk of our customers are women who don’t hesitate to pay Rs 500 for a jar of pickle if they are sure of its quality,” says Sreejith Mohan, category head, Godrej Nature’s Basket.

Customers are even allowed to taste the pickles before they buy them at the Godrej Nature’s Basket stores. What’s more, you can also order organic pickles in flavours like gooseberry and lime from online store, The Altitude Store. These are available for Rs 80 to Rs 100 per 300gm.

Pickle retailing has been taken to its next level with hotels also selling their in-house pickles to consumers. Sanjay Patti, director, F&B, Hyatt Regency Kolkata, says some diners at the hotel’s signature Indian restaurant, Guchhi, have requested for jars of garlic, mushroom, papaya and lemon pickles to carry back home. The prices of each jar range from Rs 250 to Rs 500.

Also, to cater to health-conscious individuals, less oily pickles are on offer too. One of ADF Foods’ brands, Soul, sells pickles made in virgin olive oil in flavours like mango, lemon, garlic, mixed vegetable, red chilli, green chilli and carrot. Sold in food chains like Big Bazaar and HyperCity in Mumbai and Pune, the 300gm jars are priced at Rs 60 to Rs 65 each.

The future of international pickle retailing in India sure seems bright. “Foreign trade bodies like JETRO (Japan), SOPEXA (France), Austrade (Australia) and others aggressively promote their products in India,” says Kampani. Mohan, too, sounds optimistic: “Currently, there’s a deluge of international pickles in the Indian market and their popularity will only grow .”

Pickles are no longer a season-specific treat. And you can indulge yourself with a variety of flavours — all you have to do is take your pick.

A splash of colours

Mélange of tri-colour bell pepper pickle

Pradip Rozario, owner-chef, KK’s Fusion and Mio Amore

Ingredients

3 red capsicums
3 yellow capsicums
3 green capsicums
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
2tbs flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 spring onion, sliced
1tsp paprika
¼ cup olive oil
2tbs red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Pre-heat the grill. Cut the capsicums into quarters and grill them, skin-side up, until the skins blacken and blister. Leave to cool. Peel the skin and slice thinly. Place the capsicum slices in a mid-sized bowl. Add thyme, garlic, parsley, bay leaf and spring onion. Mix well. Whisk together the paprika, oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Pour the solution over the capsicum and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove 30 minutes before serving.