From the Gongura bunch, separate the leaves from the stem and wash them (discard thick stems and retain the tender ones). Pat them dry on a kitchen towel. let all the moisture go.Roughly chop them.
In a small kadai / pan add a few drops of oil .Roast urad dal,coriander seeds, cumin seeds,mustard , fenugreek seeds and red chillies till they are aromatoic and crisp
When the spices are cooled, transfer them to a mixer and powder .
Once the spices are powdered , add cooked leaves and salt to it and grind it coarsely along with spice powder.Don’t add any water.
Now take the big kadai again and heat the remaining oil . Add mustard seeds and garlic pieces to it once oil is hot .
When mustard splutters , add the ground gongura . Give a nice mix. Taste test.If required add salt and chilli powder.Saute gongura pickle in low flame for 8-10 mins till the extra moisture evaporates and everything combine to a mass . sauteing nicely will increase shelf life.
Once cool , transfer to a dry clean glass container . Delicious Gongura Pickle is ready to be served with hot rice.Serve it with hot rice and ghee / gingely oil .Stays good for months with or without fridge.
NOTES
Pat dry the gongura leaves nicely such that the moisture is fully gone.Else shelf life will decrease. Don’t dry in sun.
Usually red varity gongura are more tangy and good for pickles. Try if you can get that . If using green ones , some times you may require tamarind. In that case you can roast tamarind along with red chilli and powder.
Addition of garlic and usage of gingely oil is optional . However for the authentic taste , it is preffered .
The pickle when done should be more spicy , salty and tangy the first day . The taste will get balanced in next 2-3 days .
Use a clean dry spoon always and store in air tight container . Stays fresh and good for a long time.
If you are doing like chutney and want to finish in 1-2 days, you can reduce oil quantity.addition of extra oil increases shelf life.