Tangy and Spicy Pickle to tickle your tastebuds

We are nearing Christmas, and we Delhiites are waking up to fog laden mornings and chilly temperatures (my son though is quite amused when I complain about the weather, as the temperature in Ithaca the place he is in, goes down to minus ten) but for us in the sub-continent used to a tropical climate, the dull grey days can be quite a killjoy.

The cold though  hasn't  dampened our appetites, on the contrary one feels more ravenous and it’s great fun gorging on  seasonal  specialties - stuffed paranthas of methi (fresh fenugreek leaves), cauliflower, and of course potatoes which are accompanied by a side of fresh butter and a delectable, mixed vegetable pickle, that is made during this time of the year.

A very popular pickle in North India, the Punjabi mixed vegetable pickle sure elevates even the most boring meals.

Fresh and firm winter vegetables are used to make this pickle. It goes splendidly with paranthas, plain or stuffed, dal-chawal, well virtually with almost everything!

This pickle has an assortment of vegetables which are blanched for a few minutes so that they retain their crunch. The pickle keeps well and one gets to enjoy the winter veggies all through the year.

 Pickling at home might seem like a chore but one should go for it not only for getting the feel of the original taste but also for the fact that it is preservative free.

This was one of the things the daughter too enjoys. I was waiting for her to pass the verdict. So when she said that it tasted just the way she remembered it, I sure felt that I had passed the litmus test.

Mixed Vegetable Pickle (Khatta Meetha Achar)

11/2 kg cauliflower (gobhi) cut into big florets

1/2 kg turnip (shalgam) cut into thick round slice

1/2 kg carrots (gajar) cut into 5 cm long pieces

1 liter mustard oil

125 gm ginger ground to a paste

125gm garlic ground to a paste

750 ml white vinegar

350 gm jaggery (gur)

125 gm garam masala

50 gm red chilli powder

125 gm mustard (rai) powder

150 gm sea salt

Immerse the vegetables in boiling water for just a minute. Drain the water and spread the vegetables on a cloth and leave to dry overnight.

Heat the mustard oil in a wok (kadhai) to smoking point. Let it cool a bit then add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry until well browned.

Gobhi, gajar, shalgam ka achaar

Boil the vinegar and jaggery together in a separate wok until it gets a single thread consistency.

In a large pan mix the vegetables with all the dry spices. Add the jaggery syrup and the fried ginger and garlic pastes. Mix it well and pack in a sterilized jar. Keep in the sun for a fortnight.

This achar (pickle) is so very Indian that it brings back the nostalgia of an era gone by ... it’s easy to make, give it a shot and you will love it not merely for the tangy taste but the memories it would evoke !!!

Two months ago: Spicy Indian green chilli pickle