After the somewhat attempt at health, time for some sin. Growing up in the cool climes of Northern India meant that there were certain types of food that made an entry into our homes come winter. From the heat inducing Rewari and Gazak, to the mouth watering tribute to red carrots aka gajar ka halwa, to the sarso da saag, etc.
Winters usually meant great vegetables - the red carrots, the big fat green peas, the shiny white and almost sweet raddish, to the fabulously flavored methi. Inevitably most of the cooking centered around these vegetables. A yearly ritual followed was the preparation of – Vegetable Pickles.
Like every home, we took our pickles very seriously, be it the North Indian variety, the Gujju variety or the South Indian Avakai! Getting the right pickle was a skill, to get the right quantity of salt, oil and spice. Also important was the texture, and that is one place that the vegetable pickle is brilliant in. The texture is perfect – a hint of crunchiness, but soft enough and doesn’t bother by getting stuck between your teeth.
It being that time of the year again, massive vegetable pickle preparation at home was initiated. Here is the recipe!
Vegetable Pickle
Winters usually meant great vegetables - the red carrots, the big fat green peas, the shiny white and almost sweet raddish, to the fabulously flavored methi. Inevitably most of the cooking centered around these vegetables. A yearly ritual followed was the preparation of – Vegetable Pickles.
Like every home, we took our pickles very seriously, be it the North Indian variety, the Gujju variety or the South Indian Avakai! Getting the right pickle was a skill, to get the right quantity of salt, oil and spice. Also important was the texture, and that is one place that the vegetable pickle is brilliant in. The texture is perfect – a hint of crunchiness, but soft enough and doesn’t bother by getting stuck between your teeth.
It being that time of the year again, massive vegetable pickle preparation at home was initiated. Here is the recipe!
Vegetable Pickle
Ingredients
Chopped Vegetables – 1 Kg (Cut into one and a half inches rectangular pieces)
Carrot, Radish, Peas, Beans and Cauliflower
Green chillies – 50 grams (Also slit and half an inch piece)
Ginger – 50 grams (Also cut into half an inch rectangular pieces)
Salt – 100 grams
Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
Chilli Powder – 50 grams
Raw Mustard Powder – 50 grams
Hing Powder – 1 teaspoon
Methi Powder – 2 teaspoon (roast the methi and powder it)
Lime Juice of 10 lemons
Gingeley Oil – 1 cup
Preservative: Sodium Benzoate – ¼ teaspoon
MethodBest served with paratha and a cup of curd.
Wash the chopped vegetables and tie the vegetables in a muslin cloth to dry it. Steam or microwave for about 5 minutes. Then spread the vegetables out in the sun for about an hour. Mix all the masalas. Heat oil and fry the chillies and ginger. Let it cool for a while. Mix the vegetables, masala, the fried green chillies and ginger and lemon juice. Mix the preservative in one teaspoon of lukewarm water and add it to the pickle and bottle it. This pickle can be kept for more than six months.
