Vellulli pachadi (garlic pickle)

About this pickle

Vellulli is Telugu for garlic, and this pickle is a jar of whole cloves in a red chilli masala sharpened with lemon. In the jar the cloves lose much of the raw garlic bite and take on the masala, so each one is mellow, savoury and still unmistakably garlic. The lemon adds a sour, bright edge that keeps it from feeling heavy. It's 2 of 3 on our chilli scale. Its obvious partner is pappu annam, plain dal mixed into hot rice, with a clove or two crushed in at the table. It's also a good jar for anyone who likes garlic more than chilli, because the heat stays moderate and the garlic carries the flavour. People who grew up with it tend to eat the cloves one at a time, like a side dish. If you'd rather have garlic as a dry powder to sprinkle, try our vellulli karam.

How to enjoy

• Crush one or two cloves into dal and rice (pappu annam) with a little ghee.
• Chop a clove finely and stir it into curd rice.
• Serve a couple of cloves with plain khichdi.
• Spread a little of the masala on a hot chapati and roll it up.