Forget mango Try pickles with odd ingredients

Aam ka achar is fingerlicking good but oh-so mundane. Melissa D'costa hunts down 4 women who make pickles from fresh turmeric, brinjal, karela, and even marinated fish eggs

Marie's Pork Pickle

At: Les Aurann, Palimala Road, Bandra (W).

Call: 26409371 (after 4 pm)u00a0

Marie Mendonca's Pork Pickle (Rs 350 a kg) recipe is a 100 year-old East Indian family secret that her mother passed down to her.

Unlike most other East Indian dishes, this recipe doesn't need Bottle Masala, and is prepared with green chillies, mustard seeds, garlic, ginger and vinegar.
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It's so addictive, you might end up ODing on it, which Marie warns is far from a good idea. "Pork pickle doesn't taste as good if I don't layer it with fat. That makes it high calorie, so, indulge in it once in a while."

Nargish's Fish Roe Pickle

Available at: 2nd Marine Street, Dhobi Talao.
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Call: 9819002500
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It's the Bawa Caviar, marinated in seriously fiery chilli and vinegar, that has the ability to raise a humble dal-chawal meal to culinary heights.

Garabh-nu-achar (pickled womb) is made from fish roe of the Bhing fish, available only during the month of August. Pickled and preserved to last all year through.

Nargish Lala also sells other Parsi favourites Lagan-nu-achar (Parsi wedding pickle made from carrots and raisins) and Parapori Patia (dry Bombay Duck pickle, Rs 75 for 1/4 kilo).

Linda's Brinjal Pickle

At: Orlem Market, Malad (W).

Time: 9 am to 1 pm.

Call: 28440892 (after 2 pm)u00a0

Linda Tixera may not own a fancy store, but the little wooden table she sets up at Orlem market, is good enough for satisfactory sales.

Her brand of vegetable pickles (karela, carrot, brinjal and tendli for Rs 150 a kg) are so popular with regulars that you will have to drop in before noon if you don't want to avoid disappointment.