Making mom proud

A former flight attendant is tapping into her late mother’s recipes to introduce people to the delights of homemade gourmet pickles

Scents can trigger memories, and Yachika Chopra, a Goa-based food entrepreneur, knows it well. Her earliest recollections are of growing up in Bareilly, where the heady aroma of home-made pickle was a constant; almost like an escapist lo-fi soundtrack. “I still remember those batches of achaar that my gran would wrap in muslin cloth. No pickle was ever bought from the store.” The tradition continued as her mother, Poonam, took on the mantle. “A few years ago, mom broached the idea of starting a business [around pickles] and we were thrilled. But she insisted that I do it, but working as a flight attendant meant there was little time to manage a business on the side.” Sadly, Chopra’s mother passed on last year before she could realise her dream.

Chilli Pickle

Her daughter has taken up where she left off. Her two-month old pickle business is named Circa. “It [circa] signifies dates, and  history and descriptions of past things and places. And it’s also a pun on the Hindi word ‘sirka’, which means vinegar, an ingredient I use extensively in my pickles.” Made with natural ingredients, and free of any preservatives, the handcrafted gourmet pickles are made using family recipes handed down generations.

Incidentally, hospitality runs in the family.  Her uncle Rahul Malik is the co-owner of the iconic restaurant Gallops at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and her maternal great grandfather, Shyam Das Arora, ran a ballroom called Aga Baig for the Britishers in Lucknow back in the day. It was in the first lockdown that Chopra realised she wasn’t quite the outlier. “With time on hand, I began rummaging through her recipe books and stumbled upon some that were in tatters. A few words had faded and I couldn’t tell whether it meant stir or fry, so I had to just wing it!”  What got Chopra through was the familiarity of the smell. “My nose led me.” Her first attempt was a green chilli pickle, which turned out to be a roaring success with family and friends asking her to prepare another batch, an idea Chopra wasn’t too thrilled about. “It’s tedious! Moreover, achaar smell doesn’t go away. This was to me just a one-off experiment.” As luck would have it, Chopra lost her job with the airline. “Naturally, I was upset, but everybody around me saw it as a sign!” she laughs.

Yachika Chopra

Chopra runs the business from her Goa home. Her bestseller is the carrot and cauliflower pickle, a delightful combination of crunchy root vegetables in a blend of aromatics and spices. Extremely versatile, you can pair it with nearly anything—dosas, rice, parathas are all fair game. This writer even had it with idlis. The brinjal and curry does justice to its ingredients and is beautifully balanced. If you dig spice, the chilli pickle made with freshly harvested green chillies, hits the spot. The 300 gm jars are priced at Rs 275.

Making pickle is an art and  a science, thinks Chopra. “Let’s say, the veggies are not cut the same size, each cooks different and impacts the taste and flavour. You also need to factor in the heat of the flame. It has to start high and reduce gradually, while ensuring it doesn’t overcook. Because I’m not using any of the readymade masalas, the overall cost goes up, but that’s the beauty of ghar ka khana—you never compromise on the quality.” The prepping  takes up an entire day for Chopra. She prefers to make it in small batches to retain the flavour. Along with the pickle, she has also introduced a homemade Schezwan sauce, a recipe she sourced from her aunt. “She [my aunt] told me that Indo-Chinese cuisine started in Bengal because of the culinary influences from the east. When I did my research, it turned out that Schezwan sauce gathered fans in Calcutta before it became a blitzkrieg.” A first-time entrepreneur, Chopra is gradually learning the ropes of pickling, bottling, packaging and logistics. “My goal is to introduce a pickle flavour from every Indian state.“

To Order: www.eatcirca.com; 8261885443, WhatsApp

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