Recipe Name – Mixed Pickle

Introduction –

Pickling is the process of preserving the food and the resulting food is called pickle.

We Indians take pride in our pickles as they are part of our everyday meal & they can add zing to any boring meal.

I must say that my mother is a “master chef” when it comes to pickling as she has great taste and experience in pickling. I do not remember eating market pickle while growing up as we were always stocked up with variety of pickles in our kitchen. She was so famous for this that our neighbors and relatives would ask for her help to prepare pickles for their home.

This recipe is dear to my heart as it was my first attempt in pickling and guess what, my mum approved it whole heartedly J

Let’s jump right away!

What all do you need?

1. Carrot (peeled & cut into 1 inch pieces) – 250 gm
2. Daikon Radish (mooli) - (peeled & cut into 1 inch pieces) – 250 gm
3. Cauliflower florets – 300 gm
4. Green chilies – (cut into 1 inch pieces) – 100 gm
5. Ginger – (peeled & cut into thin slices) – 100 gm
6. Mustard oil – 1 cup
7. White vinegar – 1/3 cup
8. Black mustard seeds – 4 tablespoon
9. Asafetida (heeng) – 1 teaspoon
10. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
11. Black pepper seeds – 1 teaspoon
12. Fenugreek seeds – 2 teaspoon
13. Fennel seeds – 4 teaspoon
14. Red chili powder – 2 teaspoon or as per your preference
15. Turmeric powder – 2 teaspoon
16. Glass or food grade plastic jar (air tight) for storing the pickle

Method –

1. Wash all veggies properly. You can also keep them in salted water for 10-15 min to ensure no germs.
2. Now power boil cauliflower florets, carrot and daikon radish. Boil water in the vessel which can hold all these veggies and then put these veggies in the boiling water for 3 min (lid covered).
3. After 3 minutes, remove these veggies from the water and let them cool down for some time (approx. 30 minutes). Ensure to remove all water.
4. After 30 minutes, put these veggies on kitchen tower or clean cloth and let them soak some sun. Keeping veggies in sunlight is important to remove their moisture as water in veggies can lessen the life span of your pickle.
5. Also keep diced green chilies and ginger in the sunlight to remove their moisture.
6. While your veggies are soaking some sun, let’s prepare spice mix for the pickle.
7. Dry roast (Black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds) in a pan for approx. 1-2 min. This process is just to remove moisture from the whole spices. Do not over roast or burn whole spices. Let them cool down for some time.
8. Now coarsely ground them in the mixer grinder or mortar pastel.
9. Heat the mustard oil in the pan and switch off the gas when you see fumes coming out of oil. This means oil is hot enough. Let the oil cool down a bit.
10. Put all the veggies, green chilies and ginger into the big bowl for mixing process to start.
11. Add turmeric powder and coarsely grounded spice mix in the oil when it is still warm (not hot).
12. Now add this oil & spice mix into your veggies bowl. Add salt, red chili powder and mix well.
13. At last add vinegar in the bowl and taste for salt.
14. Ensure to mix well as none of the veggies should be left without spice coating.
15. Now fill this pickle mixture in the dry & clean jar (air tight) and keep this jar in the sunlight for 3 days at least.
16. After three days, your mixed pickle will be ready to rock the world.
17. Eat this mixed pickle with parathas, rice & daal or just like that.

Tips –

1. Removing moisture from veggies is very critical. If sunlight is not possible, keep them under fan for at least 4-5 hours.
2. If keeping in sunlight is an option, try to keep them in sunlight for at least 2-3 hours.
3. Heating an oil is to remove that strong taste of mustard oil. If you prefer, you can use mustard oil without heating as well.
4. When pickling ensure to clean and dry your hands.
5. Always use dry and clean spoon to take out pickle from the jar.
6. Pickles are cleanliness freak, so follow the above guidelines and get to store them for longer period.
7. You can also eat this pickle immediately but giving some days will surely enhance the flavor as all spices will get absorbed into the veggies.