Carrot Pickle

Carrot pickle also known as gajar ka achaar; is one of the most popular pickles in sub-continental cuisine. It is considered an essential condiment alongside chutneys and sauces and you will usually see it being eaten with rice, naans and parathas. With its semi-tender texture and tangy kick, it surely does diversify one’s palette. You can now make your own carrot pickle at home with this easy and quick recipe. Please don’t be confused with pickled carrots with carrot pickle. They methods to prepare pickled carrot and carrot pickle are different and the tastes are quite different from each other. In western cooking, pickled vegetables usually include just keeping the vegetables in a jar of water and vinegar whereas in South Asian or Indian cuisine we use spices and oil. Try this hot and spicy carrot pickle that will make you lick your fingers.This recipe takes 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to cook and makes a medium sized jar. This recipe stores well. You can store it in a storage container and eat later, and it will still taste as delicious as freshly prepared.

Health benefits

Carrots are one of the best sources of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for the eyes to maintain their health and function.

Ingredients

medium sized carrots: 6-8

tsp salt: 1

tsp asafetida: 1/2

tsp turmeric: 1/2

tsp red chili powder: 1

tsp dry mango powder: 1

tsp fennel seeds: 1

tsp mustard seeds: 1

tbsp mustard oil: 3

How To Make Carrot Pickle

1. Wash, peel and dry the carrots.Cut the carrots into medium thick slices. Cut off the yellow middle part and throw it away.
2. Grind the mustard seeds in a mortar and pestle and add it to the carrots.
3. Add the chili powder, salt, dry mango powder, fennel seeds, turmeric and asafetida to the mixture.
4. Add the mustard oil to the mixture. If mustard oil is not available then you can add any other oil for the pickle. Add more oil if you feel the pickle mixture is too dry.
5. Transfer the pickle mixture to a medium sized glass jar.
6. Store the jar at room temperature for 5- 7 days and don’t forget to stir the pickle everyday so that the carrots absorb all the flavors and spices fully.
7. Serve as a condiment with dish you desire such as rice and lentils or parathas and enjoy! 

Trivia

1. Pickles boost the probiotic content of your meals.
2. Pickles akaachaar, play a huge role in Indian cuisine. Even if one doesn’t have anything else to eat with their naan, a little pickle is all they need to stay satiated.
3. There are dozens of different pickles or achaars such as green/red chili. Onion, mango, lemon, tomato, coconut and mixed etc.
4. People mostly think that carrots are orange/red but they can also be white, purple and even yellow!