kalpana’s la cucina..... spice 4 all seasons: GAJAR MOOLI HARI MIRCH KA ACHAR

_________________I am Mrs. Kalpana Mhaske, a Home-Maker, from the city of 52-Gates, one of the famous heritage- destination of the world- Ajanta - Ellora Caves, Bibi-Ka- Maqbara (The Taj of Deccan) and Deogiri Fort. i.e. AURANGABAD. I admire cooking - tryout and innovate different cuisines. Basically, both of my gorgeous daughters are foodie, they have always encouraged me in the kitchen and forced to carve a Food Blog, that’s why, I am happy to share the makings with you. I am an artist too. Painting – especially, Canvas-Painting is my one more hobby. In total - Ours is an ART-FAMILY, my husband is an Architect. In the end, I keep the same belief with Louise Fresco - “ Food, in the end, in our own tradition, is something holy. It's not about nutrients and calories. It's about sharing. It’s about honesty. it’s about identity ”

Monday 23 January 2023

GAJAR MOOLI HARI MIRCH KA ACHAR

Winter is incomplete for me without making jars of different pickles . Carrot ,radish , amla , lemon and fresh green and red chilies are favourites. These pickles are easy and simple to make and taste awesome. Fresh and crisp carrots and radishes are available in abundance in the market in this season. These fresh winter vegetables are so good to make vegetables, halwa , stuffed parathas, soups and even my favourite -pickles. Mango and lemon pickles are obviously the best among all the pickles . But seasonal pickles have their own crisp and fresh taste.

Pickles were invented as a preservative. They enabled one to use seasonal vegetables around the year. The most common preservatives are oil, high salt/sugar, vinegar, etc. And humans being the inventor that they are kept on creating different ways and varieties. I love to make Instant pickles. They allow you to go minimal. With little use of oil, salt and other preservatives they allow you to make the most of the seasonal vegetables and make the most of them.

This Gajar Mooli pickle is one of my husband’s favorite pickle which he always likes to eat with mixed dal. This gajar mooli ka achar is very simple to make, you can adjust the ratio of vegetables as per your choice. The addition of ginger and green chilies is also optional. As it is cooked rather than matured in the sun, it needs to be consumed within a month or so.

Enjoyed with plain paratha, aloo Parathas ,gobhi parathas and as a side dish to any meal. Hope you like this sardi wala Gajar Mooli ka Achar.

INGREDIENTS :

2 medium Carrot /गाजर

2 medium Radish/ मूली

12-15 Green Chillies/ हरी मिर्ची

2 inch Ginger cut in juliennes/ अद्रक

10-15 Garlic Cloves/लहसुन की कली

2 tablespoon Mustard Seeds / सरसों

2 tablespoon Yellow Mustard/पिली सरसों

12-15 Peppercorns / काली मीरी

1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds /जीरा

1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds /मेथी दाना

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds/ साबुत धनिया

2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds/सौंफ

1/2 teaspoon Carom seeds / अजवायन

1/2 teaspoon Kalonji /कलोंजी

2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder /काश्मिरी मिरची पावडर

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder /हल्दी पावडर

2 teaspoon Salt/ नमक

1/2 Cup Mustard Oil /सरसों का तेल

1 teaspoon Asafoetida/ हिंग

1 tablespoon White Vinegar / सिरका

METHOD :

STEP 1 - First wash the Ginger, Mooli & Gajar and keep them on a kitchen towel to dry.

STEP 2 - Then peel them well. Keep aside.

STEP 3 – Wash the all green chillies and remove the stem.

STEP 4 – Now cut all vegetables in medium thick slices /batons of about 1.5- 2 inches as shown below. Slit green chillies

STEP 5 - Cut the ginger and garlic in juliennes. Keep this aside.

STEP 6 - Place a pan on low flame, add mustard seeds, yellow mustard, peppercorns, cumin seeds .

Dry roast well for some seconds.

STEP 7 - After few seconds, add fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and crushed carom seeds and roast them.

STEP 8 - When the masala turns aromatic, turn off the flame, transfer to a plate and let everything cool down.

STEP 9 - Add the masala ingredients into a grinding jar and make a coarse powder. Transfer the masala to a bowl and keep aside.

STEP 10 - Transfer the veggies in a mixing bowl and add kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, kalonji and mix everything well.

STEP 11 - Heat the mustard oil in the pan or skillet until it is almost smoking.

STEP 12 - Switch off the flame after the oil starts smoking and let it cool down a bit.

STEP 13 - Now again turn on the flame, the oil should be slightly warm at this point. Then add 1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing).

STEP 14 - Add all chopped vegetables and mix well on low flame.

STEP 15 - After mixing well, add 3 tablespoon of freshly made Achar Masala and mix well. Make sure each vegetable piece is quoted in the masala.

STEP 16 - Add salt and cook well for only 2-3 minutes.

STEP 17 - After 2-3 minutes, add white vinegar, mix well and cook for another 30 seconds.

STEP 18 - Turns off the flame and let the achar cool down completely.

STEP 19 - Now your instant Gajar Mooli Hari Mirch Ka Achar is completely ready and you can enjoy it.

STEP 20 - Fill and keep this Gajar Mooli Ka Achar (mixed pickle) in a glass jar with the lid on. The pickle is ready to be eaten right away. But the real taste of pickle will come after 2-3 days. When all the spices will be absorbed into the veggies.