Karimix Aubergine Pickle, 180g

Karimix Aubergine Pickle is a mellow, gently spiced pickle made from fresh aubergine, tomatoes and warming spices, produced in Faversham, Kent. It's the signature recipe from Karimix, the fusion food company founded by Monica Chia, who draws on her Singaporean heritage to build flavour into everything she makes. The aubergine is cooked down slowly with tomato, onion, ginger, garlic and a blend of whole spices including mustard seed, kalonji and fennel, giving the pickle a sweet, warm character with only a mild heat.

Stir a spoonful through warm chickpeas, courgette and onion for an almost-instant curry-house side, or spoon it alongside a simple dhal and naan. It's just as good served with a curry as it is on a cheese sandwich, folded through a potato salad, or spread onto a cheese and pickle toastie - the sweetness and gentle spicing make it one of those jars that ends up getting used for far more than you originally bought it for.

Why we love it:

• We've known and worked with Karimix founder Monica Chia for fifteen years and she has a real gift for balancing flavour
  
• Made using fresh aubergine (22%) rather than a paste or purée, so there's real texture in the jar, not just flavour
  
• Monica's Singaporean heritage comes through in the balance of sweet, sour and warm spice, rather than a straightforward British-style pickle
  
• An award-winning recipe that's stayed on the Karimix range for years, refined rather than reinvented
  
• Naturally gluten free and vegan, with no artificial preservatives
  
• Mild in heat, so it's an easy way into Indian-style pickles if you're new to them
  

How to use:

• Stir 2-3 tbsp through a tin of drained chickpeas with diced courgette and onion, warmed through in a pan, for a five-minute curry-style side
  
• Serve alongside dhal, curries or warm naan bread
  
• Spoon onto a cheese sandwich or into a cheese and pickle toastie
  
• Fold through a potato salad, or serve alongside cold cuts and pies
  

More information:

• Karimix is a Kent-based fusion food company founded by Monica Chia, who draws on her Singaporean heritage across the range
  
• 180g glass jar
  
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans; naturally gluten free and dairy free
  
• Made in a factory that also handles nuts
  
• Store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 4 months
  

Allergens: MUSTARD

Ingredients: Aubergine (22%), tomatoes, onion, spirit vinegar, sugar, rapeseed oil, water, spice, ginger, garlic, salt, mustard seeds, chillies, kalonji, fennel seeds, herb