I had only been in Pakistan for a few hours when I asked this question. The small green fruits or berries, I had no idea which ones, were presented as pickles, accompanying the main dishes. Now I forget what they were, as I just wanted to know what a Lasora was. One of the male relatives present assured me that I would not like Lasora as the pickle was hot. However, my husband served me some on the plate and I really liked them. Unlike paan, this was a food that I quickly liked.
After months of not knowing what they were called in English, it finally became clear that they are known as gum berries. They don’t grow in Britain that I know of, but they do grow in America, so please forgive my ignorance. For those readers who don’t know what they are, they are green and round, and they look like a green olive. They are sticky when freshly harvested and are used as glue by children in the Punjab region of Pakistan. You can eat them raw, but they taste dry and are much better in pickles. I used unripe green gum berries for the recipe below that my husband and I made in our attempts to replicate the pickle I had so enjoyed on my first day in Pakistan. (People here in Pakistan use the ripe yellow fruit of the gum berry tree as a vegetable.)
In Punjab there are people called ‘changar’ (Pakistani gypsies) who used, and perhaps still live, in the forests, and it is said that before sleeping, they sweep the area where they will sleep with a broom made of twigs. and branches of the gum berry tree to ward off evil. Also the expression ‘to paste like glue’ to someone in English is to paste like Lasora in Urdu and Punjabi. This phrase is especially used when young children will not leave you alone.
The bark of the Lasora tree and its roots are infused and drunk to cure coughs, sore throats and colds. It is also supposed to cure indigestion. It’s good to know that something so tasty is really good for you.
PICKLED LASORA AND MANGO
Ingredients
500 gr of Lasora (immature green gummies)
Oil as required
4 tablespoons of salt
3 tablespoons turmeric
3 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, roughly ground
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, roughly ground
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
150 gr of mango cubes
4 tablespoons of red chili powder
Method
Chop each berry and rub them with a mixture of salt and turmeric. Leave the red chili powder, but mix in all the other spices.
Heat about 2 cups of oil in a frying pan and let cool. When it’s warm, roll it over the spices and mix well.
Dry fry the salt over low heat for 1 min, then add the red chilli powder and fry dry for 1 more minute. Mix this with the spice mixture, stirring well.
Now add the berries and mango chunks to the mixture and cover them well with the mixture.
Transfer to a glass jar with a tight lid and let it steep for 4/5 days.
On the fifth or sixth day, heat enough oil to coat the fruit and toss with the pickle when cool. Cover the jar tightly and leave it for a week.
You can leave it on for longer, of course, and it will keep for a few months, if it’s still around after so long! Make sure the spoon you use to scoop the pickle out of the jar is dry or the pickle will spoil.
You can reuse the oil for the next batch of pickles when you’re done.