Aaj dabbe mein kya hai? (Recipe inside)

Dabba in many Indian languages means a 'box'. In India, the word dabba is easily synonymous with a lunch box as in 'Aaj dabbe mein kya hai?' ('What's in your lunch box today' in Hindi)

A peek into my hubby's dabba today - and an entry for the event - Show your lunch box on this blog Daily Tiffin

• On the left is eggplant-yogurt curry. A large eggplant roasted, skinned and mashed, mixed into fresh homemade yogurt with a 'tarkha' (tadka) of cumin & mustard seeds.
• To dip into this curry, there are a couple of phulkas, the very thin tortilla like puffed up Indian bread.
• One boiled potato sauteed with a bunch of fenugreek greens & spices and some instant pickled gooseberries (amla)

Gooseberry pickle

Gooseberries are the ultimate source of vitamin C, better than oranges, lemons and anything else you can think of. That's why since ancient times, Indians have been pickling gooseberries while in season and eating them year round. The pickles were known to maintain the vitamin C content year round.
My version is not the traditional version. This is something you would make in small quantities and finish off within 2-3 days.

Instant gooseberry pickle

You'll need 5-6 gooseberries (amla). Pressure cook them for 2 whistles and on sim for 5 minutes. Once cooker is cooled, remove berries. Quarter them and remove the pith. In a small wok, heat a tbsp of cooking oil. Once warm enough, put in a tsp of cayenne pepper, pinch of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of fenugreek powder (optional). Mix the spices in the oil and pour the spiced oil onto the quartered fruit. Add a tsp of salt. Toss well and serve immediately. Store left over in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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(This post is written by Nandita of Saffron Trail)