Pickles and Chutneys

Pickles and chutneys are a necessary accompaniment of the cooked pulses (dals) which are a part of most Indian meals whether of the rich or the poor. They enhance the taste of the dals. Their use is almost essential in the tropics during the hot weather when human physical activity comes down to a low level and consequently flow of the digestive juices is inhibited. The pickles and chutneys stimulate the appetite and promote digestion. As these are taken more often than not with the dals which are rather bland it is necessary to make them hot and pungent by using mustard as a pickling agent. In England, however, pickled vegetables are taken with snacks and cold lunch and therefore it is desirable that they are neither very hot nor pungent. Hence they use vinegar in place of mustard as a pickling agent.